Flexiplus - what do you fill your bag with?

[Juicesausagecake]

We are travelling home via the tunnel tomorrow and have saved the best till last: flexiplus at Calais.

What do you fill your bag with?

eh?

We arrived there at lunchtime and bagged

yoghurt
macaroons
small brownie bites
coke
San Pelligrino
apple tart
coffee

DH is absolute determind always do flexiplus now.

It is expensive. But it may well be the highlight of your holiday, so it is important that you take it seriously.

No savouries?

@Juicesausagecake

We had stopped at a supermarket before arriving in Calais and got fresh bread, charcuterie and cheese. I am not keen on sandwiches and prefer proper french bread.

Do you then do flexiplus on top of that @reluctantbrit

Or do you run around Auchan with a brown bag pretending that you have actually done Flexiplus? A la Supermarket Sweep?

I found the flexi plus on the UK side better (did it once just after covid to give flexibility). Seemed to be less savoury things on the French side.

What is this Flexiplus of which you speak?

It's a flexible ticket for LeShuttle.

No idea what it has to do with a supermarket shop though?

Sandwiches and little cakes but I can’t remember what exactly

We try to time our crossing with kids’ tea
time

@verylongday it is a flexible ticket for le tunnel

but lo! It includes entry to an inconspicuous-looking hut from which people emerge with heaving bags and big smiling faces.

Inside, you discover a shop with no till. You get it all included with your flexiplus ticket, and then scoff the lot when you are in the tunnel.

No one ever looks sad with a flexiplus bag.

we shovel everything in..its a military operation
we do when skiing and we all have breakfast and coffee there and then stuff bags full of ..well everything ! Everyone chooses lunch sandwiches/wraps/crisps/more pastries/yogurt and loads of orange juices...last year we went a bit mad and had enough for orange juices for everyday on holiday :)

the silly thing is we can afford to buy this stuff but it just seems like a freebie bonanza !
it is indeed a big highlight of the holiday

@Juicesausagecake

Thanks for the explanation. We use LeShuttle a lot, but I wasn't aware of this .Maybe because I'm never the one that books it.

It was the first time we did it, we planned already the supermarket trip as I love charcuterie and wanted also some cheese and some bits for DD who we left behind at home.

I am also very picky when it comes to anything prepared savoury. DH actually had a sandwich in Calais but wasn't too keen on it.

We liked the UK side mid-morning better, croissants, pain au chocolates. I don't think I would necessarily time the crossing back to the UK with a meal time.

I just wanted to take one bag for DH and me but the very friendly staff just handed me another one and said "you will need it".

We usually cross quite late for an all-night drive so a bit of a reduced selection but we manage enough food to feed five of us for late night snacks, breakfast and even into lunch. I like their sandwiches more than the average pre-packed ones, and the cakes are epic.

I don’t understand - you are paying a hell of a lot more for a flexi plus ticket with “free” refreshments. How is it good value for money?

Well, we need the flexibility as we have quite a journey at both ends and it’s easy to miss a departure through traffic, so we’re paying for that rather than the food.

Having said that, given that we don’t need to buy at least one meal and often two in expensive service stations, we’re probably making quite a bit of the fare difference back again.

We always do frlxiplus but never take the free crap, just use it to zoom onto the next train asap and get out of dodge

It's like priority boarding, you just turn up and take the next train. No waiting around, nothing.

Free food and drink are a bonus, like an airport lounge.

We used it as we had to leave during London morning rush hour and had no idea how bad the traffic would be and didn't fancy spending hours in Folkstone.
It is not cheap but DH is someone who has absolut no patience, hates waiting and DD hates crowds and uncertainty (ASD) so it is a lot smoother start to the holiday.

Freecrap @Delphigirl ???

It’s very good, I think.

I’d agree. Decent quality sandwiches, excellent cakes, fruit, posh crisps, wide range of fruit juice. It makes a very good picnic.

Oh gosh never pay flexi plus - the shuttle lets you in the next available train anyway!! We were 3 hours early for our Calais crossing last time and got on a train as soon as we got there!!! Even for the free food!!!

They don’t have to. You were lucky, and in similar circumstances we had to wait for our booked departure. Equally they don’t have to let you on if you are late beyond a certain time. I’d rather not rely on goodwill!

I can’t imagine anyone is doing it for the food. That wouldn’t be sensible.

We are never organised enough to get to the tunnel on time … DH had actually mistakenly booked the day before. So flexiplus is the right thing for us.

But, actually, my kids got to sit and watch a bit of a film while eating carrot and apple slices, and a children’s ham sandwich.

I got to sit down with a salad and then a cup of tea.

Then you have a bit more left over from your picnic on the train if you want it.

The vibes are nice. The staff are friendly and the toilets are clean.

It is very good for defrazzling on an epic car journey. No one is stressed in the flexiplus lounge.