Knaus Posted January 23, 2007 Share Posted January 23, 2007 Hello Has anyone used the LD Lines Ferry from Portsmouth to Le Havre? As I live on the Isle of Wight it is the nearest ferry for me. Last year I went via Dover to Dunkirk with Norfolkline. The trouble was we wanted to go down to the Pyrenees and found although it was only £78 return the fuel was costly. Also that M20 is hell with all the foreign lorries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted January 23, 2007 Share Posted January 23, 2007 Well, yes, and no. That is to say I have done Ports-Le Havre, but not with LD.Le Havre is an unpleasant town, thanks mainly to us and the Americans during the last war! The route from the dockside is not the best, and if you do use it, whatever you do, stay in the right hand lane all the way through. (However, I haven't been since the Pont de Normandie was built, so if there is a new road this comment may not apply.) The problem is that the left hand lane, which by-passes all the junctions (traffic lights etc) via short underpasses, and so is much quicker, has very restricted headroom in the underpasses - and I mean restricted. Even MPVs are a bit tight!If you can get a ferry to Cherbourg that is much pleasanter. Cherbourg, though knocked about a bit, is a much nicer town and the route out of town and down the cotentin is direct and once out of Cherbourg, virtually motorway quality N13 down to Carentan (by-passed). Carentan to St Lo (by-passed) not bad, and St Lo down to the A84 all dual carriageway. A84 (mostly) takes you to Rennes (ring road), thence dual N137 to Nantes (slightly less clear ring road) and onto A83 for Niort, Bordeaux and Biarritz. Otherwise stay on N13 at Carentan for Bayeux (by-pass), Caen (ring road) and on towards Paris. Between these two routes there are a number of choices, not too heavily trafficed, to the South East, through lower Normandy and on to the Loire valley.Hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randonneur Posted January 23, 2007 Share Posted January 23, 2007 Brian Kirby - 2007-01-24 5:11 AM.The route from the dockside is not the best, and if you do use it, whatever you do, stay in the right hand lane all the way through. (However, I haven't been since the Pont de Normandie was built, so if there is a new road this comment may not apply.) The problem is that the left hand lane, which by-passes all the junctions (traffic lights etc) via short underpasses, and so is much quicker, has very restricted headroom in the underpasses - and I mean restricted. Even MPVs are a bit tight! Did this route a few years ago but with a Landrover Discovery and forgot that the CB aerial was on and went thump, thump, thump on the roof of the tunnels. Needless to say there wasn't much left of it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted January 23, 2007 Share Posted January 23, 2007 We've been considering using the LD Lines route, mainly because the fares seriously undercut those of Brittany Ferries (BF). The downsides (for us) are the timings of the LD Lines crossings and (unless you book a long way ahead) the unlikelihood of getting a cabin. A recent refit has incresed the number of 'sleeper' seats, but we like proper beds. Le Havre now has a snazzy beach area to the west and the city itself seems no worse than many others I've visited. When I was last there, towards the end of 2005, overnight parking by the ferry-port was easy and I've had no great problems leaving the port eastwards (though, as Brian says, you've got to keep your wits about you regarding the underpasses). The Portsmouth-Cherbourg route now only operates 'fast ferries' I believe, and I'm not sure what BF's policy is towards motorhomes going on these vessels. I met one motorcaravanning couple who had been 'bumped' off the BF fast ferry on to the conventional because their Kon-Tiki had suddenly been judged "too large" for the catamaran. That's when both types of ferry were running on the Portsmouth-Cherbourg crossing and transferring to the big ship was an option. Conventional ferries still operate on the Poole-Cherbourg route, but I'd far rather negotiate Le Havre and its outskirts than beggar about trying to get clear of Poole towards Newbury. Last crossing we did was Portsmouth-Caen and that's probably what we'll do next time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest starspirit Posted January 23, 2007 Share Posted January 23, 2007 Leaving Le Havre is not too bad if you see all the signs in time and it is not peak traffic times. The Pont du Normandie (small toll) and the motorways are well signed but if you want to leave that route the signage is less effective - even non effective. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brian42 Posted January 23, 2007 Share Posted January 23, 2007 Knaus, we have used l&d lines ever since p&o stopped using this route.Loading is a bit long winded but it is so much cheaper than Brittany Ferries.If you can't get a cabin don't bother booking a reclining seat as it's quite crowded and most uncomfortable.We find it's better to find a bench seat or settee to crash out on.Cost last year about £220(7 metre van) but when we worked out the cost of travelling to Dover, and then Calais to somewhere near le Havre(to get to the south) we found nothing much in it. Plus it's a pleasure to drive on french roads unlike ours.Happy travelling Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Knaus Posted January 24, 2007 Author Share Posted January 24, 2007 Thank all of you for the information on LD Lines. We have managed to get a cabin. Also taken on board the info re the route out of Le Havre. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted January 24, 2007 Share Posted January 24, 2007 DerekNewhaven-Dieppe's your ferry. 4 hour crossing, 4 sailings daily. Proper ferries, all nice and new. Quite good food (well, actually, fantastic food for ferries - it's edible!). Easy route to Newhaven via M25/M23/A23/A27 (though a bit cagged with roadworks on A27 East of Lewes at present) and Dieppe is a nice little port. Quick/easy exit from Dieppe docks and free running roads South. Oh, and there's an aire at Dieppe - though not very glamourous - just under the cliffs by the small boat harbour, and an easy walk into the town with all its harbourside restaurants.Transmanche ferries. French owned, crewed and run. Have a website: www.transmancheferries.com. Don't be put off by the ship on the home page, it's one of the old ones. They've only had the new ones for a few months - and you know the French and the internet! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keninpalamos Posted January 30, 2007 Share Posted January 30, 2007 I think you'll find the unpleasantness of LaHarve more to do with the Germans in WW 2!!! Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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