To go Portsmouth-Caen rather than Dover-Calais in July?

[tourdefrance]

We have 2 weeks booked in accommodation in South East France in late July but not yet booked the ferry.
Seeing all the stories of huge queues at Dover we are considering going via Portsmouth instead. We live in the Midlands so would need to get the 2.30pm boat and stay in Caen when we arrive.
We did this a couple of years ago and it was fine.
Has anyone experienced passport control at Caen since the new rules came in?
Could we just end up in a long queue in France instead of in the UK?

I have done this trip and we stayed in Caen (reverse journey).

We loved the town and have been meaning to go back for years!

The journey worked well for us.

I realise this doesn't help you Re passport stuff tho.

It will add a bit to your journey if you are staying in SE France. I like that crossing but have you thought about Newhaven - Dieppe we’ve recently used this one and no issues at all.

Very pleased to hear that as we're going Newhaven - Dieppe later this month as we're staying in Normandy.
In the past we've gone Eurotunnel (very early) to try to avoid too many hold ups before driving to the Alps or Pyrenees (stopping overnight half way) but we're lucky that we can now avoid school holidays.

I hadn't considered that option, thanks. Which company is that?

Distance from French port to final destination is actually very close because of doing a dog's leg around Paris. But Britanny ferries much more expensive than P&O.

I’d take the tunnel, it’s much quicker and you can drive straight off.

It’s with DFDS

I don't really like the tunnel as you don't get a proper break like you do on a ferry.
Will look at Newhaven - Dieppe route.
Has anyone actually done Portsmouth - Caen recently and can report what the border controls are like?

We used new haven to dieppe last year. Really good. Not too long a wait and a smooth crossing too

The tunnel is 30 mins……

I’m on a Brittany ferries passenger Facebook group and there are def no big reports of delays. In fact I don’t think there is any EES checking at Caen (yet)

it will be more expensive and probably take longer. But I’d do it.

we’re taking the Brittany Ferries ferry to Brittany this summer

We did Le Shuttle today and there were no delays at Border control. By far the easiest way to cross the channel.

We usually use the overnight ferry to Caen or st malo, means you don’t have to pay for a hotel though we do book a cabin

The downside to the Brittany ferry routes is you go through immigration after arriving so can be delayed then whereas at Dover and the tunnel you go through French immigration before you board

I would do the longer ferry crossing as I hate queues but quite enjoy being on a ferry - so even if it takes longer I would enjoy it more.

I was also going to mention the sleeper ferry though - a fun way to do it and no need for a hotel then.

Yeah just did it at May half term and no faster/slower than previous years. I don't believe they've even introduced to the new thing there, whatever it is (still something of a mystery to me as I've managed to go to France twice in the past 5 months without encountering it).

Yes I like ferries too. Portsmouth is less of a drive for us (from West Midlands).

DP has vetoed an overnight ferry as he's a bad sleeper and does most of the driving so doesn't want to have a day's driving after a bad night's sleep.

Is there still availability on the ferries?

Yes there is.

We have done the Portsmouth to Caen crossing dozens of times, but not for the last three years. We’re doing Dover to Calais
with DFDS this summer but I hadn’t seen anything about queues. Are they much worse than usual?

Not a peak times it isn’t. I’ve often waited for hours in high season

We did Portsmouth-Caen on the Friday before the late May bank holiday. TWO HOURS to clear the port in Caen.

Done it dozens of times before without any issue, so can only assume it was due to the new requirements (although nothing additional for us, so we assume they eventually gave up on it due to the queues, as Eurotunnel reportedly did that weekend).

Did it two weeks ago. Quiet and quick. They were not following the new rules so all went smoothly.

Can you do Newhaven to Dieppe on DFDS? Not done it for a bit but both are very quiet ports. Normally cheaper too.