Portsmouth to Caen ferry

[booklover164]

We are getting the overnight ferry from Portsmouth to Caen next week. We are driving from London and we think that we need to leave at about 4. The ferry leaves at 10.45. Does anyone have any experience of doing this with an 11 month old? Is there anything to do once we're at Portsmouth? Any top tips would be
gratefully received! Thanks

Lots to do in Portsmouth and on the way. We usually get there a bit early, have a walk along the waterside and get fish and chips to eat in the park . The ships are great too!

@Sooverthemill thanks so much. Is there anywhere to park near the harbour?

We haven't been fr a few years and I don't recall ever having a problem. The ferry port isn't good itself but I think we used to drive along a bit to south sea common which is a huge grassy bit and I think that's where we let them run around and let off steam and then eat chips!

The road into Portsouth m275 has a junction directly off it for France before you get into the city ( you can see the port and all the containers from the road - literally 1 min drive off).
If you carry on into Portmouth you can go to a Gunwharf or Southsea without having to go through the actual town. Follow the signs for the Hovercraft-to the Isle If Wight if you want to go to Southsea common . Nice common lots of space or walk by the sea ( big promenade ).

Or just before it ( Isle of Wight car ferry signs) is Old Portsmouth. You can park on the road for two hours free anywhere but right on the sea front and go to the Hot Walls - just the old naval walls with arches that go on to the pebble beach. You can watch the ferries etc leave and see Gunwharf. Easy to just wander round and all the houses are ancient and lovely to look at ( and decide which one you would like to have as a second home close to the sea,!).

If you have an hour or so there's restaurants etc just as you turn towards the port from the m27, if you have longer there's a shopping centre that's good. Arrive at the port 90 mins or so before your departure ideally

There are some lovely walks along the front at Portsmouth and green areas, we saw a brilliant air display last time we were waiting for a ferry there!

Regarding the ferry, I’ve done lots of day and overnight ferries with babies and find it one of the best ways to travel! You can take loads of stuff, there’s plenty of space for crawling, there’s often a playroom with a small soft play. If you’re overnight (not sure this route is though) my only tip is to be well organised with keeping bags fairly ready to be packed up when it’s time to get cars. We did Portsmouth to Bilbao with an 8 month old and I remember frantically trying to locate all the things at the end then leaving my phone in the travel cot 🤦‍♀️

I agree. Once you drive into the ferry you're on holiday! Brilliant way to travel

We have used Brittany ferries a lot but not with a very young child. Officially you need to be there 45 mins before departure but we normally get there earlier. Would maybe aim for 9:00 to 9:30 arrival at the terminal. There is a Costa in the terminal building. We usually go straight to the terminal. However if you have a few hours to spare I would park in the underground carpark at Gunwharf quays and have supper in a restaurant at Gunwharf looking out to sea. We have been to pizza express, giraffe, Carluccios and all bar one on various occasions. Old Portsmouth and Southsea are also nice as others have said.

Thank you so much everyone! Really appreciate all the tips. You've made one nervous mama feel much calmer!

I know my now 6'2 rugby player son was always disappointed to leave the 'massive boat' which he felt was the holiday. Once he got to visit the captain and hold the wheel which I think possibly was the best treat of his entire childhood

Gunwharf has a lot of the usual chain restaurants and its an easy walk from
there along towards Southsea. There's a great play area on the common but your little one is probably not at the stage of needing that sort of distraction.
What sort of pushchair do you have? Our pushchair was pretty much the same width as the corridor which was annoying whenever we were trying to go anywhere as we either had to wait for a gap or hope people appreciated our predicament and would go back. It was impossible to pass anyone with a wheeled suitcase, another pushchair or staff pushing stuff around. Do allow plenty of time to get back down to the car when you arrive as getting along the corridor to a lift and then getting into a lift was a challenge. I think we ended up going down the stairs in the end which, with a 8wo, a 2yo & all of the stuff we'd needed was hard work!
Have you booked a travel cot? It took up all of the floor space but it did stop me worrying about the DC rolling out of the bunks --especially as DC1 just climbed into the travel cot we'd booked for DC2 and promptly fell asleep so we left DC2 (already sleeping) in his pushchair so both of them were contained.
I seem to think the restaurant on board was very good value with little children as they ate for free.

Thanks for tips everyone. We parked near the Isle of Wight ferry and walked to Gunwharf. Had pizza express for dinner and hung about waiting for ferry. Really appreciate all your advice and it went smoothly. Didn't end up taking the buggy on as the corridors were too narrow. Overnight ferry definitely easier than day time ferry as not much for 1 year old to do. Imagine it would be different for toddlers though. Cheers Mumsnet!