MOT 2011 France

[faversham999]

I am getting the 6am Dover ferry to Dunkirk on the Saturday . Only broke down once last year , Different ar this year, the car is better but slower (smaller engine 948cc).

[MarkyB]

What! what! it isn't till next year!
I've booked the accommodation, much earlier than usual, don't think the ferry has been booked yet, did you get a good deal?

After doing it for several years, we've decided that a pm crossing, a nights kip in the F1 and an early start is the way forward for the longer trips.

May not apply this year as it's a short one,but for a longer trip it makes for a much nicer experience.
The peage is no place for a standard Minor, it'd boring and expensive.

Take your time, and enjoy the journey is very much nicer, in France as it is in the UK.

At worst you can end up having a kind of jet lag, you are knackered by the stress of trying to get there as fast as possible, and on bad terms with any passengers that were overruled when they wanted a "rest break".

Make the whole thing a holiday, and give yourself plenty of time.

[millerman]

Looking forward to seeing you all in Brittany.

We will be taking the ferry, Poole - St Malo.

On this year's MOT we went from the campsite in the Franche Comte to Ypres in one hit with a couple of stops, a distance of 380 miles, which worked out well giving more time have a look at the 1st World War battlefields.

So if you want the Minor will take a good hammering on the peage!

[MarkyB]

The trouble with giving my Minor a good hammering on the peage is that at the back of my mind is what 40 year old bit of metal has passed it's use by date? Con rod, suspension arm?

It isn't a race, it's a holiday, and I treat it as such.

[morrisminorbzh]

It's nice to see that MOT 2011 to Brittany is going to draw loads of Minors over here - "Grommit" (Traveller, 1970) hasn't seen another of her kind since she arrived in Brittany in 2009 !!

It's amazing to see that some of you are planning to drive down from Dunkirk !! This is a very long trot for cars for which none will be under 40 !!

A viamichelin.fr simulation indicates 579 kms (around 360 miles - 325 on motorway) from Dunkirk to Saint Cast-le-Guildo, estimated cost : 76,61€ (23,80€ péage + 52,81€ petrol). The nearest ferryport to arrive at is Saint Malo, if not it's a pleasent drive down the coast road from Cherbourg via Portbail and Granville with nice views of the Channel Islands and the Mont Saint Michel if the weather is fine. If not from Caen/Ouistreham you can take the motorway via Avranches or the old road (which I prefer with a Minor). Those coming from the south west have the Plymouth - Roscoff crossing.

As said MarkyB, take your time, your on holiday - I want to see all of you arrive and local breton clubs will be happy to see the MOT.

Best wishes et à bientôt
Michael in Chantepie near Rennes.

[gabrielle]

Hi,
I'd love to see you all in Brittany. Does everyone take the same ferry or are there meeting places along the way. I live about 40 mins from St Malo and 20 mins south of Dinan so can travel to a meeting place.
Gabrielle

[faversham999]

we all meet at St Cast campsite

[MarkyB]

Back in the mists of time some effort was made to suggest a ferry which often meant about one third of the cars on board were Minors.
It made a great start to the whole trip.

[rsawatson]

As it's my first MOT I can't wait to go - going to be such a laugh I think. Myself and my friends are taking the Portsmouth-St Marlo crossing. Because we're coming from Worthing, West Sussex, I reckon we won't be doing much more than 100 miles (if that) of driving to get to the campsite!

We're leaving Thursday night and arriving Friday morning. I hope there's a bar onboard!

[Ian46]

Like MarkyB I remember going over to France on a ferry with 50plus minors. It was our our first MOT to Remolins (sorry about the spelling) in the South of France.

I naievely thought that once we docked in Calais we would all travel down together in one large convoy. However those cars with tuned engines raced away, those in good standard condition pulled away from the cars with slightly dodgy engines etc., like ours and we pulled away from the splitscreens and minors towing trailers and caravans. After about half an hour we were completely on our own and didn't see another minor until we checked in at the camping site at the end of the following day.

Once there however it was a different story. Wherever we went in the locality that week there were Minors parked in streets, on the open roads etc., and that is just one of the great reasons for going.

Regards Ian

[chrisryder]

We've been a few (10!) times and we don't arrange to go with anyone, quite often there is a most popular crossing that everyone seems to end up on though. Like Ian46 says, everyone goes at their own pace, we overtake some and get overtaken by others! quite often we leap frog the same cars for a whole day, apparently stopping at alternate services!

Can't wait for this years MOT, it'll be the 3rd for my Minor, i hope she fares well!

[MarkyB]

Being in a standard Minor we would end up in a very loose convoy such that when we stopped for coffee, lunch or petrol we would get passed by several other Minors who had packed lunches and Thermos flasks.

[chrisryder]

other Minors who had packed lunches and Thermos flasks.

that'd be us

[MarkyB]

Hard core drivers then.

These days we get a late crossing, night in a cheap hotel like a Formula 1, then a leisurely drive to the site with coffee stops and a nice lunch in a restaurant.

Gone are the days of getting up at stupid O clock, early ferry and drive for as many hours as it takes.
That isn't a holiday, it's an endurance event.

[chrisryder]

it can be a neccessity doing it that way. our first MOT to Waxweiler in Germany, we left home at 2am, to get the 6:30 channel tunnel crossing. and got to the site around tea time. but that was because my parents couldn't get the friday off work, and we didnt want to turn up half way through the sunday!

thankfully we don't do it that way any more either, normally opting for the overnight ferry and leisurely drive too.

[JuNK512G]

Looking forward to our 21st MOT, we decided to do every other one now due to cost but at least we can turn it into a two week holiday & I can visit the Normandy landing beachs for a third time, (my long suffering seat cover has a good book, she'll be happy enough ). June 6th is the best day with lots of military vehicles running on the beach, also plenty of Vets to talk to, always puzzles me that every American was first off the landing craft.
Safe journey everyone, look us up on site.
Charlie & Pat.

[woodiesenfrance]

Hi Charlie! How's the fleet?
We're not going, too far from here at a busy time of year for us workwise.
Look out for Michael (posted earlier on this thread) and other Froggie Moggies, quite a few say they are going to pop along.
My trav's in hospital this week, awaiting transplant surgery: the gearbox went Bang 10 days ago. 'Twas an expensive week, the dawg having been rushed to the vet's (in the trav of course, it's his favourite place) the previous Saturday night & staying there 4 days . At least he's better now
Mary