Just spent an expensive afternoon on tinternet!! :'(

Middle of next month we are off to Bayeux so that Sheila can see the Tapestry (that isn't!!)

Hotel booked in Ashford.

Le Shuttle booked outbound

3 nights in a hotel in Bayeux

4 nights to book elsewhere

Le Shuttle return

Hotel booked in Ashford.

It looks like I might need to get Dewi serviced before we go, as that lot could end up being 1500 miles! We did think about taking the caravan, but decided that February might be a bit too early in the year, and to be honest we got a very good deal on the hotel in Bayeux.

I must find my headlight things out that I never fitted last summer!!

I must find my headlight things out that I never fitted last summer!!

Surely you don't need the headlight things, you just change the settings in Maxidot? Betty is off to the Alps again in March, also via the Shuttle.

Surely you don't need the headlight things, you just change the settings in Maxidot? Betty is off to the Alps again in March, also via the Shuttle.

Not everybody spent as much as you Bobdog on their car :lol:

Only Xenon equipped cars have that feature, and Dewi doesn't. She is a halogen equipped SE from memory.

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Oh, dim lightio! Sorry cariad!

Oh, dim lightio! Sorry cariad!

Bob!

Naughty step....

NOW!!

Wow......... as I've stated before the cheapest way to cross the channel is DFDS from Dover to Dunkirk... £45 return I paid last time. Not a million miles further to drive either but you save hundreds of pounds vs the Eurotunnel prices. Horses for courses!

But enjoy the trip! Always lovely going to France driving!

Wow......... as I've stated before the cheapest way to cross the channel is DFDS from Dover to Dunkirk... £45 return I paid last time. Not a million miles further to drive either but you save hundreds of pounds vs the Eurotunnel prices. Horses for courses!

But enjoy the trip! Always lovely going to France driving!

Le Shuttle, choose your time £39 each way buy 10 crossings(in a year) for about £250 - nephew who lives by Fougeres has just done it

Le Shuttle, choose your time £39 each way buy 10 crossings(in a year) for about £250 - nephew who lives by Fougeres has just done it

Fair enough to buy a carnet if you cross a lot but if you only go over once or twice a year Eurotunnel's circa £140 (for mid Feb 7 day) vs DFDS's £50 is a bit rich for my pocket.

Le Shuttle, choose your time £39 each way buy 10 crossings(in a year) for about £250

Been doing that for several years. The tickets are valid for 12 months on the cheapest crossings. You pay a supplement on departure if you wish to travel at peak times.

The speed and convenience are great for me too, no half hour loading/unloading then the queue to get through Customs and Immigration

Thanks for the info about the lights. As I spend several days a month in the UK, instantly changing the dip is a bonus.

Edited 5 January, 201214 yr by MacFadyin

Been doing that for several years. The tickets are valid for 12 months on the cheapest crossings. You pay a supplement on departure if you wish to travel at peak times.

The speed and convenience are great for me too, no half hour loading/unloading then the queue to get through Customs and Immigration

I agree the 30 minute trip and the fact it goes all weathers are great advantages. I've done the train a few times to France myself. But even the carnet ticket is just under £80 return! And £140 vs £50 is £90 worth of fuel and a lovely, nice 2 hours break on the ferry for me not sitting in my car - which you have to do on the train. For short trips to and fro by all means it makes sense. But after 10 hours or so in my car I really look forward to my 2 hour break outside the car! Horses for courses as I said.

Tunnel was £131, which I don't mind paying for one simple reason......

I don't "do" lumpy water!! :sweat:

And at that time of year it could well be so.

Looks like the hotels in Ashford might be FREE as Sheila is a shareholder and they are offering a nice deal at the moment.

Now got to find somewhere to go for the other 4 nights. I think it might be a bit far to drive to Sheila's brother in Switzerland.

Tunnel was £131, which I don't mind paying for one simple reason......

I don't "do" lumpy water!! :sweat:

Fair enough Graham! That is as good a reason as you'll get! I always prefer land under my feet to water but for two hours I can deal with it. Just about.

Johann

I've been sea sick in a Mirror dinghy!!

Johann

I've been sea sick in a Mirror dinghy!!

Ouch. OK. So even at £300 return the Eurotunnel would be value for money for you!

Now got to find somewhere to go for the other 4 nights. I think it might be a bit far to drive to Sheila's brother in Switzerland

Formule 1 and Bastion are almost everywhere in France IIRC and are pretty cheap and cheerful. You can book on line before departure.

