Mumsnet users share their holiday experiences in France with Brittany Ferries

[EllieMumsnet]

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Travelling by ferry can be a much more hassle free way to go on holiday with the family...as let’s be honest a 20kg per person limit on luggage is almost impossible when you have little ones. Brittany Ferries allows you to both travel by ferry and holiday in France and they would love you to share your top holiday experiences of travelling to France.

Here is what Brittany Ferries have to say “If having young children has put you off taking a holiday abroad, then think again, think family-friendly France. Sailing from Portsmouth, Poole or Plymouth we offer more choice of sailings than anyone else and our on-board service is designed with little ones in mind. What’s more, we can also arrange your holiday accommodation too. Our choice of sail & stay holidays are perfect for young families with a chalet camping holiday offering fun for all with lots to see and do both on and off site. And, as all our holidays include return sailings with your car, booking that all important family holiday is simple too.”

Where did you go in France? What did you enjoy most about your holiday there? How was your family’s experience on the ferry? What are your top tips for packing for a family holiday?

Share your dream destinations and holiday by ferry experiences on the thread below to be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £300 voucher of their choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck!
MNHQ

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I was brought up in Belgium so it was easy to visit France and we were lucky enough to have a friend who owned a holiday home in the South of France (Uzèa). I have memories of the extreme heat (I'm not good in heat) and the wonderful food (amazing apricots in the garden) and superb French bread with Tapenade.

My favourite memory is in the French alps which I adore and the most wonderful breakfasts (best bread I have ever had with wonderful Jams and hot chocolate). There seems to be a bit of a theme here - holidays remembered by the food!!

The best holiday we had there we rented out a big farm house with lots of other families and it was such a nice place that was close enough to a town but also on its own enough for privacy

For slightly older kids - Normandy was so interesting, with all the 'war' stuff, and beaches amazing too

We are going to Paris next month, with having young children we have chose to fly this time. But would like to use the ferry when we next visit so we can all experience something new.

I have only travelled to Paris and honestly it not a place for a baby 😂 We had many struggles , no lifts in the metro and endless stairs to carry a buggy up and down. And they pack the seating in in the restaurants so also no space for a buggy. However we're going to lille later in the year and I'm hoping it's a different story as it isn't such a hustling bustling city like Paris !

Haven't been to france yet nr been on a ferry but a old colleague recently retired in the south of france so im planning a visit.

We stayed in a Gite in France last summer. Pick the right ferry crossing that works with your normal timings to avoid any unnecessary stress.

We love taking Brittany Ferries from Portsmouth, the crossing feels like part of the holiday because we don't do it often enough. It is great to take the car and drive South for a week. We stop off at a Campanile hotel en route for a night so that the family stay refreshed and happy. We love the beaches of the South of France and the roads are great, so it is easy to travel

always top up with French wine in Calais on the way out and more importantly on the way back - better than mass produced new world stuff

We loved using the eurotunne. So easy and quick. My tip would be to use this whenever you can - it also means that you have your car with you and can take as much luggage as you need.

We camped in France and took our small children canoeing down the Ardeche River. They had instructors each but we were on our own. It proved to them that Mum & Dad did not always get it right when we fell out!

I went to Normandy

I enjoyed the food most, it was great.

The ferry was great, a nice way to get there without any hassle.

My top tips for packing for a family holiday are: Pack clothes that can be layered, take plastic bags to store wet or dirty clothes and don't forget to pack your chargers and travel adapters.

I love Lyon, it is the perfect place to visit if you love your food. They do a bread called Crown Bread, just beautiful and so delicious. Ferry travel- always pack snacks for littlies and a pashmina for a cosy sleep.

As a child we would catch the ferry to calais and drive to the south of france and go camping. Biarritz was a favoruite. We had some really good holidays there, enjoying the lovely beaches and sunshine.
Though the amount of travel time was a bit of a chore.

One of the highlights of our holidays in France has been visiting some of the enchanting chateaux. On our last trip we treated ourselves to staying in a coupe of chauteaux in the Loire and Burgundy areas. It was magical and I couldn't recommend it more.

We go with Brittany Ferries to France every year for our family holiday. We love France and find the whole process so much easier than flying. We usually sail overnight with a cabin. There's no waiting around and you can pack as much as you like so you have everything you need. On the return we take a day ferry, it's great to be able to walk around, with a buggy if needed, get some food, watch a film. Before you know it you're back. The ferry feels like part of the holiday and it's not stressful at all. We've been to many parts of France, from South Brittany when our girls were babies to mid France and the very South, which is one of our favourite places. There is so much to explore and see and the food is amazing. My daughter's are currently 1 and 4 and we are heading to near La Rochelle this year for a week of chalet camping. On the way back we are spending 4 nights in Disney with a couple of spare nights to stopover and break the journey up. It's great to be able to take the car and be flexible with where you go. Highly recommend this to families.

My boys loved the ferry when they were younger. It's a very exciting way to travel. And so much less stressful than flying. We've only done short trips so by the time we'd explored the boat there was just enough time for something to eat and drink and we could see land. Packing is so much easier on the ferry, and having the car means all their favourite toys, etc can come too
France itself is great. We went to the south, near Perpignan. My youngest son especially loves the history...all the castles and narrow streets. He can't wait to go again.

I'd love to visit France with the children, I think they would love it! I'd like to visit somewhere with a sandy beach!

France is my go to place for skiing - lots of high, snow-sure resorts and fab hotels.

Last year we went to Brittany and this waswas our first trip to Brittany. The food was amazingand the locals couldn't have been more friendly.

The ferry trip was a great experience, the staff were fab and the seats were very comfortable.

I find packing your suitcases in advance so you're not rushing about at the last minute doing it and pack light clothes so you don't go over the baggage allowance.

The ferries are great with young children as there is plenty to see and do (and eat) and as the crossings are so short it really is a case of fitting it all in rather than struggling to entertain them. Personally we love Eurocamps- amazing for kids and great value for money. There are fab ones in Normandy and Brittany (personal experience) and I was recommended one (by a friend of my sister) in the south of France near the beach, but I can't remember quite where!

I've never been to France but I'd love to visit Brittany, particularly Saint Malo & Vannes

never been on hoiliday in france before .

We have had many great family holidays in France over the years, the best has to be when we were camping in Brittany. Our Daughter aged 3 at the time decided to jump into the swimming pool without her armbands on, our hearts stopped for a moment till we saw how she just started swimming for the first time. Not the best way to start swimming lessons but it seemed to work, she has loved swimming & France ever since.