DayTrip Across the Channel

[Spinal]

So yesterday I took a trip across the channel (P&O's £20 offer)...

Although I had a fun trip overall, I thought I'de post some comments:

-France + Sunday + Shopping = yeah, right! Other than the large wine stores in Calais, the only other things open were the petrol stations and the restaurants!

-P&O Ferries really need to train their staff a bit more on customer relations.

I was wandering around the ferry looking for a good spot to get a shot of the White-cliffs of Dover. I saw a group of people up ahead, and started walking towards them; some steward starts screaming at me from behind telling me to "get the f**k down". Apparently I was walking towards the Captain's cabin (the little metal gate was open, there were people and I didn't see the sign saying crew only, on the open gate). The other members of the public already up there were then asked to leave too. (on the return journey we ordered some tea at the bar, and were served a very unpleasant lady who could learn a thing or two about manners...)

Also on the return journey, our ferry was delayed. We were scheduled for the 20:30 ferry (boarding 19:55). We got there with time to spare, and were told that due to "weather and industrial action by sea-france, there was a 30 minute delay" - fair enough. We eventually boarded at 11-something. Throughout the wait, I tried contacting a member of staff - there was no-one around, and the number on the tickets played an automated recording saying there were "30 minute delays".

On a similar note, we headed to the passenger terminal around 19:40 - after eventually finding it from a map we were given on checkin-in, we were told that everything was closed and we had to leave. A very strange elderly man (not in uniform and reeking of ale) stood by the elevator and ushered groups of people out of the bar and into the elevator. Being in the very last group to leave, (at almost 20:00) I noticed that there were a few people still sitting at the bar being served; regulars or staff I guess.... I waited at the ground floor (where the vending machines were broken) for the other members of my group for a while - I never did see anyone else come out of the bar...

-If you goto Calais, go see Boulogne-sur-Mer and eat at the "Aux Pecheurs D'etaples" (or something similar). The food was amazing, and at 35 euros pp (starters, main course, desert + coffee) was quite good value. Don't be put off by the work-site on the front of the building, walk through it and into the restaurant.

-CPH wines has some very knowledgeable staff, and some fairly good wine in the 8-30 euro price range. They also sell wine "en vrac" (by the litre) - I'll report on this when I build up enough courage to try it!

-EastEnders, though open 24/7 was ... interesting... (or dodgy, depending on your point of view). We decided to play a game, seeing who could find the cheapest wine. I found a bottle at 1.35euro's of Bulgarian Wine - my friends found a tetra-brik on offer - 6x3l (so 18l) for something like 7 euro's... it did say "not suitable for drinking, but perfect for cooking" on the side :shudder: I ended up buying a bottle of "Gnats P**s" for the canteen cook (I work in a school). I'm sure he'll get a kick out of it! I also tried a sip of "French Dog's ********" - I'll avoid rating that too... I'm no someiller - but I can warn you to keep away from it - I ended up having to look for gum to take the aftertaste away!

-Cap Griz Nez and Cap Blanche Nez are stunningly beautiful, even in a cloudy/windy day like yesterday. Bring a flash-light, a quick walk into the bunkers is quite potent. It really makes you think about all those people who died that (on both sides).

-I wanted to go see the Etaples Cemetery (about 30kms south from boulogne-sur-mer), but couldn't seem to get to it. The tourist office in Boulogne had no clue what I was on about (my broken french couldn't have helped). I'de recomend that too as a very sobering sight - but I haven't seen it so can't comment on it.

Michele

 

[RoseTattoo]