I used to commute from N. of Maastricht(NL) to Hawkinge (Folkestone) once a month. 320km on the European side which I once did (very late at night and in someone else's car0 in a couple of minutes over two hours. That was probably the only time I've had to wait more than 30 minutesto board the Shuttle. so cancelled the speed out

Not sure what's going on in Belgium recently but both the Antwerp and the Brussel Rings have been a PITA recently, I'll head off down via Luik, Bergen and Lille next time.

Johann

I've been sea sick in a Mirror dinghy!!

Oh dear, and there's no self baling in those!

£106 return via tunnel for my trip in March. OK, that's double the price of Johann's ferry, but the time saving is important to me - I want to get from Yorkshire to Troyes on the first day, in time for a leisurely dinner, before completing the journey to Val D'Isere the next day. Obviously I'm not a Yorkshireman (I just stay here temporarily) or I'd be booking that ferry and asking for a discount But SWMBO is also a factor, she hates the ferry with a passion ... worth the dosh to stop her whingeing!

Ferry from Newcastle last summer cost us over £800 and that was with 10% military discount!!! Dfds bought out and then closed down the Rosyth route removing the competition and promptly whacked up the prices. Thieving #@$#@tds

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Dfds bought out and then closed down the Rosyth route

They still have the cheek to list Newcastle as being a ferry from Scotland - and to point out the distance from Rosyth.

Here in sunny NI we have to pay an absolute fortune to cross a stretch of water shorter than the English Channel! Otherwise my Yeti would be better travelled!!

Okay just to get this right, Does the head light have a manual switch selector as does my B-Class to change the Dip beam to comply with euro roads. I have standard halogen lamps and expect my Yeti to have same.

Can the Dip beam be altered or do you have to use stickers? I hate doing that as you never get the residue completely off .:wonder: I like that on my B-class I just remove two plastic covers and slide the switch to flatten the beam.

I would take the train over the ferry too as its just so quick and easy, closer to the family too. It costs twice as much to book but feel its worth it.

Okay just to get this right, Does the head light have a manual switch selector as does my B-Class to change the Dip beam to comply with euro roads. I have standard halogen lamps and expect my Yeti to have same.

No, they don't. You, like me should use the beam-bender stickers.

Can the Dip beam be altered or do you have to use stickers? I hate doing that as you never get the residue completely off .:wonder: I like that on my B-class I just remove two plastic covers and slide the switch to flatten the beam.

See above.

I would take the train over the ferry too as its just so quick and easy, closer to the family too. It costs twice as much to book but feel its worth it.

As said, I get icky almost looking at lumpy, so the Shuttle is always first choice.

However I also look at the whole journey as part of the holiday. We are about 5 hours to Folkestone, and then about the same to Bayeux, which compared to a Portsmouth crossing ends up being about the same time, and if you compare the fuel and toll costs to the longer sea bit there actually isn't that much in it either. And to be honest i enjoy driving through France anyway.

We are now staying in Bayeux for 4 nights, and then the other 3 nights near Le Crotoy in the Somme Bay area. I haven't told Sheila, but there just "happens" to be a narrow gauge railway there. (unfortunately not working those dates :'( )

As said, I get icky almost looking at lumpy, so the Shuttle is always first choice.

think yourself lucky, for us it's a 4 hour drive down to Newcastle, overnight on the ferry to Amsterdam and then a drive down thriugh the NEtehrlands and Belgium and then you get to France.

Which is why unless we're camping we get on an Easyjet and hire a car

think yourself lucky, for us it's a 4 hour drive down to Newcastle, overnight on the ferry to Amsterdam and then a drive down thriugh the NEtehrlands and Belgium and then you get to France.

Which is why unless we're camping we get on an Easyjet and hire a car

Narrow gauge rly try Albert et environs - interesting to drive towards bapaume as the position of the front a la 14-18 is marked what an absolute farce!!

tony

nb my great uncle fell north of albert in aug '18 - again what a farce!!

think yourself lucky, for us it's a 4 hour drive down to Newcastle, overnight on the ferry to Amsterdam and then a drive down thriugh the NEtehrlands and Belgium and then you get to France.

Which is why unless we're camping we get on an Easyjet and hire a car

Well if you will live north of the arctic circle!

Okay just to get this right, Does the head light have a manual switch selector as does my B-Class to change the Dip beam to comply with euro roads. I have standard halogen lamps and expect my Yeti to have same.

No, they don't. You, like me should use the beam-bender stickers.

or have specd'the Xenon lights. See page 56 of the manual, tourist lights.