To be dreading this holiday to France?

[thinkingmakesitso]

In September I stupidly and quite rashly booked a holiday with Brittany holidays for me and my dc. They mentioned they'd always wanted to sleep on a ferry and before I knew it I'd booked it.

Now it's next week and I'm dreading it because:

1. I'm shattered after a very hectic year. I break up Wednesday (teacher), the house is a shit hole, and I'll have to get straight into packing mode and I just can't be arsed.
2. I live 6 hours from the port so have arranged to stay the night at my parents' on the way. I find them quite stressful and I haven't been to theirs for about 8 years as they keep their house like somewhere Kim and Aggie would be needed. God knows why I thought this would be a good place to stop off.

3.I drive up an down the M1 every day and enjoy driving, but I've never driven abroad before and am getting really nervous about getting onto the ferry and driving in France - having Googled it seems they have lots of complex regulations and I will need to but hi-vis jackets for us all etc etc. Luckily we are staying only about 40km from the port, but still...

1. We are staying in a chalet on a camp site, so I will have no respite from the constant thinking about food, and clearing up. Dc are 11 & 9, so can do their bit, but I just wish we were going AI somewhere. I think it's going to be expensive over there, so I won't want to rely on restaurants too much. I'll be constantly whittling about money while there...

The area looks stunning, and I'm sure it'll all be worth it, but I feel a sense of dread rather than excitement atm... ok, not really an AIBU, but AIBU to think I shouldn't have booked it, or can anyone persuade me otherwise?

They may not have squash but they have syrop, which is loads nicer. Dh, a faffy driver did it no probs. The kids will make friends on camp (you might too!) DC were 5 and 7, they used to toddle off to campsite shop and parrot "un baguette, trois pan au chocolat et un croissant, sil vous plait" every morning. The house will still be a mess! Or just do the main jobs then Bugger off.
Go, go!

The thought of holidays is always the worst bit - packing, getting to places on time etc. But driving in France is a doddle - so much better than the UK.

Take a frozen dinner with you chilli/bolognese. Acts as a cool pack and ready for your first night dinner when you are tired. Dc also love BBQs, they have great meat packs in hypermarkets.

Ah this thread has made me want to book a last minute ferry holiday to France!

Have an overnight bag ready to easily grab from car for the ferry crossing as there's not a lot of time to get out of car and get onto deck - you're not allowed back onto car deck until time to disembark the next morning

We did this last year (and every year of my childhood) was and is fab. Echo what everyone else has said, doesn't need to be expensive and eating out is loads cheaper than the UK enjoy 😀🍷

This thread is emboldening me to drive in France this year. We go every year and I make dh drive. But actually the roads are much better and French drivers have much better lane discipline.
Have a fab time op - I love France so much, and they’re in good form right now having just won the football

Also one v important thing - look for milka biscuits in the supermarket. So many different types and they are gorgeous. The dc will bless you forever

We went to Brittany at 1/2 term. Roads are much quieter than here & definitely take squash! We had pizza & salad a couple of nights, pasta & sauce, hot dogs 1 night. You're on holiday, go to as little effort as you can manage. I found the supermarkets fascinating (that may just be me though).
Have a great holiday!

Oh dose the DC with (and you )with kwells for the ferry helps them sleep and you can drink with them ;)

(Tip from a paediatric pharmacist - like magic :)

Think you can get a little kit of what you need to drive in France in Halfords. Think you need things like a breathalyser etc and it will all be together.
Very easy driving-
and once you get there it will be so worth it.
To add to list-my DC wait all year for chocopic cereal from French supermarkets. it will be worth it!
Wine and cheese for you

This is making me want to book a little trip to France

One important thing to remember is that oddly for a nation which pays so much attention to flavour, they are not that bothered about fresh milk, relying heavily on uht muck. You can get fresh in the bigger supermarkets together with, occasionally, local raw milk, which is not to be given to kids but a treat for adults

Oh I've just remembered the desserts in the supermarkets! Luscious, decadent works of art crammed with fruit just begging to be devoured with a tubful of creme fraiche....

