Might not need to. The outbound journey might scare her so much that wild horses will never get her in there again and we'll be back to ferries Now an ex-D3 owner after 7 happy years. Miss the car but not the big bills
31st Mar 2014 8:33 am
DALEK
Member Since: 28 Jul 2011
Location: Near Stockport
Posts: 633
Done both trips, first time by ferry then by chunnel, Chunnel every time!!! Why waste your time your money and the expense of being on the ship.
From Manchester it was quicker to go by chunnel.
Have a great tripD3 HSE ........................Gone!!!
31st Mar 2014 9:51 am
rodneydisco3
Member Since: 13 Sep 2009
Location: High Wycombe
Posts: 113
Portsmouth Caen every time, £270 return through Caravan Club with site booking. if you get the 2.45pm portsmouth boat you arrive 9.0'ish go to site in Ouesterham ask for canal pitch rest the night fresh for agood days drive. coming back same site catch 8.30 am ferry portsmouth just after 1pm ready to journey home, it extends the hooliday in many cases. Food on britany ferries isgood especially in the restaurant.
Boats are stablised these days.much better.
Hope it helps.
Ferry prices are much like air fares they change by the minute depending on demand, and how full the baot is at the time. The caravan club say they always offfer the ceapest fares. i find it so.Rodey L
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31st Mar 2014 10:20 am
markbrads
Member Since: 15 Apr 2013
Location: East Sussex
Posts: 234
I've done both since 2008 and there are benefits for and against both.
Personally I like the ferry as we are about 20 mins from Newhaven and tend to go at 23:00 so the kids go to sleep (I wish). I've got one of the TAGS as well as so when the wife's asleep (the whole journey) she doesn't have to get involved at the tolls...
Its a long drive and can be tiring. My suggestion is don't work the day before... and try and arrange a stop over on the way down. Coming back having been on holiday I tend to do the drive in one hit. Apart from that its great fun and even better if towing with a D3
31st Mar 2014 10:33 am
den2013
Member Since: 03 Jan 2013
Location: Alland
Posts: 622
Agree tunnel every time, takes 12 hours from Austria to the tunnel overnight, get there and you have a nice walk to the toilet then back and your into the UK, we get the 7am crossing no problem, then a short 45min drive, then i can finally have a sleep, coming back the 8.30pm.
A bit of advice, if you have animals with you the French are arsey about the passports, make sure your vet writes really clearly, we got delayed for 4 hrs and 20 euros lighter to a French vet because they could not read it properly. While we were waiting we could see them doing it to a lot of other people as well. Think there could be something a bit fishy going on.2015 D4 HSE LUX Kaikoura Stone(sold)
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31st Mar 2014 2:12 pm
waterbuoy
Member Since: 26 Oct 2013
Location: Argyll
Posts: 2862
As with most things in life, I think 'it depends' - mostly on where you are starting from, and where you are going to.
In the case of the OP it clearly makes sense to use the Tunnel as they are based in SE London. However, for those of us who live more than 3 or 4 hrs away from the SE, or for whom Dover/Folkstone is not necessarily 'in line', then an overnight/long haul ferry allows us to take a sensible break mid-journey and can, in many cases, work out not that much more expensive.Currently 2009 Disco 3 SE, 2013 MY D4 HSE and 2016 D4 SE
Previously:
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31st Mar 2014 2:57 pm
rockcrawler
Member Since: 31 Oct 2012
Location: Ferring
Posts: 2884
Tunnel for me, the ferry has got too expensive and just not happy with the way they pack the cars inD3 Metropolis Bonatti Grey-Alpaca Leather-adaptive headlights-fridge-EGR blanking kit-Harmen Karden-Cruise-4x4 info enabled-Tinted Windows-Heated F&R Seats-Rosen rear Entertainment-LED'S everywhere -Smoked Side Repeaters-Rear Aircon-Vredestein Wintrac 4 Extreme-Puddle and Footwell Lamps-Stainless Steel Side Protection Tubes- NEW ASHTRAY ( thanks to dsd1036 )
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31st Mar 2014 3:24 pm
dubbs
Member Since: 18 Apr 2012
Location: Gloucestershire
Posts: 3626
As we are heading to Brittany either way I go South then West... Whether I cross and do it in France or head down to Portsmouth then do it (and whether cost wise it is worth it) is the question really.
Suppose we could always grab a couple of hours in the tin tent on the way down if needed MY15 DIY Black Pack (Better than factory and half the price!)
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5th Apr 2014 5:07 pm
LHD
Member Since: 05 Apr 2006
Location: Lugano area
Posts: 689
If we're going up north, we do a Hull ferry - last one was Zeebrugge but we've done Rotterdam as well. Overnight on the ferry gets you rested and keeps the Short One busy....plus we'd need a hotel and to pay UK diesel prices to "enjoy" the M20, M25, M11, M1, etc.
I'm coming over in summer on my own and am taking the DFDS ferry from Dunkirk to Dover. €33 or something.
Coming back I'm taking the Chunnel. Why? Well I asked the Short One does he want to go on a train in the car through a tunnel or on a boat with the car. He chose the Chunnel.
Member Since: 22 Jun 2011
Location: West Midlands
Posts: 1155
Dover Calais every time sit & relax aving a meal & then the journey begins av been as far down as Spain Rome all over France & off again in May
6th Apr 2014 12:14 pm
DSL Keeper of the wheelie bin
Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 72789
LHD wrote:
Nothing like putting a 4-year-old in charge
Remember it's good to be nice to him/her as he/she will be choosing your nursing home!!
6th Apr 2014 12:24 pm
Chris1969
Member Since: 21 Jun 2011
Location: North Worcestershire (not far from Redditch)
Posts: 385
We go over a couple of times a year to Normandy as we have a place there. Like Beanie, we go on the Ferry - Portsmouth to Caen. We get a discount so I think it's costing us £270 to go for Easter for 2 weeks.
The price does vary slightly based on which crossing you use and we always have a cabin, mainly because we have 2 little ones so it's good to have a base to leave things, have a sleep, throw up in peace (the crossings are not too bad normally to be honest). Food is ok on board but we tend to take a big bag full on board with us!! There is a bar and some entertainment for the kids so although its about 6.5 hours crossing, it goes quite quickly normally.
We have looked at the Chunnel but in terms of overall cost, there wasn't a great deal of difference in it for us but thats also considering fuel from home to Portsmouth... plus with the Ferry, at least you can have a chill and a sleep and keep the kids from getting very very bored!! (oldest is 5 so not even a film keeps him happy for that long!)
.. still learning )
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ferries 
(the crossings are not too bad normally to be honest). Food is ok on board but we tend to take a big bag full on board with us!! There is a bar and some entertainment for the kids so although its about 6.5 hours crossing, it goes quite quickly normally.
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