France Ferry & Campsite info (use Search function) mod warning post 1

Deeman83

https://www.connexionfrance.com/news/updated-strikes-in-france-in-june-2024-and-how-you-may-be-impacted/660943

French ports - June 2, 6, 10, 12, 14, 18, 20, 24, 26, 28

A strike will take place in all French ports on 10 separate days in June because of pension and labour issues.

Stoppages will last for a period of four hours between 10:00 and 16:00. 

The strike, called by the Union of Transport and Logistics Companies of France, could delay ship operations and affect container removal operations and docking.

It is expected to have more of an effect on freight operations than ferry travel. 

blackwhite

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122226694#Comment_122226694

Those are just the 6 hour stoppages.

7th June they are doing "dead port" 24-hour stoppages and blockades of port entrances.

13, 21 and 25th are 24-hour work stoppages.

4,6,10,12,14,18,20,24,26 and 28th are 6 hour stoppages between 10am-4pm

Unionized port workers affiliated with the Federation Nationale de la CGT Ports et Docks union plan to strike nationwide for a total of 14 days from June 4-28, with the most severe port service disruptions to occur June 7, 13, 21, and 25. The purpose of the labor action is to denounce retirement reforms. Participants will engage in a "dead port" operation on June 7, when they will strike for 24 hours and also blockade port entrances. Additionally, participants will conduct 24-hour work stoppages on June 13, 21, and 25. Finally, participants will walk out 10:00-16:00 on June 4, 6, 10, 12, 14, 18, 20, 24, 26, and 28.

Dont be at yourself

That's quite annoying, isn't it… Due to arrive into Cherbourg on 25th with Irish Ferries, which I assume is now in question.

webpal

So if someone was to depart Rosslare on 19th and arrive in Cherbourg on 20th, it might be ok as opposed to leaving on 20th and arriving on 21st?

Mrs is going to freak. I have a feeling I could be doing this on my own with her getting a flight.

I rang Stena earlier to see if I could provisionally book landbridge. They said there would be no money back if sailing cancelled as it’s not their fault, all they would do is put you on another ferry which is fair enough I guess.

Bummer1234

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122226669#Comment_122226669

Thanks, I was going by Your previous post where there was different dates so hard to keep up!

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122219923#Comment_122219923

blackwhite

It’s France - new stike announced somewhere every day 😂

Larbre34

Its fair to say that these strikes are going to cause massive knock-on delays and cancellations. Once the strike days begin to pile up, you're going to have ships out of position and peak-season berthage plans totally messed up.

Its not just a problem that will be confined to France. If you take Rosslare, just 3 berths and 50+ sailings a week, including arrivals and departures, to both France and UK. If the berth in Ireland or Britain that was meant to take your ship is occupied, you'll be anchoring off the port and waiting, and all those delays build up and up.

By this time next week it could be an absolute shitshow.

kindalen

Irish Ferries have told me that they are not aware of any strike action planned in Cherbourg port next week, only this weekend. If anything changes email/sms will be used to inform customers.

the_amazing_raisin

What's the story with traffic going into Cherbourg these days?

There seems to be a lot of construction work going on and it took around an hour to get out of the port from the ferry

I'm wondering if it'll be much quicker to get into the port. I was planning to leave with an hour to spare (3 hours before check in with a 2 hour drive) and I'm wondering if that'll be enough

the_amazing_raisin

To answer my own question, traffic was grand the way into the port. Bit of a queue for check in but they had 4 desks open

There's a queue for passport control after that but wasn't too bad, plus I doubt the ferry will leave people who've checked in on the shore

CuriousCucumber

Does anyone know if Le Littoral offers cycle school for young children?

Peckham

Anyone have experience booking day tickets for Puy du Fou? I can't seem to get the booking section of their website working, either on laptop or phone! Have tried a few times over past few days.

Toots

Has anyone stayed in Sandaya sites before and had any experience of restrictions on the types of swimming trunks that can be worn in the pool? I'm booked in Cypsela for a week with husband and 2 kids (12 yr old boy and 6 yr old girl). I got an email from them that had info etc about the site and it contained this bit about the pool:

Are swimming shorts permitted in your pools?

No, only swim briefs, swim (square-cut) boxers, and one- and two-piece swimsuits are allowed. 

