# Night/Day Trip to Caen



## Pompeyfan (Aug 9, 2005)

Just been to Caen and back on Brittany ferry Mont St Michel. A taster if you like to our SN trip to Bilbao. Much smaller ship than Pride of Bilbao, but nice to go back to sea for a break at what seems like a very long and cold winter. And it seemed even colder in Caen. Took lots of pictures which I will post soon both on board, and ships mid channel and off the I.O.W. Quite rough coming back which suited me fine. Had the decks to myself!. As I was leaving the ship an officer with two stripes came up to me. He asked if I had travelled with Brittany before, which I had, and asked if I had lots of pictures. It seemed they had been watching me!. Not too sure he was the Purser because on P&O at least, the Purser had three gold bars with two white. This one has two thin gold and a thin blue I think. When I got ashore, it was just like my merchant nave days when I was stopped by customs. The first time since I had left the sea. I just happened to pick a day when customs across the country were checking passengers for drugs. They were even at the I.O.W ferry terminals. I personally am very glad they do these checks, and would like to see more of them. If you stay within the law, you have nothing to fear. I say this because although our bags go through the x-ray machine when we leave this country, and we walk through the scanner, none of this was done in Caen when we came back. I could have been carrying anything both in my bag and on me. The same happened from St Malo last year, and that was a day after the London bombings. So I for one are glad to see our customs officers checking people because although looking for drugs, they could also detect something more serious. I cannot understand why the French are so lax in this age of terrorism. I am sure that passengers would not mind a bit of inconvenience of being searched if it meant preventing another terrorist strike. Would welcome other members views on this. David


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## rstimaru (Jun 15, 2005)

we will remember that trip when you post what port bob


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## Baltic Wal (Jun 27, 2005)

I would forget the Night /Day trip to Caen abd go for St Malo. By the time you have watched the sights of Portsmouth Dockyard and Southsea go by, then a drink in the bar you are past the Nab Tower. Settle down for a sleep and three hours later the wake up calls start. took me two days to get over the lack of sleep.

St Malo trip is longer but not much more in cost. You can enjoy the sights and a drink and still get a good nights sleep. The approach to St Malo is far more interesting than Caen, and on the homeward voyage there are views of the Channel Islands.

I have now stopped using the Caen route for different reasons.


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## Pat McCardle (Jun 12, 2005)

It has appeared to me, for the last 10+years, that the French authorities allow anyone to pass through their immigration / customs as long as they are leaving their country & especially if they are travelling to this country. 'Out of sight out of mind' rings bells!! Did you have a good trip though David? (Thumb)


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## Pompeyfan (Aug 9, 2005)

Yes, I had a good trip Pat. I have done the St Malo trip Baltic Wal on Val De Loire last year. Yes, it is a better trip. May do the same in future on Bretagne which is back on the route now. Never been on her. The fare is the same at present, they are doing a £20 return to all destinations not counting cabins of course. I went to Caen for the simple reason I have never been there. I chose Mont St Michel because my son and friends have been on the other vessel on this route, Normandie, and was not too impressed. But neither was I of Mont St Michel!. Anyway, the real trip is coming up in September with the SN trip on Pride of Bilbao. Why not join us Baltic Wal?. David


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