Paris to London by train and ferry via Dieppe and Brighton

My trip between Paris and Dublin by train and ferry

I like to draw a parallel between creating a journey and creating a sculpture. You start with a raw idea – going to Ireland – and refine it by making choices about the route and the desired visits. In the end, you end up with a very personal journey in which you’ve invested a great deal of yourself, rather like a work of art.

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 moments of transport which, in my opinion, are an integral part of the journey.

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

I’m recounting my journey in four successive articles:

How I designed my trip ?

In planning my trip, I discovered that there are several ways to get to Ireland by ferry, whether or not via Great Britain, as this map illustrates (orange: France Great Britain connections, green: France Ireland connections, blue: Ireland Great Britain connections).

What’s more, most ports are not far from train stations and can be reached by train.

So I spent a good while examining each option before settling on the ones that appealed most to me. I’ve also had to eliminate a few, as some connections don’t accept pedestrians without vehicles. This is the case for Calais-Dover, for example.

I prefer boat crossings that are as long as possible

The sea will be the common thread running through my journey. Great Britain and Ireland are both islands with a strong maritime history. One as a colonizer, the other as a land of emigration. I wanted to feel those emotions of boats leaving.

For this trip, I chose the longest boat crossings to give me the impression of being on a cruise.

In London, the only inland city on my itinerary, I focused my visit on the River Thames, which gives the British capital its maritime credentials.

I took the opportunity to visit the many maritime museums along the way. Without realizing it when planning my trip, I came across a famous ship several times: the Titanic!

I choose to take the daily trains but with comfort

Between two ferries, I took ordinary train journeys to get a better feel for local life. I wanted to avoid taking the Paris-London Eurostar, which is comfortable and practical, but lacks charm with its many bankers!

I gave priority to comfort, whether in first class on the train, or in a cabin or VIP lounge on the ferry, whenever possible.

The aim was for transportation to be a source of pleasure, not stress. The quality of my transport was as important to me as the cities I visited. Admittedly, it was a little more expensive, but as I detail in the “Practical advice” section, it’s still affordable.

Homestay

Except in Liverpool, where I stayed in a hotel, I always slept with a local by renting a room. This allowed me to meet some very nice people, and at a more reasonable cost than staying in a hotel.

At last, I’m building the circuit of my dreams!

My trip lasted 12 days, and here’s how I put it together:

Day 1 Paris – Dieppe via Rouen by train (3 hours)

Day 2 Dieppe – Newhaven by ferry (4 hours) then Brighton by bus (1 hour)

Day 3 From Brighton to London by train at the end of the day (1 hour 15)

Days 4 and 5 In: London

Day 6 London – Liverpool by train in the morning (2 hours 15)

Day 7 Liverpool – Belfast by ferry (8 hours)

Day 8 Belfast – Dublin by train at the end of the day (2 hours 10)

Days 9 and 10 Dublin

Day 11 Departure from Dublin by night ferry

Day 12 Arrival in Cherbourg in the morning (18 hours) and return to Paris by train at the end of the day (3 hours 20).

Except for London, all the cities on my route were new to me. Unlike the ferry, train journeys are short, leaving me plenty of time to visit the various stages of my itinerary.

Day 1: Paris – Dieppe by train

It’s departure day! My journey begins at the Gare Saint-Lazare in Paris in the early afternoon.

Saint-Lazare station: a bygone prestigious past

This Parisian station owes its prestige to its history. It was the first Parisian station in 1837 with the brand new rail service to Saint-Germain-en-Laye.

For a time, it was the stuff of dreams, with trains connecting the Channel ports of Le Havre, Cherbourg and Dieppe to ferries to Great Britain and transatlantic liners to North America.

The Hotel Terminus, built directly in front, was one of the capital’s most luxurious and modern hotels, frequented by the world’s elite traveling between Europe and America.

Thanks to a footbridge between the hotel and the station, customers had discreet access to luxury trains, such as the New York Express, which traveled to Cherbourg to join the prestigious Cunard or White Star Line ships, or to Le Havre for The Compagnie Générale Transatlantique ships.