I love the Ferries and hope that they continue forever. For me, it really is an important part of the holiday. At one time we would indulge in the cafe and restaurants but it is such a scrum and the appeal is so down market, I would rather wait until we are in France and go inland a bit, guaranteed good quality and value for money almost everywhere but not on the autoroute caffs.
I get the feeling that all jobs on board are interchangeable from cooking the food to sweeping up, change the oil or bollywinkles (you know all those funny ship things) and the argot is not one in which I wish to be addressed or converse 'Wot dyer want?', 'Eright,mate'. So many of them now are like an Odeon cinema reception area with sauce in the carpet. So family wise we snuggle into some seats with newspapers, get a cup of coffee and make tours to the deck.
Greatly underrated coast and an ideal place for a couple of days sojourn, somehow the weather seems to be better than UK.
Good idea about the flashlight. I am researching some of these types of bunkers elsewhere. Their cost and construction is amazing. Bombs just bounced off them and while it seems the occupants might have got a headache, it didn't stop them fighting.
Let me add.
Wine. Buying from these places is like going to the Trabant Dealers. Don't, they are an insult to the drinking classes. We nearly always buy en route or out of the way. Our regular wine we aim at 15 to 15 Euro the bottle - quality over quantity and the same goes with food. This is our base line but we will also spend more and rarely do we regret it. On the right occasion I would much rather a single bottle at 60 Euro than two or three lesser bottles.
Having said that I did enjoy my beans on toast last night with a nice glass of red about whose origin, other than Bordeauxish, I have no idea.

 

[Spinal]

I love the Ferries and hope that they continue forever. For me, it really is an important part of the holiday. At one time we would indulge in the cafe and restaurants but it is such a scrum and the appeal is so down market, I would rather wait until we are in France and go inland a bit, guaranteed good quality and value for money almost everywhere but not on the autoroute caffs.
I get the feeling that all jobs on board are interchangeable from cooking the food to sweeping up, change the oil or bollywinkles (you know all those funny ship things) and the argot is not one in which I wish to be addressed or converse 'Wot dyer want?', 'Eright,mate'. So many of them now are like an Odeon cinema reception area with sauce in the carpet. So family wise we snuggle into some seats with newspapers, get a cup of coffee and make tours to the deck.
Greatly underrated coast and an ideal place for a couple of days sojourn, somehow the weather seems to be better than UK.
Good idea about the flashlight. I am researching some of these types of bunkers elsewhere. Their cost and construction is amazing. Bombs just bounced off them and while it seems the occupants might have got a headache, it didn't stop them fighting.
Let me add.
Wine. Buying from these places is like going to the Trabant Dealers. Don't, they are an insult to the drinking classes. We nearly always buy en route or out of the way. Our regular wine we aim at 15 to 15 Euro the bottle - quality over quantity and the same goes with food. This is our base line but we will also spend more and rarely do we regret it. On the right occasion I would much rather a single bottle at 60 Euro than two or three lesser bottles.
Having said that I did enjoy my beans on toast last night with a nice glass of red about whose origin, other than Bordeauxish, I have no idea.

bollywinkles ??

I do enjoy ferries usually; that's why I love going on the deck and just looking at the sea (the hurricane didn't stop me yestday!). The "best" ferry (or maybe that should say, the most memorable ferry) I've ever taken was in Africa. We only had one engine running and as the river was tidal, we go swept out to sea. After a few hours of chugging along, we finally made it back to the other side of the river...

As for wine, I did think that of EastEnders - but not of CPH. They didn't seem to have to much fruit juice, their collection of Champagne wasn't bad and their "special bottles" cellar had some pretty good Chablis GC; I ended up spending way more than I was planning to here, but it seemed worth it (I'm just getting into French wine, I've always had Italian wine, almost exclusively)

Michele

 

[RoseTattoo]

The "best" ferry (or maybe that should say, the most memorable ferry) I've ever taken was in Africa. We only had one engine running and as the river was tidal, we go swept out to sea. After a few hours of chugging along, we finally made it back to the other side of the river...

This sounds like Humphrey Bogart on the African Queen with the extremely delectable Katahrine Hepburn with whom any man would have liked to have been washed out to sea.

So hoist up the John B's sail
See how the main sail sets
No, no wrong again Sloop JohnB.

 

[vijilants]

I went on the P&O offer but on a Saturday.

Calais was like a ghost town on Sat afternoon and to be honest is a dump. Not a lot to buy out there apart from cheap booze.

About the nearest place you can go is Boulogne sur mer, which is better.

 

[davidjpowell]

Le Touqet which is about 10 miles futher than Bolougne is very nice. We have overnighted there before now rather than stay in Calais.

David

 

[A210AMG]

Hello,

We do a few trips a year and I love the ferrys never had a problem, usually they get you on the next available one if there is room.

I like it as I can have 40 winks before arriving and starting our journey again. Or depening upon the sail time we grab a nice breakfast

Have to agree Sunday and France for shopping is not great, and I don't think much of calais but then we only ever pass through here to get the ferry...

