Hi Folks - I am looking at driving down to the Vendee region in western France at the beginning of July, for a cheap-ish week of sunshine and seaside. It looks like Brittany Ferries now monopolise the western channel crossings? Just wondering if there are any broker-type websites that offer discounted ferry tickets?
Brittany Ferries' website also sells ferry + accomm. all-in-one fares. Anyone ever done this - are they good value? 600-odd quid for return ferry and 7 nights in a chalet on a campground..?
Any tips on where to stay are also welcome! Cheers.
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I'm not sure about brokers, but ferrycheap.com may be of some use.
Depending on where you are coming from in UK you could try Dover-Calais as it's around 8 hours of easy french driving to Vendee from Calais. That route is massively cheaper, maybe £150 return at that time. It's mostly toll free on the Autoroutes except the bit past Boulogne which will set you back maybe €8 as far as Rouen.
Last edited by: Dulwich Estate II on Thu 23 Feb 17 at 23:10
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The autoroute goes way beyond Rouen, in fact most of the way now, but at some cost - €54.90
Still probably adds up cheaper than the long crossings.
See tinyurl.com/jk3sdw4 for routes and cost
EDIT I used to be a regular Le Mans attendee and did the long crossing a few times but only when cost-sharing. Door to door the times weren't massively different (I think driving was actually quicker, from Berkshire) and I'd prefer to be driving than sitting on a boat.
Last edited by: smokie on Thu 23 Feb 17 at 23:23
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"The autoroute goes way beyond Rouen, in fact most of the way now, but at some cost - €54.90"
I know - but being a penny pinching so and so I take the N roads and presumed as cost was important that the poster would too. The Boulogne - Abbeville bit is near enough unavoidable on the autoroute on the way to Rouen.
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Ah yeah, point taken. Also being tight, I have chosen to use the N roads to Le Mans, but the autoroute is a lot quicker and many less roundabouts!!!
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We used Brittany Ferries for the trip to Northern Spain a couple of years ago and it was a good deal. They usually offer discounts for early booking but you may be too late now. We used their hotel and ferry package. The ship isn't up to cruise standards but way better than ferries of old. I haven't used their French crossings for a few years but I expect they are the same high standard as that's their home market. It's worth having a sit down meal if you can stretch to it.
Oddly ferry plus hotel in Spain was cheaper than ferry plus self catering while I noticed the opposite in their French pricing.
As for a better deal it might be worth trying Eurocamp or similar for their chalet plus ferry offers to see if it's cheaper that way around. However given the lack of ferry competition I doubt there are big savings to be had. Boundless/csma used to claim that they can offer a discount if you are a member but from memory it was only 5% and I am not sure if it still applies.
Vendee is a good choice. Close enough to the Channel for travel but far enough South to enjoy good weather most of the summer.
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>> The Boulogne - Abbeville bit is near enough unavoidable on the autoroute on the way to >>Rouen.
I'm surprised you think that, unless there has been some recent change.
Running a motorcaravan (where tolls are a bit steeper and time pressures somewhat less) we habitually go South via Rouen, and never touch the toll sections of motorway.
We normally use the D901 from Boulogne (exit just before the Autoroute toll), and the first mile or so from there is really the only slowish bit.
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>>7 nights in a chalet on a campground..
That sounds quite like being in a prison camp. Book direct by looking at the usuals:
Gites de France (the original and most expensive) en.gites-de-france.com/
airbnb (what I tend to use these days)
ownersdirect
It's not like the old days when you used to have to write to estate agents in the town where you wanted to stay and they would post you a photocopied list of places to rent.
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Must say I'm being slowly converted to Airbnb. I've used them in the US and last weekend in Liverpool. Prices are OK but more to the point, comparing to camping, you get "proper" accommodation, with separate rooms, walls and a roof - and "facilities".