Today, the Gare Saint-Lazare serves only the western suburbs and Normandy with ordinary trains. No TGV or international trains! The Terminus Hotel has become the anonymous Hilton Paris Opéra.

Getting to Dieppe from Paris requires a change of train!

It’s 3 p.m. and so I start my journey to Dieppe, my first stop, in a TER (Transport Express Régional) branded Nomad. Let’s be honest, even if the dream is no longer there, the double-decker train is modern and comfortable – it’s an Omnéo Premium. I have a good time in my first-class seat. After a two-hour journey, however, I have to get off in Rouen, because, incredible as it may seem, there is no longer a direct train between Paris and Dieppe!

I continue on a small suburban train on one of the last non-electrified French Railways lines, which takes an hour to reach Dieppe, which I reach at 6:47 pm. When I arrived, the station seemed so little used these days that weeds had invaded the railway tracks!

Until 1994, things were very different. The train went to another station at the port: Dieppe-Maritime. The boat-train transfer was very short.

Source : garesettrains.canalblog.com

Today, you have to take a cab to get to the port a few kilometers north of the city. For my part, I decided to spend a night in Dieppe to get to know this unfamiliar town. My accommodation, with a lady who rents out rooms in her house, is in Neuville-lès-Dieppe, halfway between the station and the port.

Day 1: Visit Dieppe, a little-known but charming town

Although I arrive in town rather late, it’s late May and the days are long, so I have a few hours to visit. After a week of rain in the north of France, the weather seems to be clearing up and the sun is finally out, a little shy, but with a lovely light. Great conditions for exploring Dieppe on foot!

My image of Dieppe wasn’t very good: an industrial fishing port with no particular charm. Well, I was wrong! Travel is also about letting yourself be surprised, and not trusting your preconceptions.

Dieppe enjoyed its heyday at the beginning of the 20th century. It was France’s first seaside resort, and even King Leopold II of Belgium came here on vacation. Since then, Dieppe has become a sleepy provincial town.

Dieppe’s four ports

First, I get a splendid aerial view of the town from the Esplanade Emmanuel Marchand, which is right next to my guesthouse. You can see Dieppe’s four harbors: the ferry harbor on the right, the marina opposite, and, a little further to the left, the commercial and fishing harbors.

I continue along the cliff and down through the pretty Pollet district, with its typical fishermen’s houses, towards the Pont Colbert. According to my information, it was commissioned in 1889, built of iron, and rotates to allow the passage of boats. It’s Dieppe’s historic monument. But I won’t be seeing it, as it has been completely dismantled for renovation. I’ll have to come back in mid-2025 to see it. In the meantime, a temporary footbridge has been put in place for pedestrians.

I then stroll around the marina and along Quai Henri IV, lined with restaurants. It’s Saturday evening and the three or four top-rated restaurants are full. I’ll settle for a quick dish of “moules frites” to make the most of my stroll!

The cliffs of Dieppe and its castle

After dinner, I head for the seafront. Surprisingly, it’s bordered by a wide esplanade and the pebble beach seems far away. Cozy middle-class houses stand side by side with mediocre buildings. This is the legacy of the Second World War, as Dieppe suffered greatly from German bombing raids. A tragic event took place here August 19, 1942. The Allies attempted an incursion into Dieppe with a majority of Canadian soldiers, 2,000 of whom were killed. A monument stands there to remind us.

Dieppe Castle, dating from the 15th century, proudly dominates the town. It is now a museum with a fine collection of ivory objects.

In the distance, I can see the magnificent chalk cliffs that extend as far as Étretat. Unfortunately, as they are crumbling, it is no longer possible to walk beneath them, as it has become too dangerous.

I end my walk in the historic center and its elegant pedestrian avenue. It’s 11 p.m. and the evening light is mysterious.

I then head back to my guesthouse for a good night’s sleep.

