Has anyone travelled by car to france form ireland via ferry?

armabelle

There is a Ferry that goes from Dublin to France that we are thinking of taking to get to the European mainland this summer. Has anybody done this trip before and do you have to book a hotel on the ferry or is that optional?

Also, has anybody driven a right-hand-drive car over in europe? Is it weird due to driving on the other side of the road or can one adapt quite quickly?

_Brian

No, I'd say you will be the first ever to attempt such a treacherous journey by sea.

God speed and if you make it please post and let us know how it goes


Or, you could go over to the Travel forum and read the 100's of threads in this very topic

armabelle

_Brian wrote: »

No, I'd say you will be the first ever to attempt such a treacherous journey by sea.

God speed and if you make it please post and let us know how it goes

but the service has been running for some time, surely it is used quite often?

_Brian

armabelle wrote: »

but the service has been running for some time, surely it is used quite often?

The whole thing is a facade, no one really goes, the ferry just sails out, hangs about for a day or two and comes back.

Infact, I read online that mainland Europe doesn't even exist.

Nekarsulm

It saves driving to wexford, but it seems to be less comfortable than the Oscar Wilde. Six of one, half a dozen of the other..
Driving on the right is ok, just be carefull turning out onto empty roads as instinct can take over. The busier the better.

armabelle

armabelle wrote: »

but the service has been running for some time, surely it is used quite often?

I'm with Brian.

No one has done this voyage. If it helps, the Victorians always brought a writing desk, an army of natives and crates of claret.

mansize

The thoughts of that boat journey- urgh

Collie D

_Brian wrote: »

No, I'd say you will be the first ever to attempt such a treacherous journey by sea.

God speed and if you make it please post and let us know how it goes


Or, you could go over to the Travel forum and read the 100's of threads in this very topic

Wonderful use of sarcasm - not something that comes across well in text sometimes.

_Brian

Nekarslum is right about avoiding the perilous journey to Wexford.

We attempted it a few years ago and never again, I kid you not but along parts of the N11 the locals were still living up in the trees like savages, it was awful so we turned back to the safety of the M50.

armabelle

_Brian wrote: »

Or, you could go over to the Travel forum and read the 100's of threads in this very topic

I did a search on boards with the word travel and this forum appeared so posted here. If there is a Travel forum then apologies but I never knew

_Brian

armabelle wrote: »

I did a search on boards with the word travel and this forum appeared so posted here. If there is a Travel forum then apologies but I never knew

The only journeys on After Hours are right down the rabbit hole after Alice.

Nekarsulm

Nekarsulm wrote: »

Driving on the right is ok, just be carefull turning out onto empty roads as instinct can take over. The busier the better.

I used to find exiting, car parks, petrol stations etc. the worst. When you just don't think. Unlike say roundabouts or busy roads where people focus.

Saw a head on collision once on a road in Kerry where a tourist just pulled straight out of a junction into an oncoming truck on the tourist's wrong side. Shocking sight.

Nekarsulm

Actually posted before realizing it was in After Hours. So sorry, won't happen again!
Now, about them Brits..........

kneemos

They get off the boat the opposite end they get on,so get on first.

armabelle

_Brian wrote: »

The only journeys on After Hours are right down the rabbit hole after Alice.

i can see, you folk obviously have too much time on your hands:D

Guy:Incognito

armabelle wrote: »

i can see, you folk obviously have too much time on your hands:D

You had the time on a Saturday morning to ask on AH about your trip and wait for answers. I think it's you with too much time .

Winterlong

Do they still do Bingo on that ferry?

keeponhurling

Why not fly to France and rent a car, with steering wheel on the European side

armabelle

Guy:Incognito wrote: »

You had the time on a Saturday morning to ask on AH about your trip and wait for answers. I think it's you with too much time .

Don't really understand your theory but OK. Glad to hear I can afford such luxury as you know what they say about time..