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>> Must say I'm being slowly converted to Airbnb. I've used them in the US and
>> last weekend in Liverpool. Prices are OK but more to the point, comparing to camping,
>> you get "proper" accommodation, with separate rooms, walls and a roof - and "facilities".
>>
We have a property listed on Airbnb. It's entirely up to the owners to set the prices, so there's no real rule as to whether the prices are sensible. All I can say is that we aim to be competitive in our area for what we offer. Some Airbnb properties are literally just rooms, some are "entire place", which can mean anything from a self-contained annexe/apartment to a whole house. Airbnb is just an advertising and booking platform - and it's worth checking to see if the same property is advertised elsewhere at more favourable terms, i.e. without the Airbnb "service fee".
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>> Gites de France (the original and most expensive) en.gites-de-france.com/
That takes me back. I can even remember the address, 178 Piccadilly.
They would send out a book and then you had to telephone or write to the gite owner. They weren't expensive then - I think we paid c. £50 a week for some of them for two families; but they tended to be the unimproved deceased ancestor's home, or a redundant farm bungalow with ancient furniture and basic facilities, not the purpose built holidays lets that "gite" conjures up now.
We had one that abutted the cowshed, there was even a connecting door from one of the bedrooms.
Sorry, drifted off there.
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"unimproved deceased ancestor'"
Probably not a lot of scope for improvement :-)
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"unimproved deceased ancestor'"
Probably not a lot of scope for improvement :-)
How wrong can you be!
www.everplans.com/articles/how-a-funeral-home-cosmetically-prepares-a-body
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"I'm surprised you think that...."
I was really typing away from memory when I looked up the options to drive to Charente Maritime without tolls many, many years ago. It must be different now.
Taking a look at the route you suggest, I see it passes through Nouvion. Maybe pop in and see Rene's cafe and say allo, allo :)
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Thanks for the input so far folks!
AirBNB is a good tip; I have used it a couple of times here in NZ so will investigate their French listings...
Not doing Dover-Calais ferry. No way! Lengthy tour of the M25 to circulate, then Kent with the inevitable Operation Stack as the French farmers/truckers/cheminots (delete where appropriate) kick off their pre-Summer strike season... Would rather pay extra for the western route ferry and less stress. Also reduces the drive in France to 5 hours-odd if my memory serves me right?
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Yes about 5 hours drive from Calais to St Malo but you will spend an additional 8 hours on a ferry and spend several hundred pounds more on fares if you take the Portsmouth St Malo ferry.
Personally I prefer to take the short route when going South and check into a hotel for the night.
Never do sleep that well on a ferry.
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>>are they good value
No, based on one experience. We took Brittany Ferries package for Brittany itself and found ourselves in a dreadful old barn fitted out for about 20 people. Plenty of beds then for two but plenty of diarrhoea from a dodgy water supply, plenty of chill and plenty of gloomy discomfort. (In general, have you found that French never seem to have a comfortable reading chair with a decent light to it?)
Not up to their standards, they said apologetically but I think it probably was and doubt they inspect the properties they palm off.
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Actually I have used them I think they are brilliant value for money as are Gites de France who many years ago did similar Gite and ferry deals.
Around £600 for a cottage that sleeps four for a week with ferry price included in the high season compares very favourably with anything you will find in this county. Sure some of the cottages can be a bit basic so you have to read the descriptions carefully but have had some amazing properties in great locations over the years.
Always used Gites de France when the children were small an had some of the best holidays I have ever had.
Not sureI was ever concerned about reading lamps though. ;-0
Last edited by: CGNorwich on Sun 26 Feb 17 at 15:12
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Final plan is a budget flight to/from Paris Orly airport and a week's car rental. Only 300 miles each way to drive down to the Vendee region. Will hopefully avoid some of the autoroute peages and use some of the RNs for scenery and variety.
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If you are passing Le Mans on 17/18 June the 24h race is on...
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Better hire something with a bit of poke then....
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Ferry + accommodation packages to France? - Dulwich Estate II
