ferry booking to France this summer
Discussion
We've travelled to France quite a lot, I used to work in Toulouse, but haven't taken the 'van due to silly ferry/tunnel prices. Just got an email flyer through from DFDS this morning and just for a laugh I put in some dates for our BMW 530 towing a 8 metre twin axle van, Dover Calais, 24 July out 13 Aug back . And I was stunned. £75 each way. Yes, seriously, £150 in total for fixed dates and time. To be honest I've paid a little more for flexibility of dates and times and in all it's come to £240.
In the past I've paid that for a car only on many occasions esp booking close to the date of travel when they're getting full, so I reckon this is a bargain.
And no I don't work for DFDS
If you want to check it out, use offer code EECON.
Now we've just got to decide where to go. Done the west coast loads of times and not keen on the drive all the way down to SofF so SWMBO said what's the East coast like.
Bless her.
In the past I've paid that for a car only on many occasions esp booking close to the date of travel when they're getting full, so I reckon this is a bargain.
And no I don't work for DFDS
If you want to check it out, use offer code EECON.
Now we've just got to decide where to go. Done the west coast loads of times and not keen on the drive all the way down to SofF so SWMBO said what's the East coast like.
Bless her. 
Done Holland a few times too, stayed on a cracking site in Den Bosch one year, and the site was set out into separate small hedged fields of a dozen vans and the one we were in was all Dutch caravanners and they all lived in the town, just spent their holidays 5 miles from home on the site. Breakfast for them was a few Heineken's, then morning break was a few Heineken's lunch, dinner the same and in the evening they'd have a few Heineken's too. I think we spent a few good days there but don't remember it very well.
Lovely people the Dutch but they can't half drink
Lovely people the Dutch but they can't half drink
ColinM50 said:
We've travelled to France quite a lot, I used to work in Toulouse, but haven't taken the 'van due to silly ferry/tunnel prices. Just got an email flyer through from DFDS this morning and just for a laugh I put in some dates for our BMW 530 towing a 8 metre twin axle van, Dover Calais, 24 July out 13 Aug back . And I was stunned. £75 each way. Yes, seriously, £150 in total for fixed dates and time. To be honest I've paid a little more for flexibility of dates and times and in all it's come to £240.
In the past I've paid that for a car only on many occasions esp booking close to the date of travel when they're getting full, so I reckon this is a bargain.
And no I don't work for DFDS
If you want to check it out, use offer code EECON.
Now we've just got to decide where to go. Done the west coast loads of times and not keen on the drive all the way down to SofF so SWMBO said what's the East coast like. Bless her.
Chuffing hell, that's very good!In the past I've paid that for a car only on many occasions esp booking close to the date of travel when they're getting full, so I reckon this is a bargain.
And no I don't work for DFDS
If you want to check it out, use offer code EECON.
Now we've just got to decide where to go. Done the west coast loads of times and not keen on the drive all the way down to SofF so SWMBO said what's the East coast like.
Bless her. I'd not heard of DFDS before but at those rates we'll probably go over the water next year
Rosscow said:
Just did a quick quote for Portsmouth-Bilbao return in August/September for my car and the 'van (8m) - a few quid short of £1500!
Join the "Club Voyage" of Brittany Ferries and you will more than likely save the cost of joining on the 1 trip alone + a few other benefits.
GreatGranny said:
Just don't look at the longer crossings!
Looked at Portsmouth to St Malo in August, Avensis Estate and 7.5m single axle . . . . . . . £953!
The maths may work out different with a caravan, but when i looked for the camper and broke the cost down with fuel tolls etc the longer more expensive crossing was nearly equal to the dover calais. Looked at Portsmouth to St Malo in August, Avensis Estate and 7.5m single axle . . . . . . . £953!
It does depend on where you start from and where you are going, in my case its bristol to brittany,
so via dover and calais is as expensive as portsmouth- le harvre, so adding 500 plus miles of east west travel as compared to the more expensive north south ferry.
Having said that we are going to Amsterdam in Easter and Dover Calais makes sense.
It does depend on where you are going, i would recommend you sit down with a map and a calculator before you are put off by the more expensive crossings.
You may also find that the time you spend driving is worth the extra, have a 13 day holiday not a 10 for a few more quid.
Happy camping
bristolracer said:
The maths may work out different with a caravan, but when i looked for the camper and broke the cost down with fuel tolls etc the longer more expensive crossing was nearly equal to the dover calais.
It does depend on where you start from and where you are going, in my case its bristol to brittany,
so via dover and calais is as expensive as portsmouth- le harvre, so adding 500 plus miles of east west travel as compared to the more expensive north south ferry.
Having said that we are going to Amsterdam in Easter and Dover Calais makes sense.
It does depend on where you are going, i would recommend you sit down with a map and a calculator before you are put off by the more expensive crossings.
You may also find that the time you spend driving is worth the extra, have a 13 day holiday not a 10 for a few more quid.
Happy camping
I've just booked Portsmouth/Le Havre for August (3 weeks), Wife and I in 7+ metre motorhome with a high roof and cycle carrier. midday depart/18.30 arrive on the way out - nice time to arrive as we'll make the Aire in Hornfleur in good time for food etc. 22.30 depart/08.00 arrive on the way back. Cabin on the way back so will get a nights sleep. It does depend on where you start from and where you are going, in my case its bristol to brittany,
so via dover and calais is as expensive as portsmouth- le harvre, so adding 500 plus miles of east west travel as compared to the more expensive north south ferry.
Having said that we are going to Amsterdam in Easter and Dover Calais makes sense.
It does depend on where you are going, i would recommend you sit down with a map and a calculator before you are put off by the more expensive crossings.
You may also find that the time you spend driving is worth the extra, have a 13 day holiday not a 10 for a few more quid.
Happy camping
Just over £380.00 Living in Swansea it's 280 miles to Dover or 165 to Portsmouth (and no M25/M20 to worry about) saving about 230 miles there plus Le Havre is about 170 miles closer to where we normally go so that's 340 miles less. Take mthe cost of diesel for 670 miles plus tolls etc and it isn't a lot more than a Dover crossing at the same times and it gains us 3-4 days extra out there
Only downside I can see is we won't get to Belgium for cheap Baccie
BB
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