Allinall

Once the ferry has pool tables you won't notice the time going by.

armabelle

keeponhurling wrote: »

Why not fly to France and rent a car, with steering wheel on the European side

Yeah thought about that. Actually we want to travel across europe to Croatia and take our time, renting seems expensive for a long time but I will definitely consider it

thanks!

armabelle

Allinall wrote: »

Once the ferry has pool tables you won't notice the time going by.

I have two children, I beg to differ. But your reasoning is sound in the case of single male

Nekarsulm

Two children? Go on the Oscar Wilde. Our ones were still talking about the ferry and the kids entertainment long after they had forgotten the campsites in France.

PMBC

armabelle wrote: »

Yeah thought about that. Actually we want to travel across europe to Croatia and take our time, renting seems expensive for a long time but I will definitely consider it

thanks!

Its ten years since I last made that trip and forty years since first time. You will find the ferry great and the time passes with entertainment on board, films etc. Driving can be occasionally a little hairy but you will do it easily as all before you have. Enjoy your trip. Visit the smaller places in France, more enjoyable. I have rarely heard complaints for this crossing.

eviltwin

Oscar WIlde is a lovely boat, worth the drive down to Rosslare

CMOTDibbler

armabelle wrote: »

Yeah thought about that. Actually we want to travel across europe to Croatia and take our time, renting seems expensive for a long time but I will definitely consider it

thanks!

Driving on the RHS of the road in a RH drive car is only difficult when overtaking or turning at junctions. Right turns are the equivalent of left turns here.

But if you're driving on motorways, it's really no problem at all. Only issue is getting to toll booths and having a passenger to take the tickets and pay the tolls.

Sailing from Dublin seems like it would be a relatively large addition to the journey time. Rosslare>Roscoff is about 17 hours and a bit longer to Cherbourg. The drive to Wexford would easily oputstrip the time to make the same journey by sea. With the motorways, you'd be in Rosslare in just over 2 hours.

kneemos

CMOTDibbler wrote: »

Driving on the RHS of the road in a RH drive car is only difficult when overtaking or turning at junctions. Right turns are the equivalent of left turns here.

But if you're driving on motorways, it's really no problem at all. Only issue is getting to toll booths and having a passenger to take the tickets and pay the tolls.

Sailing from Dublin seems like it would be a relatively large addition to the journey time. Rosslare>Roscoff is about 17 hours and a bit longer to Cherbourg. The drive to Wexford would easily oputstrip the time to make the same journey by sea. With the motorways, you'd be in Rosslare in just over 2 hours.

He's afraid of the strawberry zombies.

spaghettifier

The Pont Aven that Brittany Ferries sail from Cork is pretty nice. Huge ferry, internal glass elevators and everything.

Overall, it's usually a pretty pleasant trip.

Always treated it as part of the holiday. Unlike flying, it's stress free, loads of space and generally just a very nice way of traveling, when you've got time.

weisses

eviltwin wrote: »

Oscar WIlde is a lovely boat, worth the drive down to Rosslare

I would drive down to Cork and take the Pont Aven to Roscoff

WHL

If you are coming from Kerry you should consider the Cork-Roscoff ferry. It would cut a few hours off the drive

weisses

WHL wrote: »

If you are coming from Kerry you should consider the Cork-Roscoff ferry. It would cut a few hours off the drive

30 -45 minutes extra to Cork from Dublin compared to Rosslare

However sailing time is 3 hours shorter from Cork on a superior Ship

SEPT 23 1989

Ferry leaves at five arrives six in the morning

You spend most of the journey asleep in your cabin

armabelle

spaghettifier wrote: »

The Pont Aven that Brittany Ferries sail from Cork is pretty nice. Huge ferry, internal glass elevators and everything.

Overall, it's usually a pretty pleasant trip.

Always treated it as part of the holiday. Unlike flying, it's stress free, loads of space and generally just a very nice way of traveling, when you've got time.

