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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Love the ferry as can stretch legs and fresh air. French food and music / ambience. Paris is my fav as like the galleries and night life.

We travelled through France via the back roads and came across many small villages. We met so many lovely people and saw some beautiful places. I believe this is the true France, away from the touristy places! :)

St Malo is beautiful . The ferry is a welcome addition to the holiday, pack snacks for the journey.

I have only been to France on a School trip but it was an amazing trip and was great to experience a different culture as a child. Would love to go back on a romantic break to Paris though.

I've never gone on a ferry but a weekend in Paris was my best French holiday experience. It was my first time so I love seeing all the sights and having a day in Disneyland.
My top tip for packing is try and stick to a list and leave space in case for things you buy!

We once stayed in a relatives villa and the kids were brilliant on the Ferry across. It was slightly choppy but we were fine! Top packing tip is pack a day bag, an essentials bag, spare clothes for the younger ones and make lists, definitely then you can tick things off and hopefully no-one forgets their toothbrush - hubby still somehow manages this EVERY TIME!?

Ferry's a great way to get to France with children of any age as they can run about and explore if they're little or just have a bit more space if they're older.

My best tip for travelling by car is to have a small suitcase each as they're lighter to move around and can go in each person's room when you arrive at your destination. Also a big snack bag for the journey!

Dh loves going to the Le Mans Classic with his dad/brothers/nephews - its the only time they spend a lot of time together, and they enjoy driving in groups together, meeting on the ferry, then rearranging for the next drive

We stayed in a Chateau called Chateau de Ribagnac in Limousin. The place was fantastic, the food was divine. There were gites if you did not want to stay in the chateau. A swimming pool. Lots of places to visit, but would need a car. We done the zoo (Le Parc du Reynou), Les Loups de Chabrières (The Wolf Sanctuary), Oradour Sur Glane – Second World War Martyred village and general exploring. Fabulous.

We had a fantastic trip sailing on a lake, gite in a super village children could walk and buy bread then an on tome ferry home!

We went to two beautiful naturist campsites in the south of France and it was the holiday of a lifetime. The scenery is incredible and the weather superb. It was a very liberating experience and felt very much being part of nature! We'd never tried it before but it was a life changing experience.

We always love our trips to france starting off with Brittany Ferries, we sail overnight to Santander have a comfortable cabin, we wake up all refreshed ready for our fabulous adventure in France

Remember the first trip on the Eurostar, having to queue for ages at a tiny duty free shop on this side, then on the French side they'd erected a huge marquee for shoppers to bring tons of stuff back.

One of our loveliest holidays was camping by a beach in Brittany some years back. Our daughter loved the beach - sandcastles, rockpools, scrambling up rocks - and we loved the food the villages and the beaches as well.

we went by ferry to france for our familymoon :) Stayed on a lovely camp site and had the best time. The ferry was very relaxing and the holiday very laid back and just lovely

book a cabin for overnight , it makes the holiday start earlier for little ones who see it as an adventure and you hopefully get a decent sleep.

We went to Hourtin Plage near Bordeaux. Loved the nearby lakes to swim in and the cycling and watersports.

Its so much more relaxing taking the car & travelling by ferry (no airport hassle) and there is so much to see in France. We have been a few times, once to Paris and once we travelled down to the Dordogne and had fantastic holidays both times, and unlike flying travelling on the ferry seems like part of the holiday

I was 16 last time I went to France. It was on a school trip and we took in all the usual tourist spots in Paris. Best bit was definitely being allowed to wonder around Disneyland and Parc Asterix by ourselves and being told that we had til 8pm to meet the teachers. It was just great to have some freedom - and also escape my French teacher who wanted me to practice conversational French for my upcoming GCSE.

La Serignan Plage campsite offers fantastic value during the Spring Half-term, and the chances of good weather in France on the Med are a lot higher than further north in France.

We usually spend our holidays in France, staying at a gite with the children. We always try to hunt out the little local restaurants and ferme auberges that the locals use. They're good value and excellent. Our favourite was a ferme auberge near Bergerac. Just about every course was duck (not the ice cream, thankfully). After a huge slab of paté (we looked around to pass it around, but everyone had been given a similarly-huge piece), there was duck breast, and plenty of wine included. And the children loved all the animals around.

We went camping in France when I was younger and got the ferry over it was great fun and we met friends who we still keep in touch with!

Going with my kids now id def take the overnight ferry so they could get some sleep and we could all rest before a long drive through France!

Top tip are take the bare minimum as we never ever use half the clothes we bring

I've only ever been to France once. Went to Euro Disney with my school, absolutely loved it. Would like to take the kids one day, they have never been on a ferry.

When I was a kid, we used to get the ferry to Cherbourg and then drive down to just north of Bordeaux by the coast. Amazing holidays, lovely towns to visit, super beaches and gorgeous food!

just enjoying the culture