ST MALO FERRY / OTHER CROSSINGS - WORTH IT?

[ruthimar]

My family and I will be travelling West Yorks to La rochelle in Aug 11. Just not sure whether to splash the cash on the overnight ferry from st malo, (they're selling out though - some crossings already have no cabins left)to do the chunnel and an over night stop (our usual and preferred option) or to look at the other high speed crossings - Caen, Dieppe, Le Havre etc... I have 2 boys 5 and 8 and a husband who doesnt mind driving long distances. I havent been brave enough to drive in France yet... we did the drive last year and I really felt that the long journey back took a lot of fun out the holiday. so am looking for other options and advice...? It ends up that my husb drives and I spend the whole time refereeing their fights etc... However I love that part of France because the weather is great - due to the micro climate and the beaches are lovely. So has anyone tried alternative sailings? Do you think the Brittany ferries are overpriced or worth it??!

Where are you thinking of sailing from - Portsmouth? We've done the routes to St.Malo and also Santander. Also the high speed ferry from Poole to Cherbourg. You are probably going in holiday time and so it will be expensive but I highly recommend Brittany Ferries. The food is really good and I think very reasonably priced compared to the British ones. If you can I would splash out the cash. My kids just love the ferry and it makes a welcome break in the journey seeing that you have a fair bit of driving on both sides.

I've done Brittany Ferries a few times - the Plymouth to Roscoff route though - and I'm doing it again this summer.

I don't do the overnight crossings as they are not really long enough to get a good night's sleep (though I guess if you are doing Portsmouth to St Malo it is longer) and I don't find it easy to sleep with the motion and the noise, but I do rent a luxury cabin for the long day crossings - you can get a big cabin with your own loo, tv, fridge etc for about £30 for a daytime crossing, and it makes it much, much easier if you have children.

If you think you will be able to sleep, and you get a nice cabin, then I'd think it might make a more relaxing trip, and the extra expense would be comparable to having a night in a hotel each way

for us the ferry crossing has been part of the hol - bar, and entertainment. though last time i did struggle to sleep. we did a catermerang - sorry not spealt right - once and this put me off - it was very ruff, just after a storm and so loads of people being sick and on the way back one of the engines had broken so very slow. i also didn't like just having a seat - much prefer a cabin. brittany ferries has always been on time in the 10ish times we used them

Agree with exexpat that apart from the S. Malo crossing the others aren't long enough to sleep. However, I would recommend Saint Malo or any crossing that would significantly reduce driving time.

You could look at doing the crossing one way only - so out on the tunnel and back on the Saint Malo ferry so you know you don't have to drive back to Calais. It might be slightly cheaper, though often you don't get the best deal travelling one way.

If you go Saint Malo I think you would have to go out overnight and come back in the day (ferry goes once a day in each direction except possibly in peak summer). Do NOT skimp on a cabin on the day crossing - it makes the trip pleasant as opposed to a bit of a slog.

Hi guys, thanks for your advice and tips. In the end the St Malo ferry was booked up on the day we wanted to go, so have decided to do dover-Calais, then an overnight in Paris before driving to la Rochelle. I think thats what i was leaning towards anyway, wasnt really up for a mega long ferry trip. got to wait til August anyway! I want to go now! x

Unless you actually want to visit Paris you would be better off going via Rouen and le Mans, Overnight in Rouen then head down Le mans, Angers, A83. Total drive time to La Rochelle just over 7 hours. If you go via Paris you will probably be looking at 9hours.