Dublin to Paris via Cherbourg by Ferry and Train

My trip from Paris to Ireland by Train and Ferry

I wanted to go to Ireland, but I didn’t want to take a plane that would have dropped me there in less than two hours without the slightest transition.

I also wanted to take the time to get there, prioritizing the comfort and pleasure of the transport moments, which are, in my opinion, an integral part of the journey.

Ireland is an island, so I traveled there by train and boat, making a few tourist stops along the way.

My trip lasted 12 days and took me along the following route:

I’m recounting my journey in four successive articles:

1. Paris to London by train and ferry via Dieppe and Brighton
2. London by boat and on foot along the River Thames
3. London to Dublin by train and ferry via Liverpool and Belfast
4. Dublin to Paris by Ferry and Train via Cherbourg: here you are!

I’ve also included some practical tips to help you organize your own trip at the end of this article.

Days 9 and 10: Dublin, a city transformed over the last century

I’d only been to Dublin once before on business. A round-trip day trip by plane for a meeting of a few hours at the car rental partner of the airline I worked for. It’s the kind of mission I don’t regret ever having to do again!

A small capital where life is good

Dublin is the kind of city you have to take the time to get to know and appreciate. It’s not particularly beautiful or spectacular, but I found it a pleasant place to live.

Dublin isn’t a huge city, and I discovered it on foot. The atmosphere seems much lighter than in Belfast.

At the end of May, hotel prices were very high, so I decided to stay with a local at a more reasonable cost. I was lucky that my host was exceptionally welcoming and talkative. We shared our dinners, and when I left, I felt as if I’d been welcomed into the home of an Irish friend.

Walking around without a tour program

During my stay in Dublin, I mostly wandered around the city without specific goals or guides. I just wanted to feel the atmosphere. After ten days of sightseeing, I didn’t feel like imposing a program on myself.

That’s why I’m not proposing specific walks but rather my impressions of what struck me during my two days there. That’s what traveling is all about letting yourself be surprised.

I think I’ll definitely go back another time to get to know Dublin better, because, in my experience, a city is best discovered through several visits.

The Irish Emigration Museum: moving!

One place moved me: The Irish Emigration Museum (EPIC). What I really liked about this museum is that it shows how the Irish have managed to turn emigration, often painful, into a source of pride.

The Irish have experienced tough times in the past, notably with the great famine between 1845 and 1852 and the consequences of British colonialism, which was quite brutal for the Irish. A memorial with poignant statues stands on the quay in front of the EPIC museum.

Because of these troubled times, the Irish had to emigrate to more hospitable lands such as the United States .

A little further on, the Jeanie Johnston is a replica of a 19th-century ship carrying migrants to North America . We wonder how it ever crossed the Atlantic because it looks so frail.

These visits should inspire us further when fear of immigration spreads throughout Europe. Emigrants rarely leave their country of origin out of joy or absolute necessity. On the contrary, over time, immigration is an opportunity and an enrichment for the host country.

To complement this, I visited the National Gallery devoted to 19th-century Irish painters. The paintings illustrate life in Ireland when the country was one of the poorest in Europe.

A young and dynamic city at Temple Bar

If Ireland was once a land of departure, today, Dublin is a city of welcome, with around 20% of its population of foreign origin.

I felt the city’s very young and international atmosphere, thanks to those who work here for big tech companies like Google or Facebook or call centers like Hertz, Teleperformance, AirBnB, or Dell.

Temple Bar is where everyone meets in pubs and bars to enjoy the local Guinness to the sound of music! Thanks to the digital economy, Ireland has become one of the wealthiest countries in Europe in the 21st century. An astonishing journey since the 19th century!

Near Temple Bar, two places are well worth a visit: Trinity College and St Stephen Green Park.

A country that is both conservative and progressive

I also experienced Ireland as a country of paradoxes. Both conservative and progressive.

I happened to pass St Andrew’s Church as an impressive procession of priests and bishops entered for the ordination of Father Donal Roche as Auxiliary Bishop of Dublin. Unlike France, which has become a very secular country, the Catholic religion continues to play an important role in Ireland,

It’s essential to note that divorce was only legalized in 1996, abortion was only really authorized in 2018, and same-sex marriage in 2015. On each occasion, these societal advances were widely approved in referendums, showing that the Irish people are more progressive than might at first appear.

