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Original poster

ferries to france - it is working out really expensive!! is this right?

22 replies

mabel1973 · 12/03/2009 16:57

we want to go camping in france this summer and I am trying to book our ferry. I would like to sail to Cherbourg preferably.
Working it out on the websites it is looking that to take our VW campervan and 3 DC's (aged 4 and under) in august, is between £350 and £400!!! with the cost of the campsites and spending money it would be cheaper to take them on a package holiday to spain! I thought this would be a cheap(ish) holiday!
Am i doing something wrong..are there bargains to be had or are ferries just ridiculusly expensive?

OP posts:
WynkenBlynkenandNod · 12/03/2009 17:00

That is right I'm afraid, those crossings from Poole etc are expensive. It's much cheaper to go from Dover eg our car and 4 of us in August come to £41 with Norfolk line.

JustCallMeGoat · 12/03/2009 17:00

with fuel prices and the euro camping in france is a cheapo holiday (not sure it ever was) but it is fantastic fun and you will enjoy it more than a package.

suwoo · 12/03/2009 17:01

I don't think thats too bad at all TBH. We paid £2.5k for a budget trip to Majorca last year. We took the ferry to France last Christmas and it was around £700 IIRC.

LiberalIdleOlogy · 12/03/2009 19:21

Yes. Brittany Ferries are not cheap.

Are you planning to camp on the peninsula? Just that we've sailed to Cherbourg a few times now (attracted by the shorter crossing time), but each time have underestimated just how long it takes to drive down. The roads are really quite slow.

Where are you travelling from and to? Is LD Lines, Portsmouth - Le Havre service worth considering?

Original poster
mabel1973 · 13/03/2009 09:34

WE are coming down from the midlands, but were intending to stay overnight with relatives in poole before sailing the next day.
We wanted to visit normandy or brittany, which is why we were looking at travelling to Cherbourg. I guess Le havre is worth looking at as well.
As we have a 40 year old VW camper, it is not the quickest vehicle in the world, so sailing to Calais and then driving to our destination is not ideal.

OP posts:
GrapefruitMoon · 13/03/2009 13:46

I'd recommend the tunnel....

drivingmecrackers · 13/03/2009 14:30

we do that route about once a year and I was shocked at the expense first time round - if you can go mid week I think it's sometimes cheaper?

saggyhairyarse · 13/03/2009 21:17

We looked at doing the same but have found cheap Easyjet flights to Italy and are staying in a Eurocamp tent cheaper than we could have got there under our own steam.

mumof2222222222222222boys · 13/03/2009 21:34

We use ferries a lot and used to live in Portsmouth...so obviously that was the best option for us. But with a small car, the best price was usually stratospheric, and it was cheaper to drive to Dover (extra 250 odd miles) and throw a night in a B&B into the equation than get the Pompey ferry (whether to Caen, Le Havre or Cherbourg. Dover usually about £60 return. Do try LD Lines - they are the best of the non Dover options.

Ponders · 13/03/2009 21:45

LD Lines are setting up Dover-Boulogne this year which I hear is really cheap (from £60 in August) if you book now.

Portsmouth-le Havre mid Aug is £300 & Newhaven Dieppe only slightly cheaper.

galaxy · 13/03/2009 21:47

we are paying £700 for 2 cabins in July - hideous!

SlightlyMadScotland · 13/03/2009 21:48

It is expensive to go anywhere but Calais.

If you are going to Normandy the drive from Calais is more than reasonable - could be under 3hrs.

We drove to the West coast which was about 7hrs...a bit hellish but a great holiday.

duckyfuzz · 13/03/2009 21:48

tunnel and a night in a novotel, much cheaper

giddykipper · 13/03/2009 21:52

MUCH cheaper Dover to Calais, even taking into account the extra fuel.

Ponders · 13/03/2009 21:57

Do you have any Tesco vouchers? You can use them for Eurotunnel - a £140 round trip would only be £35 in vouchers...

NotPlayingAnyMore · 13/03/2009 21:59

I looked into ferry crossings a few years ago as I live within half an hour of the Portsmouth terminal. Even though I was prepared to take the train all the way to the South of France as well, it worked out cheaper to fly all the way so there just doesn't seem to be any incentive in that sense for people not to.

Alibabaandthe40nappies · 13/03/2009 21:59

Ferries in the summer are a nightmare - we would probably use the tunnel.

mrsravi · 18/03/2009 14:08

I've just bought eurotunnel tickets using Tescos's vouchers and we're staying at a B&B half way en-route. It still works out cheaper (even if we'd had to pay for the tunnel). Last year I worked out that our camping costs had been £200 (for 2 weeks in France)and our ferry had been £700! Mid-week ferries can be cheaper, try contacting Carefree at The Camping & Caravanning Club for a ferry quote, they claim they can't be beaten....

smee · 18/03/2009 14:23

Le Havre is cheaper, but Dover to Calais is really the only cheap way - you can get return for £40, so well worth it.

FiveGoMadInDorset · 18/03/2009 14:28

Just googled Norfolk line from Dover to Dunkirk and in August fares range from £19 to £44 one way.

WriggleJiggle · 24/03/2009 23:03

Norfolk line seem to be the cheapest company.

scrappydappydoo · 25/03/2009 09:06

I would second norfolk line - they've just upgraded all their boats so they're not grotty. They also don't have foot passengers or coach parties so it's fairly quiet and relaxed.
Type in SPRING to get a good rate - we just booked august holiday crossing for £60 return

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