Channel crossing after leaving hospital

[David]

I would be grateful for any advice about crossing the channel in the third week of March.  I am due to have major surgery on my right knee in March and I expect to be released from hospital about the 26th March.  My right leg will be in plaster, and all walking and stairs will be very difficult, and perhaps painful.

My surgery will be in Cambridge, so I hope to travel to Calais or Boulogne sur Mer on the first day, overnight there, and then travel to Bressuire in North Deux Sevres the next day.

I had planned to take SpeedFerries, and then stay at the Boulogne sur Mer B&B Hotel (no stairs, disabled room, car parked right outside the room), but SpeedFerries will not be running then.

The surgeon says that he will not certify me fit to fly, so I cannot take Ryanair to Poitiers or Tours.

Thus I planned to take our right hand drive car, with my wife driving and me in the left hand front seat.

Advance booking will be very difficult as the hospital cannot guarantee a date of departure.

I would be very grateful for any suggestions as to the best ferry or train to cross the channel, and a suitable hotel in France.

Many thanks in advance.

David

[Russethouse]

Surely tunnel would be easiest ?

[cooperlola]

I must agree with R/H.  You will never have to leave the car - no horrible stairs to climb as you'd have on the boat.  It's got to be the best option.

[Russethouse]

Also you could probably easily stay at your usual hotel

Every good wish for the op by the way [:)]

[Will]

If you don't want to go by tunnel - and a lot of people don't - then most conventional ferries have lifts and are much more suited to disabled or wheelchair-using people than the fast catamarans. You could try P&O or Sea France, both do the Dover-Calais crossing, and you should be able to just turn up at the port and book the next ferry. Do check first though because not all the ships may be suitable. Alternatively, you could do Portsmouth-Caen, which may be more expensive and you would not be anywhere near the familiar hotel, but the facilities on the ships are ideal for those with limited mobility and the crew members are generally particularly helpful. Again, at this time of year there should be no problems with late bookings.

[Dick Smith]

I agree with Will. I have just booked a BF crossing for a disabled relative and they made it very easy. They have arrangements for taking cars with people with limited mobility on first, staff on hand to help to the lifts and so on. Very helpful, as Will says.

And, of course, you can book a cabin, which would mean you have your own loo, washing facilities and place to sit/lie down.

[Russethouse]

We have done this BF trip when my husband had a broken leg (the only time we danced at a wedding and he breaks his leg !)

The trip was made easy because you are parked near the lift etc.........a good alternative.

[Baz]

I think that Eurotunnel is your best option as I would no fancy trying to move around a ferry with a leg in plaster as I assume you may not have a wheelchair. The other advantage is that you can change your booking without charge provided it is before your planned time of departure. The only charge will be the difference in fares if applicable from the original booking price. If your stay is going to be over 5 days then the standard fare will have to be booked. I cannot help with a Hotel as I always travel down the eastern side of France.

If you want to use a geographical telephone number when in the UK to contact Eurotunnel rather than their expensive 0870 number then PM me and I will give it to you.

Baz

[David]

Many thanks Will and Dick.  Just the sort of lateral thinking I had hoped for.  I will check out the ferries and timetables.  The idea of a cabin sounds good.  Would it be possible to catch an evening ferry from UK, overnight on the ferry, and drive down next day?  I will check it out.

Can you advise the practical possibilities of accessing loos and restaurants on the boat?

Also thanks to R/H and Coops.  I had thought that it would have to be the train, but I really do not like that option, and from what I remember the loos are difficult to access especially if you are not parked near them.  I also seem to remember that the loos on the train are very small so I could not sit down with my leg extended out in front of me, let alone get up again - no handholds? Also on the train I don't think a wheelchair could access the loos if you are not parked nearby.  I don't mean to go into the loo, but just to get outside the door.  I tend to think that unpleasant practical aspects of loo access may be important after a drive down from Cambridge.

R/H - did you receive my recent e-mail?

David

 

[David]

Thanks Baz, our posts crossed.

I will probably have my wheelchair with me.  I have resigned myself to an expensive crossing, and I will count it as part of the operation costs which I am going to have to pay privately.

One thought.  Can I book a BF single fare from UK back home to France, and take a cheaper single fare Calais/Dover going from France over to the hospital in UK?  Or do BF only book return fares?

David

[Tresco]

[quote user="David"]Can you advise the practical possibilities of accessing loos and restaurants on the boat?[/quote]

I haven't been on a ferry where these facilities weren't fully accessible for years.

They also have cabins suitable for wheelchair users - but to be certain of getting one you would really need to book ahead.

[Russethouse]

No email David, but I have to say that my ISP has just had a spell of thinking LF was spam [:(]

 

No experience of mens loos to speak of,  [;-)]  restaurants on BF should be fine! ( tip :avoid the lamb on the Pont Aven) Overnight cabin is a good idea, but its a pretty short night if you go via Caen.

