Brittany Ferries Disembarkation at Roscoff - how long end of May

Pansmiker · Apr 10, 2017

I am in the process of preparing some routes for our forthcoming bike trip to France (via Cork) and was just wondering if anyone has had any recent experience of the length of time it will / does take to get off the ship.

I understand that the ship will be the Pont Aven and my memory is of waiting to get off and looking at a bulkhead in a cloud of exhaust fumes whilst all the bikes behind me reversed back out to head up the ramp. It took about 45 minutes to get off after the doors opened.

Oh I forgot to mention the heat as well!

GSD Dad · Apr 10, 2017

I've taken my bike on the Pont Aven between the U.K. and Santander 4 times in the last 2 years and my experience has been the same, I don't see Roscoff being any different.

Jaws100 · Apr 10, 2017

This guy was there just last Saturday ........... de-crowe (Irish section) :thumby:

He will probably spot this anyway or send him a pm

patzx12 · Apr 10, 2017

A bit of over planning there, It takes as long as it takes.
Out of your control so why worry about it.

frosti · Apr 10, 2017

I found that out of season - i.e not June / July / August - I get off the ferry and to passport at 7.20 to 7.30 local time - seems to be with the trucks and before the cars get off.

In June / July / August it can be 8.30 to 8.45 - i.e. waiting a very long time in the hold with fumes everywhere and usually last off the ferry.

Not sure if it is down to pure no. of people onboard or if they load the ferry differently in off-peak times.

Pansmiker · Apr 10, 2017

frosti said:
I found that out of season - i.e not June / July / August - I get off the ferry and to passport at 7.20 to 7.30 local time - seems to be with the trucks and before the cars get off.

In June / July / August it can be 8.30 to 8.45 - i.e. waiting a very long time in the hold with fumes everywhere and usually last off the ferry.

Not sure if it is down to pure no. of people onboard or if they load the ferry differently in off-peak times.

Yes Frosti that is my experience as well in the past. Maybe it is just wishful thinking that anything has changed.

Patrzx12 - definitely not worrying about is more of a wonderment on can I minimise it as much as possible. I think I will let other bikes go in front of me so as they then have to wait on me getting off.

de crowe · Apr 10, 2017

The ferry was not too busy last Saturday morning so I slipped my way through the buses and camper vans and was up on top of the exit queue in no time. I suspect it would be a different story during the really busy season

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shuck raider · Apr 10, 2017

Point Aven Santander July last year. Took 50 minutes

B Murr · Apr 11, 2017

patzx12 said:
A bit of over planning there, It takes as long as it takes.
Out of your control so why worry about it.

Reminds me of a time when I was a cyclist disembarking in Le Havre in 1980's, nearly choked to death as all the vehicles belched fumes into the space we were stuck in while they tried to unjam the bow door. I think only reasonable outcome from planning would be if you were to just stay up on deck while they emptied out below and then just stroll down and ride away when the hordes have already left.

ymfb · Apr 12, 2017

I didn't think it took too long at Santander, but not sure is was the Pont Aven. Going to the TT is in my experience considerably worse, why the need to start your engine just before you are about to set off is beyond me and clearly selfish.

Pansmiker · May 30, 2017

just in the interest of completing the circle.

It took 1 hour to get off in Roscoff and 45minutes to get off in Ringaskiddy.

B Murr · May 30, 2017

Pansmiker said:
just in the interest of completing the circle.

It took 1 hour to get off in Roscoff and 45minutes to get off in Ringaskiddy.

Was that 1 hour with car and truck engines running in that enclosed space?

squibb34 · May 30, 2017

Ahh..............the fumes, oil & diesel on the decks, maybe a bit of waste water from the fish lorries. Then the rush to escape after 45 minutes in a hot gas chamber. Possibly the odd mishap as someone gets annoyed by the delay, feeds in too much power & dumps their bike on the exit ramp.

Once ashore, then maybe getting ticked off by some over zealous Port Police for queue jumping & sent to the back again. The joy of it all. But still we keep coming back for more, even when BF fleece us wrotten. Happy days - you will soon forget the Pont Aven once you find some nice curvy traffic free roads.

Pansmiker · Jun 1, 2017

B Murr said:
Was that 1 hour with car and truck engines running in that enclosed space?

No - only 1 truck and the rest bikes going out and only bikes coming back. Everyone was sensible and did't start engines until we were ready to go.

Brittany Ferries Disembarkation at Roscoff - how long end of May

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