I think we think the same way

I travel for the sake of travel and not to arrive

armabelle

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

Ferry leaves at five arrives six in the morning

You spend most of the journey asleep in your cabin

do you have to sleep in a cabin, can you not sleep in a cabin?

SEPT 23 1989

armabelle wrote: »

do you have to sleep in a cabin, can you not sleep in a cabin?

You can sleep on a chair if that's your thing but a good night sleep is needed before you hit the road

gandalf

armabelle wrote: »

There is a Ferry that goes from Dublin to France that we are thinking of taking to get to the European mainland this summer. Has anybody done this trip before and do you have to book a hotel on the ferry or is that optional?

We normally do Rosslare to Cherbourg at least twice a year. The wife has used the Dublin to Cherbourg one once. The ship is far more basic so there's less to do as you are crossing. It basically is a freight ferry than takes some passengers. If we have a choice we typically get the Oscar Wilde from Rosslare.

I assume you mean cabin when you say hotel. You can book seats but if you can afford it I'd take a cabin.

Also, has anybody driven a right-hand-drive car over in europe? Is it weird due to driving on the other side of the road or can one adapt quite quickly?

Yep no problems driving with my car in France, you may need your front passenger to spot for you when overtaking on small roads though. My biggest problem is switching back when I come off the ferry when I get home after two or three weeks of driving in France.

satguy

You have to paint your headlights yellow, you have to have a high vis vest for all your passengers, and a spare set in indicator bulbs in your coat pocket, OH, and one of those triangle things.

Badly Drunk Boy

_Brian wrote: »

The whole thing is a facade, no one really goes, the ferry just sails out, hangs about for a day or two and comes back.

Infact, I read online that mainland Europe doesn't even exist.

The Brexit vote was an orchestrated attempt to hide the fact the mainland Europe doesn't exist. People were getting ideas. Asking too many questions...

_Brian wrote: »

Nekarslum is right about avoiding the perilous journey to Wexford.

We attempted it a few years ago and never again, I kid you not but along parts of the N11 the locals were still living up in the trees like savages, it was awful so we turned back to the safety of the M50.

The Yellowbellies are only up the those big genetically-modified plants picking strawberries for you to have with cream in these glorious summer months.

Herb Powell

It's great. Bring your own cans and relax on deck.

Lia_lia

Don't know if the OP is trolling or not but I used to do this journey (the one from Cork to Brittany) about 4 times a year before flights started getting cheap. Wonder if they still use the same ferries. The kids will probably love it if they still have the cinema and face painters! I've never driven in France in a right-hand-drive car but I hear the worst thing is driving on narrow roads and not knowing how much space there is between you and parked cars.

CMOTDibbler

satguy wrote: »

You have to paint your headlights yellow, you have to have a high vis vest for all your passengers, and a spare set in indicator bulbs in your coat pocket, OH, and one of those triangle things.

You don't need yellow headlights, but you do need to block your high beams or have them adjusted.

Full details here from the AA

Interesting that you can't have speed camera alerts on your satnav, you have to carry a brethalyser and that you can't wear any kind of headset while driving. Those are new to me.

SEPT 23 1989

satguy wrote: »

You have to paint your headlights yellow, you have to have a high vis vest for all your passengers, and a spare set in indicator bulbs in your coat pocket, OH, and one of those triangle things.

Easier to just bribe them

CMOTDibbler

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

Easier to just bribe them

I hope you were being facetious :eek:

Trying to bribe a French police officer in the current climate would be the surest way of getting an extended holiday in a small room.

Xaracatz

_Brian wrote: »

Infact, I read online that mainland Europe doesn't even exist.

Begone you with your talk of this online witchcraftery.

Seriously though, I got the Oscar Wilde a few times from Rosslare to Rosscoff and really enjoyed it. There's a cinema, a few restaurants and bars, a video game arena, and they have a show in the evening.

I'd definitely recommend a cabin if possible - even the most basic one. Otherwise there's a sleeping area with loads of chairs, but having a proper place to sleep and shower in the morning is great and the time flies by.

