Munchie
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Registered: 17th Jul 01
Location: I swap goats for mobile phones
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Any of you guys done this before? Thinking of crossing from Folkestone to Calais then onto Brussels or maybe somewhere else for a few days?!
Any advice etc? We are taking a reliable car 
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Claire
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Registered: 19th Jan 03
Location: The Sarrrf
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I wouldn't. A boat is going to be much easier.
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Wrighty_1988
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Registered: 30th Jun 06
Location: South Yorkshire
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Kyle T
Premium Member
Registered: 11th Sep 04
Location: Selby, North Yorkshire
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Take a run up
Lotus Elise 111R
Impreza WRX STi
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RichR
Premium Member
Registered: 17th Oct 01
Location: Waterhouses, Staffordshire
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Tunnel is much more straight forward and less hassle by far. There are a number of things you need in your car when driving on the continent, especially in France; bulb kit, warning triangle, first aid kit, hi-viz for all passengers (must be in the car, accessible, not in the boot), breathalysers x2, GB badge, Insurance documents, driving license and ownership documents.
[Edited on 28-05-2014 by RichR]
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James
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Registered: 1st Jun 02
Location: Surrey
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I'm driving to the South of France next month and I'm taking the Eurotunnel. £75 each way and 35 minutes.
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RichR
Premium Member
Registered: 17th Oct 01
Location: Waterhouses, Staffordshire
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Tunnel is by far the better choice.
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Munchie
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Registered: 17th Jul 01
Location: I swap goats for mobile phones
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quote:
Originally posted by RichR
Tunnel is much more straight forward and less hassle by far. There are a number of things you need in your car when driving on the continent, especially in France; bulb kit, warning triangle, first aid kit, hi-viz for all passengers (must be in the car, accessible, not in the boot), breathalysers x2, GB badge, Insurance documents, driving license and ownership documents.
[Edited on 28-05-2014 by RichR]
Cool
And say we do not have these?!
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taylorboosh
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Registered: 3rd Apr 07
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quote:
Originally posted by Claire
I wouldn't. A boat is going to be much easier.
Pics of you?
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Ben J
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Registered: 31st Jan 05
Location: Cheshire
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Munchie
quote:
Originally posted by RichR
Tunnel is much more straight forward and less hassle by far. There are a number of things you need in your car when driving on the continent, especially in France; bulb kit, warning triangle, first aid kit, hi-viz for all passengers (must be in the car, accessible, not in the boot), breathalysers x2, GB badge, Insurance documents, driving license and ownership documents.
[Edited on 28-05-2014 by RichR]
Cool
And say we do not have these?!
You get 2 options.
Take all of the above, or take none of it and just a big tub of lube.
Up to you.
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RichR
Premium Member
Registered: 17th Oct 01
Location: Waterhouses, Staffordshire
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Ring do a kit for £24.00 (iirc) which has everything you need. Quite significant fines if you don't have it and you get stopped.
HiViz has to be kept in the car so that you can put it on before getting out in the event of accident or breakdown.
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RichR
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Registered: 17th Oct 01
Location: Waterhouses, Staffordshire
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http://www.skidrive.co.uk/accessories/product_detail.php?partno=RCT1&gclid=CI2mvMDpzr4CFdShtAodxDwAjQ
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Ben G
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Registered: 12th Jan 07
Location: Essex
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Christ, French authorities are proper anal, aren't they?
I have heard of ridiculously huge fines for not having them in the car. I imagine they pull a lot of foreign drivers over aswell to check.
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Dom
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Registered: 13th Sep 03
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by RichR
..There are a number of things you need in your car when driving on the continent, especially in France; bulb kit, warning triangle, first aid kit, hi-viz for all passengers (must be in the car, accessible, not in the boot), breathalysers x2, GB badge, Insurance documents, driving license and ownership documents...
It's worth carrying a lot of it but the only compulsories for France (most European countries tbh) are - reg and insurance documents, GB sticker, a warning triangle, a single high-viz jacket (must be in the cabin) and the car must be fitted with headlamp deflectors.
Breathalysers are now not a fine-able offence (was only a 10 euro fine anyway) so they're are recommendation rather than a requirement. Same goes for first-aid kits and bulb kits.
Oh and disable any device that can detect and/or show speed cameras, both radar and satnav's.
[/justsayin']
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Daimo B
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Registered: 20th Mar 00
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by Munchie
And say we do not have these?!
I travel to France a lot.
As said, high vis vests and triangle are a must. If you get pulled, they will check, and they will drive you to a cashpoint to get out the money and pay the fine. If you have a GB plate, you dont need the GB badge.
