Dover to Calais - advice welcomed

[Nineandahalf]

I've never done it as an adult!

Live up in Chorley.
Summer hols planning! Travelling to Paris with two little children.
Is it better to leave on an early evening , stay in a hotel part way and get maybe 4/5 hours sleep in a hotel, then go on to Dover for the 7am crossing ...

Or set off from home about 10pm, don't stay anywhere, and aim for the same time crossing ?

Basically, is it worth it to get any sleep.

Do you have to do the 7am crossing ?

I would always sleep but prefer getting up, driving down and getting there in the afternoon and staying first night in France.

No not at all, I just have it in my mind that it's quieter earlier on.

Why would you put all that stress on yourself to get the 7am crossing?

😂 I've no idea

Ok imagine I'll get any time crossing.
Is it better to just set off mega early and do the whole thing?
I'm not a strong decision maker.

Just leave in the morning and get an afternoon crossing. Stay in France overnight, not the UK.

I get up at 7am and leave then or after the rush hour at 9.30.

Afternoon sailing and then drive as far as I can before booking a hotel in France.
You don’t get over tired and it’s a nice travel day.

You can definitely do it in one go but it's a long day. Depends if you have kids and how they'd deal with that, I suppose.

I think the early ones get busy anyway because they are cheaper.
The English stretch of travel will be the most stressful I’ve found. France has always been amazing in comparison.

Fly! Or get a train. Why drive to Paris - not exactly easy to get around by car.

Well we aren't going to Paris Paris, we are doing a eurocamp.

Ok you made that sound very much the right option, thanks.
Thanks all!

Also do the tunnel rather than ferry. So much less faff and much quicker.

A lot more expensive though.

Another vote for euro tunnels.

Another one for afternoon ferry/tunnel crossing, then stay just outside of Calais. Much better to do the crossing and have an over night stay in France.
We have been holidaying in France for a number of years and always stayed in Dover before crossing. But the last 3 years we decided to cross then stay and it’s so much cheaper and better.

I’d take longer over the journey and get enough sleep. Especially with little children.

Generally the tunnel is about £60-90 dearer than the ferry but around 1h15 quicker once you’ve accounted for check in, crossing and unloading.

If you’re not in a rush the ferry is fine and is nice with younger kids actually.
from Chorley, I’d personally drive down the night before your holiday and get a premier inn nearish to Dover but anywhere off the motorway will do rally).

Then, I’d aim for a ferry at about ?? 11 so that when you come out the other side, your young kids can nap for a large portion of the next bit of the journey.

what’s your destination? You might need another stop in France.

much nicer not to overdo the driving. I have a max of about 5 hours a day. Any more and it’s an endurance test. Plus you can get some beautiful accommodation driving down through France.

If you leave Chorley at 7am you’re going to hit the M25 at 11ish. Assuming one stop
So you’ll miss the really heavy traffic
Its over a 5 hour drive though with kids so you’ll need a break or two.

If you get there at 1/1:30 I’d base your crossing after that.
However for some Wierd reason we are having an awful lot of accidents at the moment on the A2 and M2. So be prepared for delays.

£69 deal recently for a car with any number of passengers. Spotted it last week

Folkestone to Calais

Thanks for all this. I had discounted the tunnel as I'd presumed it was too pricey. It's only about £20 more for the standard price ticket... Now to consider whether the kids will prefer the ferry experience!

After a long drive with kids I think the ferry will be better. Yes it’s slower but they will be able to walk around for an hour or so. Given the traffic if you can get a flexible ticket that would be sensible. Once on the French side it’s prob only a 3 hour drive.

Definitely tunnel rather than ferry. You don’t have to get in or out and can chill for a bit.

I used to buy my tunnel crossing tickets using Tesco club card vouchers. Maybe an option.

We always stay overnight near to Folkestone & get the Eurotunnel in the morning. That way you don't arrive late and tired. ( We have tried doing it all in one day.) I wouldn't go as early as 7am though, more like 9 or 10.

Oh yes, Tesco vouchers on the tunnel, definitely.