I've finally gotten around to booking a campsite for part of our summer holiday (La Garangeoire for 5 days… if I’d of been better organised we could have stayed longer but they’ve no availability left now ☹), but I now need to work out the best way across the channel and get this part booked.
Myself, the wife and 2 children will be travelling from North Wales in a VW T5 Kombi Van and probably with a bike rack.
Does anyone have any useful advice about which routes are cheaper and does it make any difference if I refer to the vehicle as a van, minibus or non-standard car etc?
I'm not the best at travelling by ferry so like the sound of a short dash from Dover to Calais, but I realise the routes across to St Malo, Cherbourg or Caen would save us time and also break up the driving, but they do seem very expensive in comparison.
Any recommendations or tips would be very much appreciated.
Thank you,
Paul
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Yes, Dover Calais will take longer, and a lot more driving ... but, unless your mpg is incredibly low, you will still do it more cheaply than by taking a road reducing ferry crossing.
But you need to factor in time, driving hassle and angst ...
You can stay longer by just finding other campsites and turning up! It isn't necessary to book in France, so if you have more holiday available then just get a decent campsite guide, or look out for roadside signs, and find somewhere else to stay en-route, and then on the way home - making the journey into a holiday rather than an endurance test. There are thousands of sites in France, and even in peak season those away from really popular tourist areas will have space.
Cost the ferries on all routes, and then cost the trip using one of the route planning websites, (though not Google maps - the timings are way out) then add up the driving time and potential to visit other places, and only you can decide which you prefer. You'll get people who always use the long crossings regardless of cost, rather than driving, and people who drive rather than use the longer crossings, but it really is down to personal preference.
It isn't a short dash from Calais to La Garangeoire - especially for such a short trip, and even though French roads are better. I notice your title is 'Cost effective route to Brittany' but La Garangeoire is in the Vendee, so a good bit further. However, if you do want to visit Brittany then obviously it would be easier from one of the ports you mention. The ferry operator on these routes rarely, if ever, offer 'discounts' but someone on here may be willing to share their 'Friends and families' code with you which will reduce the cost a little. The cost of the vehicle will probably vary depending on what you describe it as, and the best way is to play about on line inputting your preferred date/time and then changing the description to get accurate costings.
If you van is a panel van with no windows then you need to book it as a van, if it has seats and windows then it should book as high car over 1.85metres. Your best bet for comparing prices is to look on Eurotunnel and the ferry operators websites and book online direct with whichever one you choose.
DFDS and P&O are the Dover operators and Brittany Ferries from Portmouth or Plymouth will put you straight into Brittany. Also check LD Lines website. If you take short crossing and use toll rds your van will pay class2 toll if over 2mtres high but even with extra costs probably Dover route might be cheapest.
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You can usually get the best rate for nightime crossings between Dover and Calais but I supposed it depends on the age of children ans how they travel. Ours always used to sleep so once we had arrived in France at around 2.00am they were flat out before we reached Boulogne!!
With a couple of short driving breaks we would be in Dinan in time for breakfast. Its a bit further to the Vendee but if you go via Rennes and Nantes it is fairly quick with good roads. The tolls end at Caen so it free motoring throughout Brittany and the Vendee as long as you keep clear of the Nantes Bordeaux toll!!
Thank you for all the useful replies, suggestions and ideas. I think i'm favouring Portsmouth to Cherbourg so will see what deals i can get on the ferry, and how this fits in with our timings.
Quote: Originally posted by rpwhite on 27/6/2015
Thank you for all the useful replies, suggestions and ideas. I think i'm favouring Portsmouth to Cherbourg so will see what deals i can get on the ferry, and how this fits in with our timings.
Thanks again...
Portsmouth > Cherbourg for us with a Caravan was well over £400 for 2 weeks.
Dover > Calais same period < £200 return, the extra time and fuel for us we always go via Dover > Calais via ferry.
------------- Regards
Mick + Tina
Good Bye To Our Abbey Spectrum 520, Hello To Our Elddis Crusader Cyclone
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Wrexham-St julien via Dover Calais with van at 20 mpg about £575 all in ferry petrol and tolls
18 hrs travelling time door-site ( 6 hrs to Dover 1 hr messing about at port 1.5 hrs crossing 10-11 hrs down to vendee) so to make best use of time on site based on a 14:00 allowable on pitch, you'd want to be crossing by midnight leaving home about 5-6 pm)
Via Cherbourg on fast craft about £670 all in
12 hrs timing (4.5 hrs to Pompey 1 hr at port 3.5 hr crossing and 4-5 hrs down ) with less boring driving ( Calais down is boing as sin)
You'd have to be looking at leaving N Wales by 4 am but not on site till 5-6 pm
A good alternative might by the Caen overnight dr leaving Pompey at 22:00 roughly the same price as fast craft without cabins which bump prices up highly
Coming back there are lateish fast crafts into Pompey and ferry into Poole that would get you back by 01:00
( if you want info on the Brittany ferris discount scheme drop me an e-mail use andrewdavies.mobile at Virgin.net)
Having done both routes with just car and bike rack , and with trailer tents and with your limited time I'd go western channel every time
This is all pushed through I spread sheet I put together for cardiff to southern vendee about 4 yrs ago
------------- 2022
North and West wales grand tour (in T5)
Matlock (in T5)
New forest and IOW (in T5)
New Forest
La tranche sur mer
jevea (Valencia)
2023
Cotswolds
Tenby
(added a Compass Rallye to crew)
Royan
La tranche Sur Mer
2024
royan
La tranche
We have booked Portsmouth to St Malo overnight with a cabins as we consider this part of our holiday (and it is still cheaper than flights for 5 to somewhere sunny for our holidays).
We do have a problem that both children wish to be on the top bunk which are narrower than usual (and the answer will be no however politely I answer it).
Cheapest way to do it if using this route is join their club for Club Voyage for France. Joining fee and annual fee (£130 total) for 1st year. See if it saves you that for crossing (no reduction on cabins) and you get £7 a person towards breakfast. Also some nice people might give you their code to use and get 10% instead.
That's the route we now choose for the same reasons , sailing out at a decent time arriving after getting a brekkie, decent bar for a flew after dinner drinks even the cabins below decks are ok. ( don't understand what you mean about the narrow bunks?).
Arrival into The Gironde for about 16:00 even towing
When I ran this though the spreadsheet I think it was about £30 than Caen. And £50 more than the Le havre Economie.
Don't forget about the half price/ free cabins for the retun if doing it in the day
If your time poor then this has to be the best
------------- 2022
North and West wales grand tour (in T5)
Matlock (in T5)
New forest and IOW (in T5)
New Forest
La tranche sur mer
jevea (Valencia)
2023
Cotswolds
Tenby
(added a Compass Rallye to crew)
Royan
La tranche Sur Mer
2024
royan
La tranche
Just re ran the figures (based on wed 22nd-mon 29th)
Fast craft both ways Portsmouth-cherbourg £700 (if use someones code) all in ( early morning crossing leaving N wales about 3am )
Dover ferry £520 all in (2am crossing leaving N-wales 19.00 night before price goes up later in morning)
both onsite for about 4pm
------------- 2022
North and West wales grand tour (in T5)
Matlock (in T5)
New forest and IOW (in T5)
New Forest
La tranche sur mer
jevea (Valencia)
2023
Cotswolds
Tenby
(added a Compass Rallye to crew)
Royan
La tranche Sur Mer
2024
royan
La tranche
'Wyrd bith ful araed-Fate will out'
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: Most cost effective route to Britanny
