Cherbourg, Le Harve, Calais...

[waterbaby]

Just been given a ticket for a ferry crossing for five people and a car to one of the above. Gut reaction is that Cherbourg seemed nice, wouldn't mind exploring there a bit more, but does anyone have anywhere to recommend to stay, see, or do, within an hours drive of the above. We are an active couple with a 2 year old, will probably invite another couple similar background and child the same age. Its an unplanned break (ticket was part of leaving present) that we'll try to fit in before xmas, so would be great to keep the cost of accomodation etc to under £300.

We stayed here in September overnight on the way back to the ferry - it was fab and I wished we'd been able to stay another couple of nights. It worked out at £33 for two adults and a baby for the night including an enormous breakfast. V. child friendly with cot and high chair. Massive garden with ducks and a swing, five minutes drive to Bayeux. Dh got to visit some of the d-day landing beaches and I got to see the tapestry. Very close to Caen, not far from Le Havre, Cherbourg a little bit further. HTH

Or have a look at this
I've always stayed in really nice places fairly cheaply through sawdays.

Thanks Nome, I've used Sawdays for some great nights away in this country, never overseas. What was the tapestry like (that should probably read what was visiting the tapestry like, how long did it take etc?). Any more suggestions?

Just to say we really liked the area around cherbourg. There some lovely beaches, villages and coastline to the west of cherboug and to the east st vaast and barfleur are really nice fishing villages
helen

THanks Helen, I remember coming into Cherbourg and getting ready for a long drive south, and thinking, "Why don't we just stay here" so I think thats what we might do. It did look like a nice area.

Tapestry was stunning, I had no idea that it was SEVENTY METRES long!!! I really enjoyed it - eight month old ds wasn't so enthralled...