Last year we took a latish ferry to calais and camped in the port. Although we have a motorhome, people were there with caravans and even a tent! It is free and worth bearing in mind. As you get off the ferry follow the signs to get back on and "ticket office" and you'll come across a big car park full of caravans/campers.
We go down to the south each year (2 boys 7 & 9!!!) and have driven through the night on occasions, but generally prefer to meander down. As has been said, we would not put our family at risk and whoever made the 'menace' remarks was a bit rude. Incidentally, we have a big etchasketch thing which my boys still enjoy playing with and it keeps them occupied for a while. They also get to sit in the front for a while and "navigate" which a) keeps them occupied and b) splits them up before the squabbles start; we might end up in Brussels but hey, we're on holiday!!!
Have fun,
------------- Kyla
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i have done the trip several times from west yorkshire to the vendee - i find it best to set off about 7pm when the traffic has cleared, get to dover about midnight and park up in tesco car park. They are quite happy for you to park there, it is well lit, and if you have forgotten anything the shop is 24 hours. We get a ferry about 6am and i find that a 7 hour drive the other side is no problem as the roads are so quiet & there are plenty of picnic areas etc to stop at. My daughter is just 2, and we first went when she was one - just me and her ! She sleeps all the way to Dover, has a little wake up at tesco - sleeps again until the ferry & then is ready for breakfast on the boat. Hope this helps
Sorry i forgot - i have an 8m motorhome - P & O are doing the ferry crossing for 115 return which i thought was really good. The western channel is 600 plus - same distance from home to port so calais far better for me. Hull to rotterdam is very cheap too - about 160 return with cabin - but only one sailing per day - which unfortunaetly didnt suit us or we would have used it. Very good crossing & loads of facilities
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Imogen's dad - a key phrase occurs in you later posting, which was absent from the first, which so horrified me. That is the simple statement 'split between two of us'. Your first posting very clearly gave the impression that you were the only driver and I could see no safe way that a single driver could cover this time and distance on the small amount of not very restful sleep that you suggested. If, as you are now saying, one of you will be napping in the car while the other drives and then swapping over, well OK, you will probably get away with it. I still don't see the point of turning the journey into an endurance test, but at least I am somewhat reassured that you will not be falling asleep at the wheel.
I always need a holiday! But when I take one, it starts when I close my front door, not after some macho marathon drive that leaves me arriving at my final destination feeling absolutely shattered. But each to their own...
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I always spend the first day/night driving. Travelling from Belfast, we leave about 3.00 in the afternoon. Depart Cairnryan (Scotland) at about 5.30, having been fed and watered on the boat. Wifey goes for a sleep and the kids watch DVD's, look out the window, count animals, whatever until about 9ish. Stop for a bite to eat, kids go to sleep, wife takes over, I go for a sleep. Swap again about midnigh and usually arrive at Dover around 2.00am. Across on the ferry and spend another 90 minutes each driving to get to Paris. Lasy year we went straight to Eurodisney next morning, as we found that driving for 2 hours and napping followed by 3 hours of proper sleep is just as good as sleeping for 6-7 hours.
The only time I have attempted the journey in the day time, we spent 4 hours getting past Biringham and 6 hours getting round the M25 in sweltering heat. 20 hours from Cairnryan to Dover instead of 8. Kids were going daft, wife was going daft (I was my usual serene self(not) )
Given that you guys don't have 12 hours of travelling to get to Dover, I would take that option every time.
I should mention that this is in a motorhome, so having a proper sleep or a cup of coffee en route isn't a problem
Our little girl is awfull if we go any place in this country.But when we go to france she is as good as gold.She loves looking at all the different things.We went right down to the Spanish boarders last year,and did the short crossing.She was fine.Stopped over night.It's all part of the holiday.
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: feeling panicky about booking ferry!