Day 2: Dieppe – Newhaven by ferry

I love my ferry schedule! The scheduled departure time of midday leaves me free to sleep in and set off at my leisure. I’m always careful to try, as far as possible, to avoid the impossible schedules sometimes imposed on us by carriers, whether by air, sea, or land!

From my guesthouse, I walk to the ferry terminal, some fifteen minutes away. As with all the boats I’ll be taking, pedestrians are very much in the minority, as the bulk of the clientele is made up of motorists, campers, and trucks. There are about twenty of us, and a bus takes us from the terminal to the ferry .

Welcome aboard the Côte d’Albâtre

Today, we’re boarding the Côte d’Albâtre operated by DFDS. I like the feeling of space on board a boat, unlike on a plane or train, where it’s much more restricted.

We set off in the fog, which creates a somewhat mysterious atmosphere.

During the four-hour crossing, we pass numerous cargo ships, as we sail on one of the busiest shipping routes on the planet.

The Seven Sisters welcome us to England

Land! After a four-hour crossing, the majestic cliffs of the Seven Sisters announced that we had reached Newhaven . The sun is now shining, almost summer-like.

The harbor is embedded in the mouth of the small river Ouse. From a distance, I wonder how our ferry managed to get in, as the channel seems so narrow!

Disembarkation is swift. I continue by double-decker bus to the seaside town of Brighton, which I reach in less than an hour. I take a seat on the top floor, in the front row, with a spectacular view of the route.

Days 2 and 3: Visit Brighton, a seaside town with an explosive melting pot

Thanks to the time difference between France and Great Britain, I gained an hour. So it’s 4 pm when I start my tour of this amazing seaside town.

A sunny Sunday in May at the beach

The weather is beautiful and sunny, so I discover Brighton in the best possible conditions. It’s Sunday and I decide to spend the rest of the afternoon and evening strolling along the seafront, simply to watch the people relaxing. The crowd is cosmopolitan and family-oriented. It’s funny to see that some people don’t hesitate to take a dip, while others keep their winter overcoats and scarves on!

England has a rich musical culture, and Brighton is no exception. Many musicians, more or less well-known, perform here.

The buildings lining the seawall are highly varied, both aesthetically and in terms of their period of construction. A kind of disproportionate mast, the 138-meter-high I360, somewhat disfigures the waterfront. A huge glass capsule regularly transports tourists to its summit, allowing them to discover the city and coast from the air.

Brunswick Square offers a lovely perspective on Victorian buildings.

I liked the rusty structures of the West Pier. In the early 20th century, it was a venue for shows and concerts. Storms and several mysterious fires reduced it to a photogenic skeleton in 2003.

Opposite, on Kings Road, is the Grand Hotel. It symbolizes the old Brighton when it was a seaside resort reserved for the elite. It was here in 1984 that Margaret Thatcher escaped an IRA bomb attack that killed five people.

I end my stroll at Brighton’s iconic Palace Pier. Slot machines, cotton candy, and ice-cream cone stand, as well as slightly outdated merry-go-rounds, make this pier a pleasant permanent funfair.

Bike ride to Rottingdean

The next morning, I take a bike to the charming village of Rottingdean. In the past, it was mainly a fishing port. Today, its appeal is more artistic and touristy. I turn around and take the Undercliff Walk, which runs along the magnificent chalk cliffs to Brighton Marina. The marina is quite spectacular, having been built entirely on the sea in the 1970s. It is protected from storms by a huge breakwater.

Shortly afterward, I stumbled across the town’s official naturist beach. It was inaugurated in 1979, as the very first in the UK! The English being more puritanical, this happened long after similar beaches had opened in France and Germany.

North Laine: the trendy bobo neighborhood

Then I head back to the city center in the North Laine district to have lunch in a trendy café, among the many vintage fashion and music boutiques. Brighton is also famous for its street art, with many colorfully painted houses.

The extravagant Royal Pavillon

In the afternoon, I head for the Royal Pavilion, an incredible must-see building. It’s a small palace built by King George IV, in an oriental style blending Chinese and Indian influences. I enjoyed the visit, especially as I was practically the only visitor.

