How about £350 return including 7 camping cheques worth about £100.
That's £250 net for a Thursday evening overnight crossing with a cabin going south, and a 0915 Sunday morning crossing without needing a cabin coming back. A day cabin for the homeward run would add another £25.
Both crossings on the flagship Pont Aven, not a cheapie economy ship.
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In September, we did a weeks trip (so we could go to the Puy Du Fou), left Teesside on the Friday afternoon after the OH had finished work, rattled down to the chunnel. Carried on and by midnight, stopped at the Baie de somme services for the night. Set off for Penestin early the next morning, stopping at Honfleur on the way. We did Penestin, Arzul, Nantes, Puy Du Fou and stopped at a site near Rue coming home, getting the early train back on the sunday morning, so home for Teatime.
We were shattered and it just felt like all driving, so wouldn't do it just for a week again, but I would do northern France or Belgium for a week.
If I could have got a ferry crossing to fit with our travelling times, I'd have went for convenience over cost and got a ferry that dropped me closer to my destination
Have done tunnel from yorkshie many time down to royan we found setting off around 7 pm traffic not as bad getting train in early hours driving past Rouen stopping and having sleep in car we would get to site around 3
Thank you everyone. I only ask on account it would be my first time to France. Just to clear up the point, it would be 7 nights on sight with two days travelling on either side, if required! Again thanks to you all.
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Which does illustrate, Berriow, how many endless permutations there are & some not that obvious. For example, I live 12miles from Harwich & 120miles from Dover.
If Harwich-Hook of Holland route repeat their last yrs caravans go free offer then that will be considerably cheaper than a Dover crossing & suprisingly the road mileage from my home to the Dordogne via Harwich route is much the same as via Dover route.
One can have endless fun with google maps, calculator & ferry websites.
Quote: Originally posted by richiec on 09/1/2016
Thank you everyone. I only ask on account it would be my first time to France. Just to clear up the point, it would be 7 nights on sight with two days travelling on either side, if required! Again thanks to you all.
Richie - have you read the useful post at the top of this gorum 'Advice for Continental First Timers' which although a bit dated now, gives loads of useful advice.
When my husband and I go away we go for 9 nights, we go on the tunnel using our Tesco vouchers to pay for it. We set off from home (Derbyshire) sometime between midnight and 2am, leaving for France between 4.30am-6.30am, depending on what crossings I can get. We have an overnight there and back giving us 7 nights on site, which works out well and gives us a leisurely drive to wherever we're going.
If you've only got 7 nights on site and the 2 days either side for driving and you're wanting to get to the Vendee or Brittany it'll be a lot easier to get one of the longer, more expensive, Western crossings. We did do Calais to Camping Belle Vue, Mellionnec, Brittany a couple of years ago without an overnight stop, it is doable but a long drive in one go, especially with having the drive in UK first.
------------- Kate
Trailer tent, caravan and too many tents!
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Just to throw my own tuppencce worth in .... if I had one week to spend in France and it was my first trip I'd head for the first place that was going to pretty much guarantee me sun - Loire.
I'd ignore Dover - Calais as leaving too much driving in France, and I'd ignore Plymouth - Roscoff for too much driving in the UK and too expensive. I'd look at Portsmouth to Caen / Cherbourg / Le Havre as being more convenient and not that expensive - and a short drive to Loire as well (somewhere around Tours or Saumur is aroundn 3 hours away). There are lots of things to do and see, and some very nice sites. That would leave Vendee and Brittany for a time when I had longer to get there and enjoy them.
A day of all things motorhome and campervan. The show is held both in the main indoor arena and across the grounds. Catering, hot drinks and food options are available. Easy access to the site and free parking included. Win one of five pairs of day tickets
Topic: First time to France. Advice?