Voodoomelon

You don't need a breathalyser, there is no penalty for not having one.

I've driven many times on the right in Europe in rental cars but just back from France for the first time with my own Irish car and found it surprisingly WAY easier.

I was much more at home in my own car, more relaxed, used my mirrors as normal, things I struggle to do in a left hand drive rental.

Narrow roads are a bit daunting but just stay as close to the edge of the road as possible and you'll be grand.

Racked up 4500km with zero incidents.

Two Tone

armabelle wrote: »

I did a search on boards with the word travel and this forum appeared so posted here. If there is a Travel forum then apologies but I never knew

I think they are just being lightheartedly sarcastic at the way you're talking about something so mundane as if it's really unusual (the "has anyone ever done it" intro).

You can be forgiven if you're not from Ireland/Britain, but ferry travel is standard here - although not as commonly used as in times past.

*Nightmare flashback to the '80s/early '90s on the Cork-Swansea ferry when the queues of deathly pale or green people queuing for the toilets (some already vomiting) was like a scene from the then popular nuclear fallout movies, of hordes of the radiation sickness-afflicted (and the smell - Christ alive)*

Thankfully the above days are gone.

spaghettifier

Driving in France :

Other than your Irish licence.

1. Insurance certificates - the disc isn't sufficient. (Check that your insurer has adequate coverage)
2. Vehicle registration certificate (proof of ownership). While highly unusual, in theory you could have your car impounded without this.
3. Full set of spare bulbs.
4. Fire extinguisher in the cabin of the car ... (What good this does I have no idea I can only assume it's because of a history of ashtray fires and France's love of smoking)
5. Sufficient reflective high vis vests for everyone in the car - the driver's must be in the cabin of the car. This is so a driver can step out of the car wearing it.
6. Your encouraged strongly to have a breathalyser. Limits are the same as Ireland and lower than the UK. This is because unlike Ireland they don't binge drink as much but can be very over the limit due to heavily drinking aperitifs and wine. They have a big issue in rural areas with older generations in particular getting behind the wheel after a meal and that could have included a serious skin full and they don't realise how drink they are.
7. Warning triangle.

Oddly there's a complete contrast here. Irish approach is they don't want people attempting to place warning triangles and consider them pointless and prefer the use of hazard warners.

French rules are possibly older or just took a different view and assume you might be changing a tyre etc . So if you break down you must place a warning triangle behind the car a good bit back from it.

Lights :
Adjust the beam to point right rather than left. Most cars have an adjustment in the lights and some even do it in software now and it's a menu option (Audi has this).

Yellow headlights haven't been required since 1993.

The country sticker is also not required as long as you've got Irish number plates with the IRL blue stripe. Some British cars don't have this as they considered it offensive to have the EU flag and some NI cars don't because it has GB. They need the round sticker.

I'd add Motorway driving is heavily tolled. You take a ticket when you enter and it calculates the distance to where you exit. Have a credit card handy expect 60-80 euro on a long trip .

No particular challenges to rural driving - similar to here really. Can be more of a challenge to someone who has never driven down the country or who is from newer bits of America where they never had te boreen.

Nearly forgot : learn how the priority system works!!!

If you're on some roads people entering from the right have priority over the main road. This is indicated with signs but just beware. I know a few people from England who has no idea why these mad French drivers kept angrily pulling out in front of them shouting and beeping when they flashed them.

You can very easily have a side on collision if you don't know how this works. It's normal on the continent and not used here of in Britain

Typically this applies in towns and slow moving suburban areas. A yellow diamond = you have the priority a yellow diamond crossed out = you no longer have the priority .

armabelle

Two Tone wrote: »

I think they are just being lightheartedly sarcastic at the way you're talking about something so mundane as if it's really unusual (the "has anyone ever done it" intro).

You can be forgiven if you're not from Ireland/Britain, but ferry travel is standard here - although not as commonly used as in times past.

