How do you cross the Channel?

[SteveW]

Because I live in North West England, when I'm heading to Central /Eastern Europe my preferred channel crossing is Hull - Zeebrugge.
Even on a bike it's a bit pricey. £200+ one way next month. I don't tend to hit the bar on the crossing, I like to have my wits about me for the next morning riding the bike.
I'm off on a trip out East next month and the tunnel is £34 and a decent hotel in Calais is €58.
Me and my wife stayed in Calais for a night last year.
We hadn't planned to but our dog's pet passport was incorrectly stamped so we had to stay over a night to sort it out in the morning.
We found Calais surprisingly nice, in the past I've just got out of the tunnel/ferry, hit Le Tarmac and buggered off.
Okay, no one likes the drag down from up north to Folkestone, but I thought rather than do what I've done in the past......set off early, blitz down the motorways to the tunnel, crossover and make a couple of hundred miles on the other side....I'd chill down a bit, set off about 10:00am split the journey up with a visit to Bletchley Park (I've never been) get the 18:00 crossing, stop over in Calais and wake up nice and relaxed on the following morning.
Simple really, same time frame as the Hull ferry, an extra 200 miles to ride but much cheaper.

[Redmurty]

I usually do over night Pompey/Caen. Sometimes if I am feeling flush I spring for a cabin if not I will crash anywhere
I really like the area around Caen and the Falaise gap
cheers Spud

[lancashirelad]

We always go Dover-Dunkirk plan to arrive about 6pm then stay at Campanile Loon-Plage nice continental breakie then off we go.
But your right it's a bit of a trundle from north west tho even in a car

[wideparting]

Nip down to the channel as quick as possible,then to les ballastieres,twenty euros for a bunkhouse and basic breakfast,fifty cents for beers.whats not to like.

[92kk k100lt 193214]

Lot of folk from NE England come across to Belfast on the morning ferry, bimble down the East coast of Ireland and take Dublin/Cherbourg, Rosslare/Roscoff or Cherbourg [arrive about 11am], or Cork/Roscoff [arrive 7am] same afternoon and in France next morning. Stena do the route into Belfast and Dublin/Cherbourg. Apart from late June/July/August I pay about €140-160 return including Pullman seating [bring your sleeping bag and mat and sleep on the floor in the Pullman lounge, everyone does it]. I meet plenty who are doing this, bikes, cars, caravans, motorhomes.

Much more suited to west and south west France though and avoids a lot of driving. Having driven the UK routes driving the Irish coast is a much more pleasant experience and the ferry ports a lot less busy.

I have taken route Roscoff to east Europe but Strasbourg is over half way to Budapest from Roscoff and you are still in France paying tolls.

Living about 12km from the ferry port to France and 220km from a ferryport to England/Wales and for me much the same ferry fare to UK or France you can see where I go for holidays most of the time.

[Mike54]

I'd do that Steve (stay over in Calais) but only if I could get properly secure (ie out of sight) parking. Last time I did NW in that directon, we got to calais at 7, went through the tunnel and went for about 150 miles on the other side. I was goosed when we got there, it had been nearly a 600 mile day with very short breaks.

[micksea]

when I travel down from Yorkshire I use the dover Calais ferry,its cheaper than the tunnel but more importantly it gives me an hours rest,then usually get at least a hundred miles through france before stopping.when coming back up france I usually stop at the F1 hotel at Boulogne-Sur-Mer,its only 23 miles from the tunnel/port,far enough from the rouges at Calais* but close enough not to have to rush about in the morning.
*obviously this isn"t as much of a problem now.

[SteveW]

I'd do that Steve (stay over in Calais) but only if I could get properly secure (ie out of sight) parking. Last time I did NW in that directon, we got to calais at 7, went through the tunnel and went for about 150 miles on the other side. I was goosed when we got there, it had been nearly a 600 mile day with very short breaks.

It's a long first day travelling from NW England. The holiday doesn't start until day Two.
I think for me, a Folkstone crossing later in the day, with a leisurely ride down through England, possibly taking in some kind of place of interest on route is the way forward.
I'm working hard on being less of a rushy-pants these days!

[Mike54]

See if you can find some secure bike parking just outside of Calais?
I've noticed recently that with the constant issues on the M6, I've had a lot of success with doing M62 then M1 or A1 depending where I'm going. Further in miles but far less aggro with the seemingly daily jams. The roadwork narrow lanes between 19 and 16 mean that you cant filter in jam so no advantage of being on a bike

[Rederic]

See if you can find some secure bike parking just outside of Calais?

I've noticed recently that with the constant issues on the M6, I've had a lot of success with doing M62 then M1 or A1 depending where I'm going. Further in miles but far less aggro with the seemingly daily jams. The roadwork narrow lanes between 19 and 16 mean that you cant filter in jam so no advantage of being on a bike

Thats what I have been doing lately or come down to junction 20 then do the A50 A500 A50 over to the M1

But I do like the evening crossing from Portsmouth to Caen its a better ride down but probably to far west on the other side for you Steve