Newhaven To Dieppe
Hi, this year, for the first time, we will be trying out the Newhaven to Dieppe crossing. Essentially it was massively cheaper than any other option for the dates required, around £250.00
As it is the first time, I wondered if any of you fellow caravanners could share your experiences of embarkation/disembarkation at either end and any particular tips relating to this route. Our onward trip takes us to Le Mans.
Thanks in anticipation
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KingG, Newhaven port was shabby and run down when I was last there, but it’s just somewhere to line up, sit in the car and wait till you go on board. The wait doesn’t take long as the ships are smaller and the queues shorter than for the huge Dover ferries.
Other than that it’s just a normal ferry, you drive on board when the man tells you to, then park on the car deck, find the lounge , sit down, try their coffee, read a book, eat canteen food, and four hours later you are there. There’s nothing special about embarkation or disembarkation at all.
But don’t rush away from Dieppe - it’s a good place and well worth a day or two.
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We took this route in September 2022 out, and October 22 back.
I agree with all that Eurotraveller says with the following additional comments from our viewpoint.
The ships are due a refurb but that said they are not too bad. The self service cafeteria on our return crossing served some pretty awful food so if we were to use this crossing again we would take food with us - we now understand why we saw many people coming on board with picnic hampers!
We took the 11.30 p,m, ferry out and were pleased that we found somewhere to have a meal before boarding, but beware - it was not easy finding somewhere where we could park car and caravan at 13 metres so would recommend that if this applies to you that you stop further inland.
Friends had cabins which they said were acceptable, we did not and managed to get some sleep in one of the lounges though recommend you take a pillow and blackout eye shades.
Otherwise in terms of value for money, I would have to give it a 10/10.
Newhaven is shabby - Dieppe on the other hand is modern and the "boarding" carpark was easy to access, staff polite and toilets clean. Nothing negative and of course much much smaller as compared to Calais, Caen, Santander etc.
An evening crossing back and we were soon in Newhaven.
Hope this helps - have a great vacation!
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Us too. We first used the route in 1981, on our first French camping holiday (to Le Paradis at St Leon sur Vezere), with an 18 month old. As you say, Newhaven was run down, but we loved Dieppe - and it started our love for European travel, which continues to this day.
Even better was on the way back, there was a circus in Dieppe and we watched the 'lion tamer' working with his lions and tigers in an enclosure on the beach. My son was mesmerised, and talked about the 'tigers in France' for ages aferwards. I'm not sure if friends had any idea why.
It was a cheap holiday for us, with Eurocamp out of season, but on the way back we ran into the back of someone in Croydon, adding considerably to the cost.0 -
Hi, Our MH buddies have used it for their last three trips and were quite happy with it.
For us it does not make sense however we did use it app 30 years ago when it was Stena Line and it was not a great experience.0 -
I have used Newhaven- Dieppe for many years, As a HGV driver and for Motorcycle/ Caravanning trips. It is my favourite crossing and sadly Newhaven Port is a bit run down. I believe it was the original cross channel ferry port. We are using it a few times this year, next 2nd March. Its also simple to navigate, friendly and sometimes the coffee machine works. You sit in your vehicle once through the Customs gate and wait. Boarding the ferry is a simple queue up in a numbered lane and wait to be called forward onto the link span. It always seems to take forever and on a winters day Newhaven feels bleak, added by the mountains of scrap metal on an adjacent dock. The DFDS Ferry is a basic Ferry, Torres Brandy is often cheap in the little duty free shop. My advice if on a day crossing, grab a reclining seat or a table near the bar. The food is Ok and the ferry slowly chugs for 4hrs across the pond. If you have a cabin, go to ships office for the key.
To exit Dieppe Port, clear customs and go up the steep hill. A few left and rights take you past a Super market. Directions to various routes are well signed and the new dual carriage way should be open soon. Be aware the traffic can be slow filtering after the junction, N154 and N12 (you can get Fuel at this junction). Towards Dreux, it can take 15mins. As the road becomes single lane through a valley, not helped by a roundabout. Often with a Gendarmerie making himself busy. Once clear of a set of traffic lights, its a trouble free route to Chartres.
Dieppe, has a new modern terminal building. On your return pull up to the gate and wait. Sometimes they open early and you do customs and drive into the dock and the allocated lane. If your really early, its a 10 min walk into Dieppe. Just follow the path along the fence, if your in a moho you can an overnight in this area. Some nice bars and restaurants to be found over looking the old harbour.
The Le Mans autoroute, starts at Rouen. Which soon becomes a Cert Air Route, you could be wise to apply for a stickers online. www.Certificat-air.gouv.fr
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