The chunnel is quicker but for me no fun as I drive all the way and 20min rest isn't enough to get going again..

 

[Subyland]

You should not go to France on a Sunday for shopping. Shops in general are not allowed to open by law. Only a very restricted type of businesses are allowed to open. "Normal" shops can open only 5 Sundays per year, with prior authorisation from the Préfet.

 

[st13phil]

My wife and I cross the channel several times each year on motorcycle trips and we generally avoid Le Scuttle because by the time we've driven 2+ hours to get to the port we're ready for a break, so may as well do that on a ship.

Of all the ferry operators P&O are head and shoulders above the rest if you're on a motorcycle because they're the only one that ties down the bikes properly with decent kit. SeaFrance can be either good or apallingly bad depending upon (it seems) the phase of the moon. The SeaCat fast ferries are a nightmare due to sloping decks and to be avoided at all costs if the sea is anything like rough - they're not known as the "Vomit Comet" for nothing

As others have mentioned already, France is to all intents and purposes closed on a Sunday. Saturday afternoons can be a bit quiet too.

St-Omer, which is about 40 mins from Calais, is a pleasant little town worth a wander around and has a couple of reasonable restaurants. Nearby, La Coupole a former WWII V2 rocket site which is now a museum, is well worth a visit and we often stay at Hotel Saint Louis if we get a late afternoon crossing rather than stay around Dover and get an early crossing the next day.

 

[Spinal]

Of all the ferry operators P&O are head and shoulders above the rest if you're on a motorcycle because they're the only one that ties down the bikes properly with decent kit. SeaFrance can be either good or apallingly bad depending upon (it seems) the phase of the moon. The SeaCat fast ferries are a nightmare due to sloping decks and to be avoided at all costs if the sea is anything like rough - they're not known as the "Vomit Comet" for nothing

That's really good to know, I was considering riding down on my bike with some friends once the weather improved; and given the weather conditions in the morning I was wondering precisely that!

I ended up walking around Calais for 2 hours - didn't find much interesting other than a creperie

Winewise, I think that the CPH place wasn't bad. I wouldn't classify the wine there as "cheap booze" simply because it wasn't overly cheap (on average, the bottles I bought were abou 15-25 euros, with the cheapest bottle being Pouilly Fuisse (2006 P.Rollet, Grand Climat) at 9.70 euros and the most expensive being a crate of Chablis, Grand Cru (2003, LA Chablisienne- Grenouille). at 30 euros a bottle.So nothing overly expensive, but hopefully some pretty drinkable table wine.

While at CPH I got the impression that the chap knew what he was talking about (though he didn't seem too pleased to have a gaggle of teachers walk in with practically no knowledge what-so-ever of wine, rambling about looking for stickers that gave hints on what wine to buy)

I also bought a bottle of Elisabeth Avril champagne, purely because of the name! (I've got tickets to go watch Avril, should she not get pregnant in the meantime, with a person called Elisabeth). It seemd funny at the time, now I'm having doubts

Michele

 

[Matt32AMG]

Le Touqet which is about 10 miles futher than Bolougne is very nice. We have overnighted there before now rather than stay in Calais.

David

Flew there once in a friends Light aircraft. We called for a taxi and got picked up in a stretched Merc Limo of all things. There we were, a bunch of scruffy Biggles look a likes, (in our WW2 Irvin Flying Jackets), being picked up in what one can only describe in the style of a state visit. The funny thing is that we all commented about the car as it pulled up outside the terminal and wondered who it was for! We just collapsed in hysterical laughter when we realised it was for us!! Anyway it has a great beach, and the towns pretty with one or two good restaurants to eat at as well!

 

[Subyland]

I'll post again the suggestion I made before for those who want to go shopping in Boulogne. There is an excellent MB dealership just off the A16 and you can combine shopping and servicing your car at labour rates that would get your Indy crying.

I also quite well Le Touquet as I have spent more holidays there than I care to remember. It is far more upmarket than Boulogne and Calais, both of which are suffering from high unemployment level and low wages. There is a lovely restaurant about 10km away from Le Touquet called l'auberge du Moulinel. Really good.