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Going to France

Ade B

Ade B

MB Enthusiast
Joined
Nov 26, 2006
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1,831
Location
South London
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2006 Accord Tourer iCDTI EX
We're off to Brittany again this Easter. Driving with 2 kids and a car full.

Anyone any tips on cheap ferries - looking at options, we're looking to cross at Dover/Calais and drive down in one day, breaking the return leg via Mont Saint Michel - which is what we did a couple of years back. It seems the cheapest option currently.

We haven't ruled out the overnight crossing from Portsmouth/St Malo but Mrs B's sea legs are not up to much and the overall journey time is longer plus amusing kids more problematic - they are quite good strapped in their car seats ;)

Another option is the tunnel.

TIA

Ade
 
Tunnel for me everytime whatever the weather its a smooth crossing.
Try early or late crossing usually the cheapest option
 
If you shop at Tesco then the Reward vouchers are worth 3x face value against Tunnel tickets :thumb:
 
Howabout Portsmouth Caen or Portsmouth Cherbourg? The latter is pretty fast at 3 hours and as a hydrofoil should be better for Mrs B's sea legs. The former is more conventional but at just under four hours is pretty easy. You should be able to get to Portsmouth (well to a turning off the A3 5 miles before) on autopilot.

Tunnel is normally the most expensive.
 
Tunnel is quick/journey though longer. What I prefer is LD lines from Portsmouth to Le Havre. 11PM crossing, get a cabin for four and arrive in Le Havre at 8AM. Ready for the drive! Seasickness doesnt exist when laying down on a bunk either.

Ive done it five times since beginning of December!
 
Thanks guys Mrs B currently looking into it.

I can assure you it is possible to feel seasick in a cabin bunk. We did Plymouth Santander a few years back in a gale.

Personally I enjoy a rough crossing :d


Ade
 
Charles Morgan said:
Howabout Portsmouth Caen or Portsmouth Cherbourg? The latter is pretty fast at 3 hours and as a hydrofoil should be better for Mrs B's sea legs. The former is more conventional but at just under four hours is pretty easy. You should be able to get to Portsmouth (well to a turning off the A3 5 miles before) on autopilot.

Tunnel is normally the most expensive.
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Hydofoil is not always great - depends on the direction of the wind and seas. We had a very memorable crossing one August - lovely day, sunshine, etc, but with the sea running in a different direction to the wind the ride was incredibly uncomfortable. Only time I've ever been seasick was that crossing!!

We're going to the Vendee this summer, Dover/Calais and a nice ride - watching the pennies plus everyone is put off the longer crossing because of the above.
 
Ade B said:
Thanks guys Mrs B currently looking into it.

I can assure you it is possible to feel seasick in a cabin bunk. We did Plymouth Santander a few years back in a gale.

Personally I enjoy a rough crossing :d


Ade
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Get the Mrs to drive and hit the bar before you leave dock. As long as I'm 2 or 3 beers in before departure it can be as rough as it wants. No good starting once your feeling a bit iffy though ;)
 
The ferry is the way to go if costs are the main issue. But there is a time penalty for this mode of transport.
Otherwise the tunnel cannot be beaten on speed. 35 minutes and 5 minutes to offload from the BACK of the train. The front is almost instantaneous even with safety systems testing being done first. Load time for standard tickets depends on the queue although if there is space and you arrive early the computer may allocate you to an earlier train.
Generally on the outward journey I book a fixed time slot and leave a more expensive flexi ticket for the return leg. The flexi is only really worth it during the day as the flexi lounge is closed during the night. I stock up on the complimentary drinks, sarnies and newpapers. It saves visiting the main terminal and is cosy and relaxing AND expensive. Plus you are always loaded first WHEN you decide to go and you get off first. My advice for long continental journeys is to do the driving at night when progress is much faster
 
LD Lines has just been mentioned to me recently. Not checked them out yet.
 
Alfie said:
Seasickness doesnt exist when laying down on a bunk either.
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Wanna bet!

I get seasick just looking at the ferry. I have tried everything and honestly the most effective thing i've tried is fresh ginger, tastes horrible but works.
 
mrsdoyle said:
I get seasick just looking at the ferry. I have tried everything and honestly the most effective thing i've tried is fresh ginger, tastes horrible but works.
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only because your are puking from the ginger, so forget the seasickness.
 
The tunnel is a lot cheaper if you buy tickets well in advance. They have various special offers too, which we keep an eye out for. We always get there before the train we've actually booked, and have only once not been able to get on an earlier one. Even when the earlier trains would have cost more to book originally ;)

Never bothered with the 'flexi' tickets.

We also normally drive overnight on the continent - much easier for the kids, and less traffic.
 
We tend to prefer the Norfolk Lines too - nice ferries, no foot passengers, lots of space on board and well stabalized.

Fares very competitive and we have always been allowed on an earlier ferry if we arrived early at Dunkirk without any extra fare charged..:thumb:
 
I took the Dunkirk ferry last year when I drove to Denmark, the logic being that an hour extra rest heading in the right direction was no bad thing. The ferry was fine (not fine dining though) and comfortable, but on both the way out and back we took an extra hour through delays. Given it takes you to the East of Calais when you are planning to head West you are adding about 1 1/2 hours to your journey through that and the extra crossing time. There were a lot of roadworks in Dunkirk at the time and it is pretty down at heel.
 
I like Eurotunnel because there is no risk of anyone denting, scratching or otherwise damaging your car's paintwork ... and so much quicker, and the weather is irrelevant.
 
crockers said:
We tend to prefer the Norfolk Lines too - nice ferries, no foot passengers, lots of space on board and well stabalized.

Fares very competitive and we have always been allowed on an earlier ferry if we arrived early at Dunkirk without any extra fare charged..:thumb:
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Totally agree with that after a recent (temporary) return to P & O.
 
jonnyboy said:
LD Lines has just been mentioned to me recently. Not checked them out yet.
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LD Lines were responsible for putting Speedferries on the Dover - Boulogne route out of business. Did a deal with the local Boulogne authorities to get the licence for themselves and then dumped the route double-quick after a token effort to ensure no more cut-price competition was in the offing.
 
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