Caen to Le Mans - help

[Landy_Jon]

Second post and I'm begging for help already - sorry 

Let's see:
1.  Ferry to Caen booked for Tuesday 14 Jun with elanman and mgmark (amongst others) - check.
2.  Camping for the week booked - check.
3.  Leave from work approved - nope, it just got rescinded.

Basically I am now required until Thu 16 Jun to run a training course.  Well since it's my course I sort of have to be there although I stamped my foot and am skipping the last day as we've been planning this trip since the last year.
The plan is now that the truck will still go over with all the kit on Tue 14 with Mrs W driving as per the original booking and I've now booked myself as a foot passenger (no baggage) on the Portsmouth/Caen ferry for the evening of Thu 16.  We then all come back together after the race as originally planned.

So, is it impolite to ask if anyone has a spare seat to Le Mans/Saint-Saturnin from the ferry on the morning of Fri 17 Jun?  Am happy to contribute beer/food/fuel tokens as well as witty and polite conversation as required.  I can always get the train - but that wouldn't be half as much fun.

Here's hoping that there is a kind soul out there who'll take pity on me.

JonW

[Grand_Fromage]

Might be worth reposting this on the sell/swap board as it is a little more active than 'help'.

GF

[aricus654]

Second post and I'm begging for help already - sorry 

Let's see:
1.  Ferry to Caen booked for Tuesday 14 Jun with elanman and mgmark (amongst others) - check.
2.  Camping for the week booked - check.
3.  Leave from work approved - nope, it just got rescinded.

Basically I am now required until Thu 16 Jun to run a training course.  Well since it's my course I sort of have to be there although I stamped my foot and am skipping the last day as we've been planning this trip since the last year.
The plan is now that the truck will still go over with all the kit on Tue 14 with Mrs W driving as per the original booking and I've now booked myself as a foot passenger (no baggage) on the Portsmouth/Caen ferry for the evening of Thu 16.  We then all come back together after the race as originally planned.

So, is it impolite to ask if anyone has a spare seat to Le Mans/Saint-Saturnin from the ferry on the morning of Fri 17 Jun?  Am happy to contribute beer/food/fuel tokens as well as witty and polite conversation as required.  I can always get the train - but that wouldn't be half as much fun.

Here's hoping that there is a kind soul out there who'll take pity on me.

JonW

Jon,

How did you get on?

Btw - the train is not bad at all.

Aricus

[Landy_Jon]

Whoops - although I bunged it on the Sell/Swap board I forgot it was originally posted in here as well!

Some info for future foot passengers:

The ferry arrives at 0645 in Caen and by 0700 you can be walking out the front door of the terminal (I stopped for a quick cafe).
Walk straight up through the carpark in front of the terminal and onto the main road, about 50yds on the right (heading away from the ferry) is the No 61 bus stop which will arrive about 10-15 minutes later.
Bus fare 1.50eu to the Gare SNCF (30 mins).
There is then a 0904 to Le Mans (direct) @ 27eu (they run every 90 minutes) so there is time to have another cafe et pain au chocolate, play the piano in the station and in 90 minutes (the 4th stop) you will be arriving in Le Mans.
From there it's the T1 tram from right in front of the station (direction Antares MMArena) to the end of the line and just a 15 minute walk Les Epinettes.

I can recommend the bus/train/tram route as very achievable and the timings would seem to work in return as well as a train leaves Le Mans at 1755 arriving Caen 1940 which would get you to the 2300 Ferry (there is a 1958 arriving 2149 which is doable but could be tight unless you get a taxi).

I had actually bagged a lift - 2 to be honest:
Mrs W and the crew had met up with a stag do on the Tue ferry who had a spare space in their minibus - but that was a Thu AM sailing (not PM) so not a lot of use.
I also met a decent old cove in the foot passenger queue on Thu night who was on his way to his 35th Le Mans and was being picked up in France and offered a lift.  However as we tried to board the ferry, his ticket was rejected - he was a Le Havre passenger not Caen - you see we hadn't actually talked about which port he was being picked up at or I was going to.  Ah well...the train worked very well

[Canada Phil]

Landy Jon,
               Please send that along to Werner to include in the Guide. More useful information for some future virgin/newbee or poor sod who's mates leave without him

Phil

[Kev_mk3]

Fantastic I shall pass this to a friend who is thinking about doing this. I how ever love the train to Le Man so relaxing

[Landy_Jon]

To be honest trains are a very civilised way to travel (this one most certainly was) but we had always planned on taking the truck as it had a lot kit in it for us, and the 2 seater brigade in our group (think base camp kit and supplies), and was our wheels around the circuit (think supermarche for beer ) but I ended up travelling 2 days later than planned...

...happy to help and glad someone found my travails useful...

...and I hope they've sorted out the piano in Caen station as it was horribly out of tune!

[Pilgrim]

Provided you leave enough time to get from the port at Ouistreham to Caen station, the train ride is a very nice one. Not too many stops, nice scenery, punctual service and less than two hours from Caen to Le Mans. If you can get the 9am train then you're in Le Mans before 11, beer in hand.

[Landy_Jon]

Agreed.

I did the journey blind without booking, only having looked at the timetables on line to see what what was feasible and trusting in my schoolboy french.  I'll admit I was a little nervous about making the connections - but it was really easy, plenty of time and very relaxed from grabbing a coffee in the ferry port to arriving at the track.  No hassles - no drama.  And if it goes wrong - there is another train in 90 minutes and plenty of cafes to loaf about in.