Brighton: a city of many faces

I was lucky enough to enjoy very sunny summer weather, which allowed me to discover Brighton at its best. Brighton is also known for its tolerance and its largest LGBT community in the UK after London. It’s clearly a city I want to come back to.

I was struck by its many faces: chic and popular, conservative and eccentric, very English, but also international, beautiful and sometimes plain! I find it very reminiscent of London in spirit, which isn’t surprising, given that it’s less than an hour by train from the capital. Its fame dates back to the 19th century, when under the reign of Queen Victoria, Brighton popularized the concept of the seaside resort.

Day 3: Brighton – London by train

After I visited Brighton, around 5 p.m. I reach the station, located high above the town. The station’s main architectural feature is its vast wrought-iron canopy.

Understanding the British rail system: a real headache

The railway system was liberalized in 1993 with the dissolution of British Rail. Thirty years on, the results are rather mixed, but it would take too long to analyze them in this article, which is first and foremost the story of my journey.

The main consequence is that the railway landscape is highly fragmented, with some 30 private railway companies operating on a line or network of lines, each with a franchise contract granted by the State. For a foreign traveler unfamiliar with the market, it’s a bit of a headache, as each company offers its own products and fare rules that are not at all harmonized. You’ll need to spend some time on the Internet to plan your trip properly.

Between Brighton and London, three railway companies operate the same line: Gatwick Express, Thameslink, and Southern Railways. They all belong to the Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) group and are not competitors. But you need to know that!

As the frequency of trains is high, I didn’t book my ticket in advance, and I organized my trip on the spot with an agent. With five London stations directly served: London Victoria, London Bridge, St Pancras, Blackfriars and Farringdon, I’m spoilt for choice!

I want to go to the mythical Victoria station, but having just missed the Gatwick Express which serves it direct, the agent directs me to a ThamesLink train to Burguess Hill, where I’ll connect with a Southern Railways train that will take me to Victoria station. He advises me against first class, as the seats are exactly the same as those in standard class!

A trip on a modern but uncomfortable commuter train

My journey to London is short, as the capital is only 80 km away. So I travel on commuter trains. The trains are modern and air-conditioned, but the seats are very hard, and from a comfort point of view, I feel like I’m traveling on wooden benches!

We pass through pretty Sussex and then Surrey countryside, but from my window, I can’t see much, as large copses have grown along the high embankments of the tracks. So I can only imagine the splendid mansions of the wealthy Londoners who set up their country residences here.

My fellow travelers are either young students, as Brighton is a university town, or retired people who have moved to the coast to enjoy a more peaceful life than in London.

At the halfway point, we pass under London’s second-largest airport: Gatwick. New travelers join us, disembarking long-haul flights from the Americas and Asia. They don’t go unnoticed with their tired faces and heavy suitcases.

London Victoria station and its prestigious past

After an hour and a half’s journey, I arrived at my terminus: Victoria station.

Today, it is mainly a commuter and provincial station, like its Parisian cousin, Gare Saint-Lazare. Before the arrival of the Eurostar, it was the station for trains from the Continent, with two prestigious trains:

By day, the “Flèche d’Or” took passengers from Paris to London in luxurious Pullman coaches, with a short connection for the Channel crossing on a specially dedicated ferry.

At night, aboard the “Night Ferry”, passengers slept peacefully throughout the journey in comfortable sleeping cars, as the train boarded a ship for a seamless service. The historical photos are taken from the excellent blog trainconsultant.com, which tells the story of this train (in French).

Today, Eurostar trains leave from another station, St Pancras, which looks more like a functional airport without charm.

Paris-London in three days!

It took me three days to get from Paris to London. Not very efficient!

On the other hand, this “slow travel” allowed me to discover much more than if I had taken the Eurostar with its two-hour high-speed journey.

I’m planning to stay in London for two days. It’s a city I already know and this time I want to explore its maritime side to stay in the spirit of my trip.

I write about it in the second article in the series about my trip to Ireland: “London by boat and on foot along the Thames”.