I fly direct over water or anything else including the
Alps.
Whether I would do it in a clapped out rented spamcan, or a single-engine diesel engined plane, is a good question...
Even if crossing via Folkestone, unless you have an IR you will still be out of glide range, which means you MUST have an escape route, which means a life raft. So, once you have the life raft, more water is not a problem.