The ONLY downside for me was the ferry. After the last journey - 4.5 hours of literally rolling around in freezing cold puddles on the deck, throwing my guts up non-stop, but thankfully receiving a constant supply of sick bags from the DC, who were fine.....

If house is a shit hole and you are knackered then definitely best to go straight on holiday and worry about it when you get back and are fully recharged, which, I agree with everyone else, you will be.
Sole adult - so no navigator to argue with.
One of our best holidays was chalet camping in France with 9 year old.

Feel the power!
And buy lots of wine, which is cheaper and you won't have to share.

Apart from Paris, France is FANTASTIC for driving. Big empty roads and polite drivers.
O know what you mean Bout feeling it hanging over you, but you will love it once you get on your way.

I've had to do a U turn and then parallel park on a ferry before - as we were last on so with everyone watching as well but that was the IOW ferry and I'm sure it was down to a bet among the men-who-put-you-on-the-ferry people. None of tha shenanigans on a Brittany ferry

Brittany ferries are the only travel company who ask if your dc have special needs and try and accommodate them. They arranged for us to be early on and early off when we told them ds had asd. Good eggs

Oh, you're all wonderful- I actually feel excited now. I do love European supermarkets and the amazing deserts they have. And the wine.

It's true if I was at home that first week I would just sit around feeling exhausted and guilty that the kids were on screens. It will be much better this way.

I've done nothing productive today but starting this thread was a brilliant use of time. I've just remembered that I've got tickets for us for a science-fiction musical version of The Tempest set in space for tonight. I'm not actually fancying that atm, so if anyone can convince me that that too will be amazing that would be great.

I wish I was going to France next week.

Have driven over there many times with the dc and now just me and DH. I love it. The roads are much quieter in general than here and you aren't going that far.

Have a bit of a tidy up at home. Do a quick supermarket shop so u have some snacks food with you. Something quick and easy for your first meal upon arrival. I bung a few cleaning clothes in my packing too.

The kit for driving is available in Halfords or get it on Amazon. You need a hi vis vest per person, warning triangle, gb sticker (Unless it's on your reg plate on car), spare bulbs (?l) and first aid kit. Also headlight deflector. If you have a newer car there may be a setting to adjust headlamps (so as not to dazzle oncoming traffic when driving on the wrong side of the road). You can prob buy this kit on the ferry or at the terminal too.

Once you're there you can park up and relax. Cheap wine (for you ) lots of bread, cheese and/or nutella for the DC

Bonnes vacances

At least one typo in my reply.

I bung in a few cleaning CLOTHS not clothes. I don't take it that seriously...

I meant like for washing up and wiping down as they may provide sponges instead.

You’ll be fine. The dcs will be able to go off around the campsite and play by themselves or with the other campers. There’ll be plenty of British people so close to the ferry. As others have pointed out, driving on and off the ferry will be fine.

When you arrive at the ferry, you drive up to the booths and show your documents and you’re told where to park before boarding. I don’t remember on the overnight as it’s so long since dh and I took one but on the Dover/Calais you’re given a rear view mirror hanger with a row number to drive to and queue up in. It will also tell you the boarding time so you’ll know if you have time to pop to the loo. Aim to be back in the car 10 mins or so before this time.

Remember to allow plenty of time as there are always queues to process your tickets and to get through passport control. This may take at least an hour at busy times so arrive early.

Parking on the ferry is a piece of cake. There will be plenty of people, who’ve never driven onto a ferry before and the marshalls always have to tell you what to do.

I’ve lived in France and driving is a doddle. Just watch out for the priority to the right on roads through villages and towns. If there are no road markings for the road to your right (yes even when you’re on the main road) you have to stop for them. This is a traffic calming system and the driver will assume you’ll stop.

@thinking is that Return to the Forbidden Planet? If it is I last saw it about 20 years but it was AMAZING! If nothing else you’ll have a great Singalong! Go!

You will have a lovely time! Getting on the ferry is easy - you will be guided in. It is worth checking that you know how to turn your car alarm off for parking, because you don’t want the alarm going off during the crossing.