Best Route to France

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AlexL

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I am planning a 2 week cruising holiday to Normandy. I am currently trying to work out the best route, as I am on the east coast (Shotley). I'm currently thinking Shotley to Ramsgate or Dover. Ramsgate/ Dover to Eastbourne, or Brighton ish. Then Across from there to say fecamp or nearby. Then cruise westwards along the Normandy coast and then back east to a suitable point to pop back across le Manche. To gain a bit of time I can always pop the boat down to Brighton / Eastbourne / wherever the previous weekend.

Anyone got any better route ideas, or recommendations?

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I'm planning a trip from Brigton to solent (bembridge)- cherbourg - channel islands- (possibly treguier) cherbourg and am now trying to decide whether we should come back to solent or head along the french coast as it is an extended delivery from brighton to Tollesbury in the blackwater!!! I think we will just wait and see what the wind is doing, but I quite like the idea of stopping of along the french coast (fecamp, le havre etc.)

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Can I recommend highly the following.
1. Omanville. Just West of Cherbourg, moorings and anchorage.
2. Dilette. Big marina but nice. looking out on Sark.
2. Saint-Vaast-la-Houge. South of Barfleur. Great entrance past island forts, marina with a tidal sill, lovely market & restaurants. A visit to Mnsr. Gosselin's is essential!

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get into France a quick as pos. you will save a fortune in berthing fees.
the Dutch seldom sail on our side as its so expensive compaired with France, you will also gain the following
1/ cheaper berth
2/ good food wine
3/ freindly service ( not wot du wont, havnt got it, come back t` morra)
i saw u made it to Oostende last w/e, we were on the west side of the Montgomery Dock also met Yanita in the Bar of R.N.S.Y.C on Saturday


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leave marina

turn right

follow coast on the right

untill see land on left then head for it,

you will then

either find france or Ireland,

let it be an adventure!!!!

<hr width=100% size=1><A target="_blank" HREF=http://powerskipper.mysite.freeserve.com/>http://powerskipper.mysite.freeserve.com/</A>
Julie
 
Cross over to France as soon as pos - cheaper, better service,...

We usually cross at Ramsgate for Calais/Bologne (Bol was a bit of a s**thole, but have heard recent claims that the place has much improved). From there down to Dieppe, Fecamp,... Don't forget the St Valerys - both very nice, but the approach to St Valery sur Somme is a bit tricky (but well worth it!).

Last year followed the Dieppe-Newhaven Hoverspeed ferry back to the UK.

<hr width=100% size=1>Experience is a good teacher, but she sends in terrific bills.
 
i was the "Bearded Lady" but your hands looked like those of a sailor M`lud !.
Paul & Liz wont forget thier humble attempt to " Drink Oostende Dry" he had a hang-over till 17-00 on Sunday.
we got back into Harwich19-50hrs a crap start but the sun came out @ T.S.S.
just had a Juplier
cheers
roger

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We had a top weekend in Ostend and a nice sail back - after a bit of a crappy start.

We were mored right in the corner of the NSYC - took a bit of extracting on Monday Morning! Robert does manage to squeeze the boats in doesn't he.

I hope you wheren't there when we arrived on Saturday morning to witness me making a complete pigs ear of the mooring which culminated in me running aft along the side deck and catching the inflation toggle on my lifejacket between the shrouds. enough people were looking at us as it was and all saw my lifejacket explode into all its flourescent orange glory!

I shall sit down tonight with my shiny new copy of the Channel Pilot and imray channel chart and plan a start to our summer hols :-)



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We had a top weekend in Ostend and a nice sail back - after a bit of a crappy start.

We were mored right in the corner of the NSYC - took a bit of extracting on Monday Morning! Robert does manage to squeeze the boats in doesn't he.

I hope you wheren't there when we arrived on Saturday morning to witness me making a complete pigs ear of the mooring which culminated in me running aft along the side deck and catching the inflation toggle on my lifejacket between the shrouds. enough people were looking at us as it was and all saw my lifejacket explode into all its flourescent orange glory!

I shall sit down tonight with my shiny new copy of the Channel Pilot and imray channel chart and plan a start to our summer hols :-)



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missed that but did see your mobo comrades ( Shotley) making a complete cock of rafting-up behind u, most entertaining .
we had to wait untill the double raft astern of us to move to allow us to get out @ approx 07-30 local
see u around
roger


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"Etap 38i Sloop / Volvo Penta 2003 28hp "
"Last year followed the Dieppe-Newhaven Hoverspeed ferry back to the UK"

Didn't know an Etap 31i could plane that fast!!!!!! Amazing!



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Roger,

It just has. Launched Wednesday. At 2200 rpm cruises at 5.6kts. Had a short burst to 3000rpm and the GPS showed 6.1kts - at top of tide with no flow. What will it be like when run in and at 3500rpm?Vibration free and much quieter than I expected.

Thanks for the best wishes,

Bob

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Now I really like Boulogne. The yacht harbour can be a bit smelly but the facilities are excellent. The city to me is one of the nicest in in Northern France particlularly the old town. Yacht Harbour close to supermarkets and restaurants.
In terms of the original question I would cross as soon as possible after Dover and spend the second night after Ramsgate in Boulogne.
My Favourite crossing is roughly between Folkestone and Cap deGris. depending on what the tide is doing.
From Boulogne down to Dieppe, then Fecamp, Le Havre and onwards to wherever your final destination. I would give Le Havre a miss and go straight to Cherbourg, but it is a long run particularly if you have a south westerly. Spring tides are a killer on the French side - six hours of standing still and six hours of going like a rocket.

<hr width=100% size=1>The Sea my Cathedral, my boat a pew.
 
Stay flexible

The RYA courses and so on indicate that we should plot a course, make a passage plan and so, which you shouold do.

But perhaps they don't emphasisze that you should stay super-flexible. It's for this reason that diehard boaties say that they are heading "towards" a port, rather than inflexibly going "to" it.

So, from the east coast, you might easily find it a bit rough in the dover straits, so choose to stop there, turn back to ramsgate, or try for calais. But at the same time - the weather might be perfect, so it would be something of a cockup if you weren't able (not enoughh food etc) to immediate cross shipping lanes and continue down channel. As others say, the french side is a whole load cheaper. I would definitely go for Deauville, and with a small boat try for Honfleur. Grandcamp maisy is a bit of a wiffy dump imho.

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Re: dodgy water

um, not in my experience sailorman? The problem for brits turning up with their hose pipes is that they fall apart becos uk has dribbly water at about 1 bar, whereas french marinas have towards 6 bar. Forget any idea that "universal" fittings can be screwed on to a french water pipe cos they will blow off: it needs to be decent fittings of the right type, Gardena probly more likely to stand up to the pressure than uk brands. Oh, what have i said!?

Non-potable french water is as old hat as the idea that all french roads are rubbish. Non-potable water will be marked clearly as such, but these days in france it is usually limited to decorative fountains in a town square where nobody would try to use the stuff for anything except throwing at their face for a quick cool down. Never found anything other than drinkable water from french marinas, tho happy to be corrected. Of course, run off a hose pipe full first thing in the morning to avoid it tasting a bit rubbery.

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