Speed limits are relaxed off the auto routes, don't take the piss, and make sure you hang around speed limits in town, if they see you, you'll get pulled. Auto routes in the dry are around 80mph. Be weary, they hide behind bridge columns with the radar guns, and if you see them its too late, they will just stop you at the next toll booth.
Take coins/notes for toll machines, or your bank card (I find it much easier).
Learn some basic French, it will get you a lot further than just speaking English only. English wiv ze french accent does no work monsieur
Train takes 45 minutes and is far far easier. Do not come home on Sunday afternoon/evening as the queues are utterly stupid. Boat takes 1.5hrs.
[Edited on 28-05-2014 by Daimo B]
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RichR
Premium Member
Registered: 17th Oct 01
Location: Waterhouses, Staffordshire
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Boat is much more susceptible to delays due to weather though.
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ed
Member
Registered: 10th Sep 03
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Can get a cooked breakfast on the boat 
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RichR
Premium Member
Registered: 17th Oct 01
Location: Waterhouses, Staffordshire
User status: Offline
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Can get one in the terminal building whilst waiting for the tunnel
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CorsAsh
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Registered: 19th Apr 02
Location: Munich
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I always go from Hull to Rotterdam or Zeebrugge. I find it much more pleasant than fighting my way through from the North West to Dover. Basically get to Hull at 7pm, depart at 8.30, have a beer and then get a night's sleep. Arrive in Europe 8am the next day fresh and ready to get on. Also means I don't have to interact with any cheese-eating surrender monkeys.
Check out aferry.co.uk for good deals, usually cheaper than booking direct with P&O.
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AndyKent
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Registered: 3rd Sep 05
User status: Offline
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We drove to Britanny last year. Whilst the train was about an hour/1.5 hours quicker prices were twice what the boat was.
Least on the boat we could go for a wander, girlfriend could have a snooze on the boat and recharge batteries to break up the journey.
Not saying don't use the train, but the boat isn't a disaster by any means.
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pow
Premium Member
Registered: 11th Sep 06
Location: Hazlemere, Buckinghamshire
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Boat is a much cheaper option, and the hour and half break out of the car is quite nice if you're doing a long journey. Driving in France is fine, I got zapped at just under 90 and they didn't stop me. Just beware that limits are far less signed than here especially off the toll roads. 50ks in a town and they are strict on that. Limit changes from 130 to 110 when it's raining. Far less stressful than driving here imo
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willay
Moderator
Organiser: South East, National Events
Premium Member
Registered: 10th Nov 02
Location: Roydon, Essex
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Boat is bollocks, absolute bollocks. You wait at the port, more waiting, then get on the boat, find the breakfast which will cost you £10 each if you want something hot and by the time you have eaten it you haven't even left the dock yet. Fuck the boat.
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RichR
Premium Member
Registered: 17th Oct 01
Location: Waterhouses, Staffordshire
User status: Offline
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quote:
Originally posted by willay
Boat is bollocks, absolute bollocks. You wait at the port, more waiting, then get on the boat, find the breakfast which will cost you £10 each if you want something hot and by the time you have eaten it you haven't even left the dock yet. Fuck the boat.
They're also terrible for keeping you informed of what's happening. Because it was school half term when we went across in February, I couldn't get a train across until 3am so opted for the 1130pm ferry. We got there at 1015pm and queued for 45minutes to get into the docks from the motorway. Once we were at the barrier, the guy told us there was a 1hour delay which was annoying but fine. The terminal building is tiny and doesn't have great facilities plus was full of approximately 1 million kids. 1 hour came and went, then 2, then 3 and so on with no announcements and no news. At 4.30 in the morning, they bought everyone a bottle of water but still didn't know what was going on and eventually, we got across at 7.45am - should have booked the train!!
Even if there are delays on the tunnel and I've never waited more than an hour more than I was meant to, the terminal building is massive, the layout is better and the information boards are constantly updated.
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RichR
Premium Member
Registered: 17th Oct 01
Location: Waterhouses, Staffordshire
User status: Offline
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plus sick and shit everywhere; it was a moderately rough crossing, certainly not terrible and there was sick dripping from everything on the ferry, in walkways, toilets, sinks, seating areas - none of that on the tunnel!!
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pow
Premium Member
Registered: 11th Sep 06
Location: Hazlemere, Buckinghamshire
User status: Offline
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I found it okay  Like I said I'd bee driving the van for miles and miles and miles so was happy for the rest really When I drove to Paris I would have used the tunnel if it was an option on the package I booked
[Edited on 29-05-2014 by pow]
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