Two Anglican cathedrals, none Catholic

Dublin boasts two medieval cathedrals: Christ Church and St. Patrick’s. Both are Anglican. Both are Anglican, a legacy of the English occupation when the country was already overwhelmingly Catholic.

As a matter of principle, I didn’t want to visit them because you have to pay to get in, and I don’t think places of worship should have to pay. All the more so as in Dublin, by contrast, many museums are free.

Another place in Dublin has almost religious status: the Guinness Brewery. This is Ireland’s most famous beer, a black stout known for its dark color and thick, creamy head, and it has been brewed in Dublin since 1759.

Days 11 and 12: Dublin to Cherbourg by night ferry

It’s now time to head home. Of all my trips, Dublin – Cherbourg by boat is the one I’m most looking forward to, as it’s an overnight crossing.

A private cabin at a reasonable price

My German-built W B Yeats ship has been operated by Irish Ferries since 2019. So she’s a recent liner. The photo below was taken the next day in Cherbourg on her return to Dublin.

I rented a cabin for added comfort, accentuating the impression of being on a cruise. I’m paying the total price, as I’m occupying it alone, even though it can accommodate four people. But the cost of 179 EUR is still reasonable. My cabin is a good size, with a bed and sofa. I have a bathroom with a private shower and toilet. However, the decoration is too functional and sad.

Departure along the Irish coast

Once settled in my cabin, I head up to the upper deck to enjoy a panoramic view of Dublin harbor at the mouth of the River Liffey.

I watch a spectacular line of motorhomes boarding our ship back to the mainland. With its wild moors and coasts, Ireland attracts this type of tourist mainly on the Ring of Kerry Route and the Wild Atlantic Way. Several trucks with cows on board will also be making the trip!

It’s finally time to cast off! I’m always impressed that even the biggest boats are only connected to the quay by simple ropes.

We’ve been sailing along the east coast of Ireland for quite a while. In the distance, I can make out some beautiful, slightly rugged, and very green landscapes. They make me want to come back and, this time, discover the famous Irish countryside.

I observe my fellow passengers. There’s plenty of space on a boat, and everyone can either isolate themselves or get together to party without disturbing the others!

As soon as we leave the Irish coast, the sea is getting a bit rough. I’m lucky enough not to be seasick, and I’m even sorry it’s not more so!

I start with an aperitif at the bar at the front of the boat, then head to the cafeteria for a dinner that turns out to be very mediocre for a very high price. It’s a far cry from the quality I experienced on the Stena ferry between Liverpool and Belfast.

I take the opportunity to explore the different areas of the boat. The decor is sober and even a little austere.

I return to the outside deck one last time before bed to enjoy an excellent night’s sleep. The boat’s rocking is very light and pleasant—I love it!

Cherbourg harbor: soon the end of the voyage!

The following day, in the mist, we discover the French coast of the Cotentin.

Our journey ends in the immense harbor of Cherbourg. It was built from the 12th century onwards, with three dikes topped by forts. The harbor protected ships from storms. Until the Second World War, large liners like the Titanic anchored in the roadstead, and ferries like the Nomadic I visited in Belfast took passengers and freight from the harbor.

We arrive at the new ferry port.

In Cherbourg, the ferry is not for pedestrians!

This is all the more regrettable given that Cherbourg once boasted a magnificent ferry terminal where train-to-boat transfers were a breeze. I’ll learn more about this when I visit the Cité de la Mer.

Day 12: Cherbourg and the Cité de la Mer

I’ve got a big half-day to discover Cherbourg.

Cherbourg: a port before being a city

I start with a good lunch in the old town at the excellent Le Plouc 2 restaurant to make up for the mediocrity of the meals served by Irish Ferries, which left me hungry!

Cherbourg is a port city, home to one of France’s largest marinas, a fishing port, a commercial port, and a ferry port linking Ireland and England. Historically, it has been best known for its military port.

