KHP101

Hi are there any Ferries in the summer season, or now actually that go from London to the beaches of Normandy. Was originally going to take a puddle jumper or the CHUNNEL to Paris and bike from Paris to Omaha Beach, and have to be there on June 6th for a ceremony and such; but is the Ferry on the English Channel an experience, especially coming into the shores of that area or area's near it?

I was going to bike in from Paris and come up that way, but also, does anyone have experiences biking in and around the Formigny area, East to Caen, or more specifically West from Omaha, through Insigny-Sur-Mer through the giant National Park of Marias-des-Cotentin? It looks like an epic place to bike through, and tent freely without issues. Are their bike trails there, that you have experienced. Any personal stories, of biking from there or from Paris would be greatly appreciated.

I will be leaving that area on June 7/8 headed to Barcelona for a ferry to Ibiza on June 14.

dotheboyshall

Ferries in London go along the Thames, nowhere else.

If you want to get to the Normandy beaches then you need to take a ferry from Portsmouth

KHP101

Obviously I meant South of London for the ferry. I see there is one that seems to run from Gosport/Portsmouth to OuiStreham; which would be kind of perfect. Has anyone done that run?

KHP101

Have you done that run @dotheboyshall?

dotheboyshall

I've been around long enough to know the answers to the basic questions

http://www.brittany-ferries.co.uk/fe...tsmouth-france

KHP101

cheers. So you have not done that ferry personally?

PalenQ

/Portsmouth to OuiStreham; which would be kind of perfect. Has anyone done that run?>

I've done it Oustreham to Portsmouth - I did the overnight ferry but there are several daytime ones too.

Oustreham is the port of Caen, and is on the D-Day beaches itself.

Book well in advance at sites dotheboyshll generously took time to give.

What do you want to know? Not much to say - lots of onboard amenities.

KHP101

generously? lol. Its a forum for travel, isn't that what other travels are supposed to do; give advice and answers? Or did I miss something.

You answered my questions, thank you. Next time I will just use the internet, which I guess has people's personal stories too, if I research hard enough.

Well maybe you threw up? got sea sick? Brought a bike? Brought a pet? Dumped a body overboard? etc...

PalenQ

Seasickness is always a possibility and you can tell if rough seas are expected - boats can even be cancelled - or are you prone to car-sickness or seasickness - then yes.

I did not bring bikes aboard but there would have been no problem- this was a car ferry - I think daytime services may use catamarans but still no problem- I used to run bike tours that took Channel boats and we would bring 50-60 bikes on board - no problem. And I do not remember anyone getting seasick and normally this is not a problem - yet I took a boat from St Malo to Jersey once and nearly everyone go seasick the sea was so rough.

Do you have a pet? I do not know the answer to that but I'm sure the sites that British bloke generously gave you should tell you that.

The D-Day beaches start at Oustreham I believe - turn right coming off the ferry, head for the seafront and head west.

I have also biked from Paris to Caen and Bayeux and along the beaches. It was a nice trip along the Seine but you could take the Eurostar train also to Calais-Frethun - first stop right near French end of Channel Tunnel (not many trains stop here though) and cycle along the coast from there - France does not have many bike paths but tons of well-paved side roads that are better than bike paths - get a Michelin map - sold everywhere- and stick to D-roads and those colored in yellow which away from large cities are great side roads.

Next time I will just use the internet> News flash - this is the Internet!

Are you planning to kill someone once aboard?

Cheers!

KHP101

lol epic reply.

PalenQ

I've biked all over France and often with a tent and at times sauvage or wild camping but check this site for some dos and don'ts and do not leave your packed bike parked in isolated areas - I left mine by the seaside in Concarneau once and came back to find my tent and gear gone.

https://translate.google.com/transla...ac&prev=search

Cheers- I applaud your travel style as I often did it when you age - camping municipals in France can be really cheap sometimes and offer showers though a swim or lake in the sea can do this too.

Cheers!

PalenQ

There are also ferries from Southampton and maybe Portsmouth to Cherbourg which would let you bike south to that big swamp area and Isigny (big dairy center - cows everywhere) down to the Beauvais area - Cherbourg is a fascinating city if not very pretty - check out the hulking old Trans-Atlantic Boat Terminal and let your imagination go with the swirl of activity that must have taken place here in its heyday.

KHP101

Im in a meeting and texting you under the table, lol, but I will reply in detail later tonight. Thank you for your detailed information and personal experience. Care to join me a day or two? I assure you, I am a rare breed lol. I did a trip from Copenhagen to Berlin last year and then Munich to Salzburg, stayed on farms, free tented on beaches long the coast, and often knocked on doors of large field owned homes to ask them permission to pitch a tent.

flpab

I have taken the ferry Oustreham to Portsmouth. I got an email the night before offering us a cabin for less than 10 pounds so took it and it was very nice to have a place to store luggage while we ate a wonderful meal. We each took a nap. It was not rough at all, very nice and loved the duty free shop.

I saw a lot of biking while in Normandy. Very nice that you can camp along the way while biking. Great food and loved the hard apple cider of the region.

PalenQ

Care to join me a day or two?>

Would love to but has to be in my dreams - some injuries have ended my biking days - at least such demanding ones.

Cheers!