We're seeking advice from anyone who has accomplished this: I've been researching how best to get to this part of France in order to tour for a week in a rental car before returning to Paris for a flight to Sicily for the rest of our trip in September. The obvious choice is land at CDG/Paris, rent a car, and drive west. But flying to Heathrow from SFO is several hundred dollars cheaper, and it seems that if we are willing to spend one overnight in Portsmouth we then have a choice of ferries to France -- Cherbourg, St. Malo... Wondering what choices others may have made who looked at this.... Many thanks, Tony and Joselyn
Posted by
Kansas
1175 posts
We flew to Heathrow and had a wonderful car agency from Portsmouth meet us for less money than two train tickets. We spent two nights in Portsmouth and enjoyed the nautical sights there, shopping, and the old waterfront. We took the morning ferry Portsmouth to Quistreham, where the ferry docks, then the waiting bus to Caen RR station (about 12 miles) where we fetched our reserved rental car. It was so easy. We then drove to Bayeux the first night then to our rural farmhouse B&B about 15 miles from Bayeux, just outside Villers-Bocage. We toured a week as well, returned the car to Caen and hopped a train into Paris. It was hassle free all the way and SO easy. Go to tripadvisor.com get on the Portsmouth forum and ask about cool places to stay on the old waterfront. Check out Aquacars in Portsmouth for a stress free ride, Heathrow to your Portsmouth hotel.
September is coming soon so don't delay getting a hotel in Portsmouth or your ferry tickets.
Posted by
Minneapolis, MN, USA
8700 posts
You wouldn't have to spend a night in Portsmouth if you didn't want to. Brittany Ferries has an overnight Portsmouth-Caen (Ouistreham) sailing as well as daytime sailings.
Posted by
Monein, Pyrenees, France
425 posts
Portsmouth-Le Havre is an alternative route.
Roger
Posted by
OP
Mendocino, CA, United States
24 posts
Thanks George, Tim, Roger! Still working on this, but now I have some great leads and encouragement... many thanks.
Posted by
OP
Mendocino, CA, United States
24 posts
Following the excellent advice here and a lot of follow-on research we now are booked with a car service to Portsmouth, and with Brittany Ferries on their 5 hour jaunt Portsmouth to Caen. To go from Heathrow to our Portsmouth hotel (still to be determined) we booked with Aqua Cars of Portsmouth at a very reasonable rate (thank you again) of 58 GBP plus 5 GBP for short term parking. This is door to door in style. Another car service found on London Toolkit quoted a price more than twice as much. I did look at bus service (cheapest); and the next cheapest, train, but we decided that after the flight from SFO to Heathrow we would travel onward the easiest way, and perhaps nap during the drive. Best, Tony and Joselyn