[David]

R/H,

If the trip to Caen is very short, is there another route you would suggest using an overnight cabin?

I e-mailed you to ask if I could e-mail you four photos of a ship in bad weather, which I thought to be quite spectacular, and if you thought them suitable to ask you to post them to a suitable place on the forum.  I asked you because they have nothing to do with France, and I have not mastered the art of posting photos.  I think these photos need to be as large as possible.  Can I send them to you by normal e-mail?

David

[Dick Smith]

It isn't very short - our trip last night was 11.30pm to 7am. That was Caen-Portsmouth, the other way is a little shorter, I think, but not much.

[Russethouse]

 I'll pm you my email address.

Dick - the problem is they start getting keen to get you out the cabin 45 mins before appox berthing time - if you have a distance to drive ahead, thats not much sleep.

Portmouth  -St Malo allows a good nights rest IMHO. Its my favorite route so I admit to being biased.

[Russethouse]

[quote user="Dick Smith"]It isn't very short - our trip last night was 11.30pm to 7am. That was Caen-Portsmouth, the other way is a little shorter, I think, but not much.
[/quote]

But they want to get you up at 6am !

Thats six and a half hours max...........[:(]

[Tresco]

Portsmouth-St Malo makes a lot of sense driving (or in Davids case, sitting in a car) wise.

You get to wave at Miki too.[:D]

[Dick Smith]

True, and the weird music (what is that?) was unbearably loud this morning!

[Blanche Neige]

"Portmouth  -St Malo allows a good nights rest IMHO. Its my favorite route so I admit to being biased."

We were once given a cabin for the disabled on this route.

[Tresco]

[quote user="Blanche Neige"]

"Portmouth  -St Malo allows a good nights rest IMHO. Its my favorite route so I admit to being biased."

We were once given a cabin for the disabled on this route.
[/quote]

Me too, Gill, and very nice it was too. It only happened once in 12 years though, so David would be better off booking, if he possibly could.

[Suze01]

I have no idea on travel arrangements, but my thoughts are whether your surgeon would recommend such a journey immediately after surgery, and the possible risk of complications such as Deep Vein Thrombosis etc. Being stuck in a car for hours on end can't be best.  Are there medical facilities where you are going in case of problems. Sorry to sound negative.

[David]

Suze,

You are of course quite correct, and it is a worry.  Unfortunately I seem to have no alternative, as I could not afford, or wish, to stay in an hotel in Cambridge for several weeks.

My surgeon does know of the travel plans, and though he is not enthusiastic he accepts it.  It was he who refused to allow me to fly.  My local GP in France is fully aware of the travel arrangements and all is in place ready for my return home.

I plan to stop every hour while driving and get out of the car for a few minutes.  Might be difficult in the UK, but very easy on the French autoroutes.

I am presently trying to decide the best route home, and it seems that the Portsmouth to St. Malo route with a cabin on board might be best.

Thanks for your concern.

David

[suein56]

[quote user="David"]

My right leg will be in plaster, and all walking and stairs will be very difficult, and perhaps painful.

Thus I planned to take our right hand drive car, with my wife driving and me in the left hand front seat.

David [/quote]

After I broke my right leg in 3 places I found I needed to keep my fully-plastered leg at least level, or even raised higher than that, for quite a while and especially when travelling. I usually used to sit in the rear of the car with my back to the [well-cushioned] door and my leg horizontally along the rear seat. In some cars I could sit in the front as long as the seat would go back a long way and could rest my leg on the dashboard.

Though, before leaving the hospital where my leg had been operated on to 'fix' the breaks, I was categorically told I could not/should not do what I have described above, but, apart from hiring an ambulance everytime I went out, I could see no alternative.

Sue

 

[Teamedup]

David, I too cannot believe what you are proposing.  My husband had his crutiate ligament (sp) operated on a couple or so years ago. He was in fit state to go anywhere for a couple of weeks. He needed injections twice a day too.

I reckon that you should be straight down to the tunnel and through there. It would be your quickest option and safest as far as I am concerned. You won't need to get out of your car at all and then you will be in France and I assume medically insured in France, if you have a malaise. A longer drive yes, I realise that, but you could take your time.

How long will the clinic be keeping you in?

[suein56]

[quote user="Teamedup"]

I reckon that you should be straight down to the tunnel and through there. It would be your quickest option and safest as far as I am concerned. You won't need to get out of your car at all and then you will be in France and I assume medically insured in France, if you have a malaise.  [/quote]

I actually broke my leg whilst a UK resident on holiday in France. Before I was allowed to leave the hospital in St Malo the travel insurance company refused to sanction me being driven home the way we had come ie via the tunnel, in a car. They hired a small plane and I was flown back to the UK.

Sue