I've emailed them back asking what exactly that means, but in my experience so far they're extremely slow to respond to emails. When I googled "swim boxers" the results I got were like this:

But on pictures on their website I'm sure I saw guys wearing shorts that looked more like this:

I don't think my husband will be super pleased if he has to wear the top type, but I'd sooner know in advance so I can pick some up before we go. "Swim briefs" appear to be budgie smugglers, and there's not a hope he'd wear those!

Tommiekly84

Booked them last year using their app. It's some spot too

rex_turner

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122249790#Comment_122249790

Think I used the app last year to buy the tickets. If you're going it is well worth downloading the app anyway to help you plan your day.

mr_edge_to_you

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122249790#Comment_122249790

We went in 2022. We bought our tickets at reception on the campsite (Le Pin Parasol). No issue whatsoever. Only reason you would need to pre-book is for the Night show but that sells out almost instantly I think.

It really is spectacular. It's full on. We and it was intense. Possibly tried to fit too much in - we brought rolls with us and were eating in the queues. I would recommend making the viking show a priority to see.

Peckham

Thanks both. Didn't think of the app.

Is the Emotion pass worth it? Seems to help with skipping some queues?

Ah - just visited the app and the Emotion Pass seems to be sold out for each day around the time we're in France

mr_edge_to_you

The PdF app was great for planning the day. We actually got to see everything we wanted but barre a few toilet stops, we literally did not stop. As I said, we ate in queues.

tmabr

search men’s jammers on Amazon. Bought them for French campsites last year.
wasn’t looking forward to wearing them but they are fine and way better than Speedo’s in my opinion anyway

webpal

Anyone heard anything since about the French port strikes? Only seems to have been a couple of sailings cancelled last week despite the fact that strikes were forecast to take place every couple of days. Nothing coming up in recent news.

Fr Tod Umptious

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122252348#Comment_122252348

The 20:30 Stena Line to Roslare left Cherbourg on time on the 12th even though there was a 6 hour (10:00 to 16:00) strike at the port on the 12th.

CuriousCucumber

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122250247#Comment_122250247

From everything I've heard, they are quite strict on these rules.
Elverys have lots of options for Jammers. The only good thing is, that everyone else will be wearing them, so it should feel normal pretty quick.
You can always wear shorts over them when sitting out, and walking around the campsite. It is only in the water, that these need to be worn

Sixtoes

It’s the tight fitted swim shorts in your pic above that boys / men require.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122250247#Comment_122250247

the_amazing_raisin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122253866#Comment_122253866

Why does that rule need to exist?

I feel like whoever runs the campsite hasn't considered the swarm of middle aged Irish dad bods they're going to be forced to see walking around in skimpy swim shorts

Baybay

Apparently the rule exists for hygiene & water conservation. Or so I was told.

Clothes, including bulky swimming shorts, or indeed non swim shorts as some seem to wear, can retain a lot of detergent after washing which can affect the effective operation of the pool filtration system. Especially with large numbers of users, I suppose.

Also bulkier swim things displace lots of water when people are continually getting in & out of the pool, having fun as they should, but in lots of places water is scarce and/or expensive.

Munsterbhoy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122250247#Comment_122250247

Hi ,I'm at a newly acquired Sandaya site in Millau. I've see the lifeguard pull up dad's and kids for wearing non lycra shorts. It's a pain but he'll be fine after a day or so.

the_amazing_raisin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122254200#Comment_122254200

Interesting, although I'm pretty sure the sight of my arse in a pair of swim trunks would be a much larger environmental disaster 😂

mr_edge_to_you

The lifeguards are strict about it in Pin Parasol anyway. In fairness to them, they're consistent so I've no issue.

RocketRaccoon

Thankfully La Sirene weren't strict about the shorts, strangely though they don't allow any kind of footwear inside the pool area. Not great when the fake grass is boiling hot.

fits

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122255808#Comment_122255808

afaik it’s so people don’t go around all day in shorts type swim shorts and then hop into the pool.

Was in Iceland last week and you have to demonstrably soap yourself in the nip in the change area before putting on togs and getting into the pool. Very little chlorine used so that’s nice.

One of my children had cryptosporidium last year and one focus of the public health doctors was the swimming pool.