So now that we know who Ireland will be facing in the group stage of Euro 2016, the next phase of the plan is to map out the quickest and most cost effective route to cheer on Martin O'Neill's men.
But wait. Stall the ball Pope John Paul. You shouldn't even be contemplating a journey to France until you have your match tickets purchased and unlike the humble Gaelic Games, where you can rock up to the turnstiles an hour before throw-in and lob a tenner into an empty biscuit tin, getting to the Euros is slightly more complicated.
Tickets for the Euro 2016 games are obtained through an application process. According to reports, Irish fans can begin applying for tickets tomorrow Monday, December 14 on the UEFA portal. Follow the instructions and you will told whether your attempt is successful next February. The cost of tickets for the group games range from €25 to €145.
Once you have your ticket provisionally booked, then you can begin looking towards how to plot your journey to France.
Ireland in Group E Paris Bordeaux Lyon...Ryanair site crashed Get the horse shoed https://t.co/3HjEgupjva #Euro2016Draw #MartinONeill #vinb
— Marcais (@IrelandUncut) December 12, 2015
Staying for the whole tournament
Different travelling parties will have their own preferences and even if they can't attend all the fixtures, some people will want to hang around to soak up the atmosphere for the duration of the tournament. And although the travel agencies will be a popular choice among many heading out to France, others will opt to book directly with the airline or ferry company. Here is a breakdown of what the current travel rates are from Dublin to Paris.
...Another key moment in qualifying was Shane Long's goal in added time against Poland #EURO2016 #COYBIG pic.twitter.com/W4DvxKqh8W
— FAI (@FAIreland) December 12, 2015
Flying Ryanair June 10 - July 13 = €121.98: Provided you want to have some breathing space a few days either side of the tournament, this is how much you will be forking out if you book today. The quickest way to get through the last leg of the journey is via the SNCB Europe train. The TGV and Euorstar are the ones to go for and tickets range from €14-€30, depending on the time you depart from Bordeaux.
So, there you go, that's how to get the horse to France.
Aer Lingus (Same Dates)= €444.98
Ferry from Rosslare to Cherbourg (Same Dates) = €359: And you should also bare in mind that Cherbourg is a three hour car journey from Paris, so you will have to factor in additional costs after buying the ticket.
...One of the defining moments of qualifying was John O'Shea's late goal away to Germany #EURO2016 #COYBIG pic.twitter.com/6pvhCqgPeJ
— FAI (@FAIreland) December 12, 2015
Travel Agents
Abbey Travel, the FAI's official travel partner, will be revealing details of their package deals to France shortly. In the meantime, you can register for them here. Among the package ideas expected to be rolled out include, daytrips for the three group games, including match tickets and transfers. You can also email [email protected] to register.
Stein Travel are also planning to unfurl travel package options for Irish soccer fans. Combinations of group matches will feature among the packages with prices expected to hover between €799pp to €999pp. These figures could change depending on location and dates of games. Prices include flights, 3-star hotel accommodation and transfers.
Club Travel will most likely release a batch of package offers as well.
Looking at Ireland's #EURO2016 group like...#COYBIG pic.twitter.com/SLIHvL1F70
— BenchWarmers (@BeWarmers) December 12, 2015
Other Ferry Options
As already stated, the ferry from Ireland to France docks at Cherbourg so it would be advisable to bring the car with you to avoid pouring over bus timetables.
Irish Ferries (irishferries.com). Sails from Rosslare to Cherbourg and Roscoff (twice weekly), and from Dublin to Cherbourg (once a week). Example: Using the short stay trip idea to be there for the first group game, the price of travelling from Rosslare to Roscoff will come to €431.10 at the lowest possible budget.
Almost set for #EURO2016 draw so manager Martin O'Neill and assistant manager Roy Keane make final checks #COYBIG pic.twitter.com/Ym2zvGjwgL
— FAI (@FAIreland) December 12, 2015
Travelling To Group Games Not In Paris
After Ireland's group opener against Sweden, they must then travel to Bordeaux to confront Belgium on June 18. Ryanair do not fly from Dublin to Bordeaux but Aer Lingus do and you'll be looking at a ballpark figure of €395.98 for an overnight stay in Bordeaux, flying out on the day of the game. Be advised, these are the current prices at the time of publication and will most likely increase.
Four days later, Martin O'Neill's side will move on to Lille where they will face their old nemesis Italy. The best way to get Lille directly from Ireland, is to fly into Brussels which is just over an hour from Lille.
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