La Cité de la Mer: the fourth maritime museum on my trip!

As I don’t have much time, I decide to devote my few remaining hours to visiting the Cité de la Mer rather than the city. This is the fourth, and final, maritime museum I’ve visited on this trip, after London, Liverpool and Belfast.

The Cité de la Mer is interesting in more ways than one, and in itself justifies a visit to Cherbourg.

First and foremost, it’s located in the former Gare Maritime. In the heyday, luxurious trains arrived here from Paris, allowing customers to board the Cunard and White Star Line transatlantic liners that had made Cherbourg their main port on the continent. The old gangways leading to the ships can still be seen. The baggage room has been completely reconstructed and is spectacular.

A must: a visit to the nuclear submarine Le Redoutable

I start by discovering France’s first nuclear submarine, the Redoutable, which is the jewel in the crown of the Cité. The visit is accompanied by a well-designed audioguide, which lets you imagine the living conditions of the sailors locked up for long weeks of secret navigation with no contact with the outside world.

I continue with the underwater section, which is very instructive. Numerous animations mingle with aquariums presenting aquatic fauna.

The Titanic again!

I finish with the section of the museum dedicated to the Titanic. As in Liverpool and Belfast, Cherbourg has a link with the liner, as the Titanic called at Cherbourg before crossing the Atlantic and sinking.

The museum has reconstructed some of the liner’s cabins, and numerous photos illustrate the transatlantic era of the port of Cherbourg.

I think of the Titanic’s captain, Edward Smith, whose portrait is proudly displayed in the museum.

After my various visits, I’ve become an expert on the history of this boat.

Interestingly, museums in Liverpool, Belfast, and Cherbourg tell the same story in different styles.

Liverpool presents period documents. Belfast focuses on the spectacular side of the ship. Cherbourg focuses more on life on board, with its prestigious First Class passengers on one side and the poor emigrants in Third Class on the other.

Day 12: Cherbourg to Paris by train

Then, in the late afternoon, I head for the French Railways station for the last leg of my journey: the train back to Paris. I love to travel, but I also love coming home!

Cherbourg station is tiny and feels more like the countryside than the city. I’m back on the same modern, comfortable double-decker train that took me from Paris to Rouen on my first trip.

Shortly after setting off, we cross the Cotentin Marshes Regional Nature Park, one of the most extensive wetlands in France.

Our route takes us through Caen, Lisieux, and Évreux. Most of the time, it rains, and I can’t take any photos. It’s a pity because the hilly landscape of Basse-Normandie is very pretty. I regularly see the superb second homes of wealthy Parisians.

The old Porcheville oil-fired power station announces that we are approaching Paris.

Our train weaves in and out of commuter trains before arriving at Gare Saint-Lazare in Paris.

My journey has come full circle!

The assessment of my trip

We’ve reached the end of my trip. It’s a fine example of “slow travel” that I recommend. It’s relatively simple to organize, and you can use it as inspiration to build your journey according to your desires. If you’re a Londoner or a Dubliner, you can start from your city and visit Paris on your way.

It’s time to take stock, and here’s what I got from the trip.

Moments of escape.

A trip is often a moment of escape. From this point of view, my trip was a success. The mini-cruises I took excited my imagination. The sea gives an impression of infinity that you can’t find on land. I’m always amazed to see passengers standing pensively or dreamily at the rail. The sensation of seeing one land receding into the distance, then approaching another, is dreamlike.

The Titanic: a story that accompanied me on this voyage

Feel the atmosphere of the cities I visited, which are so different from each other.

A trip is also about experiencing atmospheres. I appreciated the seaside atmosphere of Brighton, which I saw in a very sunny light. In London, I soaked up the force of the Thames, which contributes to the city’s personality. In Dublin, I felt the city’s youthful, international mood.

Thinking and learning through travel

Travel is thinking. From Belfast to Dublin, I immersed myself in Irish history, with its turmoil, suffering, and hopes. I realized the importance of migration for these endearing people. I was concerned that the embers of division between Republicans and Loyalists were not entirely extinguished in Northern Ireland.