9143 Questions: Ferries with dogs & routes

Hi there everyone
I haven't been on the site for a while - love the new look, trying to find my way about.
I am hopefully, this coming weekend, driving down to my house in Italy.(Picinisco, near Monte Cassino) I haven;t booked the sailing yet because until Friday I cannot confirm that I will be going because I am HOPEFULLY signing the contract for the sale of my business. All is OK so far but who knows......
But assuming it is all going to plan, I will be travelling down on Friday afternoon to the southeast of England and am considering getting the ferry Portsmouth to Le Havre (visiting my parents in Fareham before we sail). On that ferry we may get some shut eye ready for the journey down.

My question: I can take the dog on that ferry but it is a long journey for it to be locked in the car, although as it is nighttime I am sure shewill be fine. But does anyone else know an alternative, ie from Dover to Calais. A ferry that takes dogs? I see some of them want written notice and that won't work since I am booking last minute.

Question 2: I have a route down through France and into Italy. Hope to stop over in Turin for a night with a friend. But the route I have is just passing Paris and I don't relish that idea as I have visions of it being like the M25. Am I being too nervous about that route or is there a slightly alternative route. Or another route altogether please but as direct as possible. The one I got was from the RAC.

I know it is mad doing this all last minute but in fact I do have everything ready, just not the ferry booked. I actually have my return flight booked on the 6th April. Let's hope we get there before then!LOL. Ron is staying at our house for about 4 months to do some work on it, so taking the dog for company. I will be flitting backwards and forwards from Newcastle as and when.

Hopefully, with my other business up for sale and my staff going for a management buyout, I will be in Italy for good by the end of the year. FINGERS CROSSED.
Thanks in advance.
maralyn:confused:

Category
Travel & Holiday Advice

This will help you Maralyn - [url=http://www.viamichelin.com]ViaMichelin: street map, maps, map UK, route finder, route planner, directions, road map, route map[/url] Safe journey.

Maralyn, you have plenty of information about travelling with a dog on board a ferry if you look at:
[url=http://www.dogwelcome.it]Viaggiare e fare vacanza con il tuo cane o gatto - Dogwelcome - Vacanze e viaggi in Italia ed all'estero con cani e gatti - Hotel, agriturismo, campeggi, trasporti, accesso spiagge dove gli animali domestici sono ammessi[/url]
and then look for "Transporti all Estero", then Navi, traghetti, battelli, and then again, Estero Gran Bretagna.
About travelling by car from the UK to Italy, there was an interesting thread under General chat called "Driving UK-ABRUZZO" or something like that.
Good luck with the sale of your business!

regarding paris problem ... take the motorway via lille and rheims ...after that south to dijon... .. its quicker than the paris route anyway...less traffic... if you force a routefinder to go calais rheims it will appear for you anyway...

it then brings you out above lyon which seems to be the way your heading in any case ...in fact just after dijon you join up the the main paris route anyway...

sorry not up to date with current dog carrying rules... when we left the ferry company that we had booked our dog with went on strike so we just drove onto the tunnel thing without mentioning anything... we had all the papers.. just didn't want to confuse the issue.... am sure its all much easier now providing all the dogs paperwork is in order including all vaccinations...

Hi Maralyn

How is sunny Newcastle these days then?

Glad to see you are on your way at last! Been a long time. We brought our dogs and a cat down end of November, 2006. Have you though of the Tunnel? Much less hassle, and very quick. Don't think you need to give advance notice there either.

Agree on the Lille, Rheims route, if you really do want to stay in Turin. Although we have done the Germany, Austria, Brenner Pass the last few times. Saves a fortune on road tolls.

Margaret

We went Plymouth - Santander with Britanny Ferries on Pont Aven last summer, and they had dog kennels on the upper deck. This is a 24 hour passage, so this may be why they provide kennels. Check to see if they now do the same on the Britanny and Normandy crossings.

[quote=MargaretM;86106]Hi Maralyn

How is sunny Newcastle these days then?

Glad to see you are on your way at last! Been a long time. We brought our dogs and a cat down end of November, 2006. Have you though of the Tunnel? Much less hassle, and very quick. Don't think you need to give advance notice there either.

Agree on the Lille, Rheims route, if you really do want to stay in Turin. Although we have done the Germany, Austria, Brenner Pass the last few times. Saves a fortune on road tolls.

Margaret[/quote]

False economy margaret,nice route though.
Firstly the rouite is longer by over 100 miles if you are heading for anywhere bar venice or the dolomites. You also end up paying to use even more of the Italian m/ways,so in reality extra fuel extra tolls in italy and extra time over the quicker routes,for which you may found yourself saving a mere few pounds/euros.

But like i said a nice route never the less

Maralyn.. Go for it. If you choice of crossing is le harve,then through/around paris is your only option.Taking a longer alternative m/way route round will add over 100 miles so costing you just as much in time and more in fuel.

If you have a sat nav,see if you can route it around paris,without it trying to take you north to calais,ect,ect.

Alternatively take the short crossing at dover very cheap try speedferries, but of corse you have the parents to visit...