Not even december and I'm thinking of summer hols...
Almost £500 for a western Channel crossing next summer, so it looks like a drive across to Dover where at the moment its around £75 for a late July return crossing.
Q1 - Do these prices rise dramatically as time progresses?
Q2 - What's the weekend traffic likely to be like from Calais / Dunkirk down to Dijon or perhaps Lyon. Is there a practical choice of routes or does everyone bottleneck down the Peage?
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www.speedferries.com tend to be fixed price but because they are the "Ryan Jet" of cross channel operators, book up quickly. My operator of choice and I've never been let down though I have once failed to get booked in time.
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Agree the western routes are expensive.
Sea France from Dover are reasonable and have many crossings a day.
On the western routes, LDlines are a possibility.
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Prices used to rise dramatically (ie £120 becomes £300)in mid January. With the twin jokers of Speedferries and Norfolkline in the mix such practices no longer rule, though rates are much more likley to rise then fall.
As another post says Seafrance are good. Norfolkline do exactly what it says on the tin, no frills on board just a good quality restaurant, bar and small shop. Lots of room to walk round outside unlike the Seafrance Rodent and other modern tonnage.
As long as you can avoid the great French gettaway (usualy the weekend nearest 01 August)the route via A26 etc is not too busy, though the traffic picks up markedly as the Dutch join south of Reims. A technique that works for us is to cross late afternoon and stay overnight around Calais aiming for an 07:00 departure the following day. Assuming two drivers and kids who are not too young you can make Dijon for a late lunch and Lyons by mid afternoon. Chambery or Grenoble reasonably easy as well
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Thanks for that, being southampton based we've always gone western channel, but £500 is pushing it too far. Is it possible to avoid the peage, or is it better to pay for the easier drive?
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Have you tried LD Lines? They are a new company and have taken over the Portsmouth-Le Havre route. Much cheaper than Brittany Ferries although they only have one boat which does one crossing per day. www.ldlines.com/
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Is it possible to avoid the peage, or is it better to pay for the easier drive?
It's more trouble than it is worth trying to avoid the Peages. There are very few, if any, signs other than ones directing you onto the Peage, so navigation is an effort.
The viamichelin website's route planner will tell you the fees for each part of the journey, so you might be able to spot some gratis scenic detours.
I find driving on any of the French Autoroutes is a pleasure rather than a chore and do not begrudge the small tolls.
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Not even december and I'm thinking of summer hols... Almost £500 for a western Channel crossing next summer, so it looks like a drive across to Dover where at the moment its around £75 for a late July return crossing.
How much !!!!
Just paid £600 for a 12 night chalet stay in a campsite on the Atlantic coast. Price inclues return ferry crossing Poole-ST Malo, and linen.
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Just had a quick look at the LD Lines website and the price seems reasonable for a France-UK-France trip next July, even though they insist you book at least a seat for the day crossing and you can only return overnight.
The boat looks very familiar under its new paint - did they buy it from Brittany Ferries?
Also it's a bit sinister that they want to know your age - in a narrow range up to 60, then to the exact year. Why?
I think it's a great shame the way Brittany Ferries has gone - their boats, food and service have always been excellent but their prices are now ridiculous. I used to use the convenient Caen-Portsmouth route but I guess we'll be driving east from now on...
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I have just checked for 1 week in France in July.
LDlines £342 Portsmouth to Le Havre.
Speedferries £54 Dover to Bolougne.
I think that I would chose the cheaper option.
I agree with others, go on the Autoroutes, it is a fantastic experience, well worth the money. Not at all like the M20!
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Have you tried condor ferries. They are cheaper as they stop in Jersey/Guernsey en route, but the catamaran still does Poole to St Malo in about 4.5 hours. It looks like about £250 return for 2 weeks late July/early Aug but prices vary a lot depending on the day you travel.
As for coming off the autoroute, you'll save about £30 each way Calais to Lyon, but it'll probably take an extra day and so cost you a hotel stop.
I'd only come off to avoid a jam - and then view it as sight seeing and chill out rather than saving any time.
Dan
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If you know the date of your holiday - book early. Plenty of cheap offers up to about mid January, after which prices seem to go up. Unless you are very bold and wait until the last minute when companies realise that some ferries are not full and have some good offers - but that is a bit of a gamble and you might end up being restricted to "unsocial hours"! Don't rule out the chunnel either. If you are car only (no caravan or trailer) prices can be very competitive (eg £69 return as we have paid)and it only takes 35 minutes which might make a difference.
Autoroute? Well, if you need to get somewhere at a certain time, use them. If you have a bit more time and want to see a bit more of the countryside en route, use RNs - but it will take more time. Autoroutes are only very busy on certain sections (around Paris, Lyon, Bordeaux etc) or on some bits from Paris to the sea on some weekends, otherwise they are plain sailing with excellent service areas - unlike British motorways! Tolls are reasonable, and it may save you an extra night in a hotel on the way as has been pointed out. Good site for trafic conditions and likelihood of jams (and alternative routes) is
www.bison-fute.equipement.gouv.fr/
As someone above has said - worst weekend is one nearest 1st August when the whole of Paris empties and heads for the sea - but it is still not as bad as M25, M1, M6, at any time of the day or night!
Have fun.
Phil
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If you want to stay for a week or more, the prices on P&O, Eurotunnel, Britany Ferries etc go up alot, compared to stays of 5 days or less.
Speedferries prices stay the same, like Ryanair and Easyjet.
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If you want to stay for a week or more, the prices on P&O, Eurotunnel, Britany Ferries etc go up alot, compared to stays of 5 days or less. Speedferries prices stay the same, like Ryanair and Easyjet.
This practice is mercifully fading away - Norfolkline and SeaFrance now give you a price based on a single rate for outward and return crossings, though there may be special offers for day trips etc.
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This practice is mercifully fading away - Norfolkline and SeaFrance now give you a price based on a single rate for outward and return crossings, though there may be special offers for day trips etc.
Thank goodness for that, I wish Eurotunnel and the rest would do it as well, I think they would get many more customers.
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