*Nightmare flashback to the '80s/early '90s on the Cork-Swansea ferry when the queues of deathly pale or green people queuing for the toilets (some already vomiting) was like a scene from the then popular nuclear fallout movies, of hordes of the radiation sickness-afflicted (and the smell - Christ alive)*

Thankfully the above days are gone.

not Irish or British, just thought most people fly these days

spaghettifier

armabelle wrote: »

not Irish or British, just thought most people fly these days

Depends why you're going and what you're doing there.

If you're travelling to France for a business trip for a few days or a weekend break, flying makes more sense. However, if you're going for a 2 or 3 week holiday somewhere in a gîte / villa somewhere, you're planning on cycling, you're camping, you have kids etc it's an absolutely fantastic way of travelling.

It's like a floating shopping mall / hotel in the case of the Pont Aven anyway. You've shops, restaurants, kids facilities, a cinema, a swimming pool and cabins range from a simple small en-suite room with kind of modern bunks to a full hotel room.

Because they're long-distance ferries, you're really experiencing a totally different thing to UK-Ireland or Cross-channel or anything like that. They're proper 'cruise ferries' - they're not quite a cruise ship, but they're a hell of a lot fancier than your typical short-trip ferry.

Cork Roscoff is like this:

You drive to the ferry port and they fairly quickly park you on board. It's very much like a modern multi-storey carpark inside.

You check in to your cabin, much like a hotel really. You'll have room key cards and all that stuff.

Ferry departs at 16:00.

Have a nice walk around the deck, chill out in the cafes, catch a film, have dinner, have a swim, go to the bars if you want (although if you're driving keep it to a minimum).

Head to bed.

Wake up early, have a shower, get organised.. ferry pulls into port for about 7:00 - 7:30am

The other way you're departing at about 20:30 and arriving at about 9:30am

All in all it's an EXTREMELY pleasant way of getting there and a nice opportunity to just put your feet up and watch the world go by.

You'll actually be in bed for most of the trip anyway.

If you've the budget, go for a nicer cabin and you can actually have a view and a bit of space and wake up very chilled out and ready for a drive when you get there.

Very much unlike flying, you'll arrive feeling relaxed, refreshed, in a good mood and totally in holiday mode.

Also if you've kids they've typically got pretty excellent facilities on board for keeping them occupied and most kids seem to be super-excited about the whole concept of going by ferry. I know for me as a kid back in the day, the ferry was probably one of the best bits of the entire holiday!

I'm not familiar with the ships that Irish Ferries has on those routes at the moment, but I know the Brittany Ferries Pont Aven is a really nice experience.

Bear in mind the Pont Aven does UK to Spain too, so it's VERY well kitted out for long journeys

www brittany-ferries.co.uk/fleet/cruise-ferries/pont-aven

sunnysoutheast

armabelle wrote: »

not Irish or British, just thought most people fly these days

I travel to France several times a year via Rosslare.

In terms of ferries, I find Irish Ferries better than Stena, but the latter is usually cheaper. As I usually just retire to my cabin with a bottle of wine and a good book the onboard facilities don't really concern me that much. Under no circumstances make the crossing without having your own cabin. I've never used Brittany Ferries (Cork-Roscoff) but I've used them from the UK and found them excellent.

Driving in France is actually pretty easy, but driving standards there do vary. Outside of the urban centres things are more relaxed but in the bigger cities - Paris and the Periph especially - things can be manic. Check the French school holiday dates before you go and there are days in August when you don't want to be anywhere near an Autoroute as the whole of Paris decamps to the South in cars that aren't really up to it. Tolls are a pain but unless you have days to spare stuck behind caravans and dodging speed traps through tiny villages I'd suggest staying on them. Motorway services can get very congested too, I fill up whenever I stop.

The following table will show you what you need to drive in France:
http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/touring_tips/compulsory_equipment.pdf

Note that there is very strict enforcement of speeding in particular now.

Don't forget to leave space in the car to fill up with vino on the way back!