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?

Get the child in the front seat to be your co-driver in France - to keep you on track. Also prep them for the toll booths if you will be using them - either pay by card or cash and some of them are manned.
And take extra tea towels - they do not seem to supply enough. And fly spray or a swatter.
It'll be great.

It will be fine. Take stuff that's easy to wash out and don't pack too much. If u can afford it get cleaning company in to blitz the house

Honestly the roundabouts will not be a problem.

As you approach them the curve of your lane will mean it is quite natural to go round "the wrong way".

Brittany is lovely - roughly whereabouts are you going?

(Take tea, coffe, cereal,wash up liquid,salt,pepper,rice,pasta}
Marmite is about £8 for a 250ml jar in the supermarkets!!. Branded cereals are expensive and you may struggle to get 'decent' tea (bags).
It is difficult to find 'boring cheddar' type cheeses that you would use for cooking in the UK. Aim to eat French food which is a touch more expensive than UK now.
Once you get to grips with roundabouts the 'wrong' way be wary of other drivers not indicating (same as UK though really). The roads are usually pretty empty and wide so be careful of your speed, it is easy to 'overdo' things. As noted previously SOME sideroads have priority onto main carriageways. In many places this is denoted by an X (diagonal) sign rather than a + (upright cross) sign. Single carriageway roads (the ones outside towns and villages) were REDUCED in speed from 90 to 80Km/h a few months back, the speed signs have not been changed.
The pace of life is slower, which can get irritating if you don't attempt to go with the flow. Locals are happy to stop their car in the middle of the road to chat with friends.

At least try a few french phrases (if you don't already speak much).
You may not understand the conversation but the 'manners' counts.
The north coast and tourist areas will have people who can speak English.

Youll be fine. French motorways are great. Carrefour sells rotisserie chicke. Enjoy!

No manoeuvres needed. A man beckons you forward then holds up his hand to tell you to stop ✋🏼, if you can’t handle that then you shouldn’t be driving lol. The roundabouts are fine just be mindful to look left and then it will fall into place.

Roscoff is a lovely port for a nervous driver to arrive at.If I recall correctly, there are several miles of small quiet roads through the artichoke fields to drive through before you hit a major road. It's a very small and pretty town in itself, too.

I drove to France on my own with kids younger than yours - I was nervous too but it was absolutely fine.

The ferry is an absolute doddle they tell you what to do where to park etc.

The roads in France are so much easier than ours and you get used to driving on the other side in no time at all.

The car kit is useful and reassuring to have just driving around in the uk & cheap on the Internet.

It'll be great and the benefit of being somewhere different and doing the trip on your own will outweigh the stress of the build-up. Supermarkets there are no more expensive than here. Just think of all the airport queues you'll avoid.