# Cheapest Way From Sw To France?



## ActiveCampers (Jun 17, 2005)

All being well we'll be moving to the SW shortly, so will be further from Dover than before.

Just checked prices of crossings from Poole or Portsmouth and they are £400!!! Bit of a shocker.

Is that just what it is, and thus ignore them and head to Dover? Or are there cheaper options? 

Think I'm gonna miss my Sea France multi-use Carnet @ £60 per return


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

Hi Ryan

In my opinion it all depends on whether you make the journey part of the holiday, of if you prefer to bladder down the autoroutes to get there as fast as you can.

We prefer the former, and although we hate the journey to Dover, it's never a chore once we get to France, and even on a trip to Brittany it works out quite a lot cheaper.

I think if you do the sums you will be able to decide what suits you and Mel. :wink: 

Dave


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## carol (May 9, 2005)

We lived in Cornwall for 25 years and now 12 in North Devon and find Brittany Ferries way overpriced and we go to Dover and use Tesco Rewards for the tunnel, so cost is diesel to get there and quick crossing

Carol


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## Chas17 (May 1, 2005)

We are in Burnham on Sea Somerset. We usually go down to Dover the night before we travel and park up on Marine Parade for the night before catching the ferry. As far as we are concerned the holiday starts when we close the front door of the house and the journey is part of the holiday.


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## steco1958 (Mar 5, 2009)

carol said:


> so cost is diesel to get there and quick crossing
> 
> Carol


There are also time considerations, how long does it take to get to Dover from SW???

If it takes an extra day, that is in total 2 days off your holiday, it then may be beneficial for the OP to pay the extra.


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## ActiveCampers (Jun 17, 2005)

Its okay, we have "lots" of holiday  10 months last year.... So losing a few days isn't an issue. 

Oh well - Dover it is then - had hoped to miss that off. Damn. Still means M4/M25


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## mikebeaches (Oct 18, 2008)

Hi Ryan

To answer your question - I haven't found any good value crossings on the Western Channel routes for quite a few years now.

As others have said, you have to pay your money and take your choice. We use the tunnel, travelling from Bristol, even though there are occasions when other routes would have their advantages. But - £400+ compared to around £135 return through the tunnel (which can be paid for with Tesco vouchers) is generally a no-brainer for us.

Mike

PS You might consider it worth checking out LD Lines, but - on balance - the modest savings aren't sufficiently worthwhile for us.


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## raynipper (Aug 4, 2008)

Ha ha Join the club ActiveCampers.
We don't need sex we get screwed by Brittany Ferries often enough.

Ray.


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## Mike48 (May 1, 2005)

It's a 6 hour drive from Torquay to Dover via the main A303 which is a poor road considering its a major link. At one point the speed limit is 20mph. Distance is 270 miles approx.

More generally, the infrastructure in this area is hopelessly outdated - poor roads and laughable broadband speeds (if you can get it) as examples. This region - the SW - in virtually every aspect is about 20 years behind the rest of the UK.

Western Channel crossings are operated by Brittany Ferries and if you intend to use that route frequently their Travel Club membership is worthwhile. I now use Plymouth to Santander which is reasonably cost effective for those of us who live in this area as you save the 500 mile + round trip to and from Dover.


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## CurlyBoy (Jan 13, 2008)

I agree with most of what has been said already, as we live in Cornwall and time isn't a consideration, we always use the tunnel. £560 for Brittany Ferries from Plymouth 8O 8O 8O that's equivalent to a months holiday in France, well nearly if we didn't enjoy the odd glass of "vin rouge"

curlyboy


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## tattytony (Jun 29, 2009)

I prefer the Dover route due to the cost, we live in Taunton Somerset and if I am heavy footed I use M5 M4 M25 M26 M20 if light footed A303 but that way always takes us around 6-8hrs Motorway takes 5hrs max and thats with a 5tonne MH.

The Tunnel is our route of choice because of the time saving thus making up for some of the travelling time from the SW :wink: 

Good luck with which ever route or crossing you opt for 8)


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## alshymer (Nov 4, 2007)

*Cheapest Way From Sw To France*

We like Ld Lines Newhaven Dieppe. We always stay the night on Seaford seafront, catch the morning ferry, landing in France at around 14.30.
Coming the other way, take the pm ferry, drive to Seaford seafront, find a nice pub and stay the night. Very civilised.
Don't forget if you book by phone, over 60, you receive 20% discount. Rarely costs more than £90 single.
Regards
Alshymer


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## Penquin (Oct 15, 2007)

OK this will cause some arguments no doubt......

for the past 40 years we have lived near Exeter, we have used Dover but found the slog there very unpleasant and the savings on the ferry illusionary.....

the Portsmouth - St Malo route is very good, as is the Poole - St Malo route..... my rationale is as follows;

it is about a 2 hour drive to Portsmouth via the A35/A31 and the overnight ferry arrives at about 0800 in France. The Plymouth - Roscoff route arrives at about the same time, but is more expensive and the return to the UK is not at a convenient time always.

So we go to the ferry and have a cabin, eat on the ferry - if there is a "proper" restaurant the meal is usually excellent. We then sleep across the channel, arrive at the port having had breakfast - foc as we are Club Voyage members- we regard it as a part of our trip and enjoy it.

The journey cost is typically much less than £400 - we book early and get a 10% discount for the Club Voyage membership. Leaving at about 2100 from Portsmouth is easy and does mean we have a leisurely trip. We are then on dual carriageway within 15 minutes and can drive to Nantes before the autoroute with tolls cuts in. That is MUCH cheaper than going via Caen where the peage starts within 10 miles....  

We have been doing this journey to our house about 6 times a year for the last 3 years before retirement - we came to the conclusion that it was cost effective, time effective and a pleasant, unstressed journey which we have done even with a LARGE trailer behind our car.

I am always happy to share our Club Voyage number if anyone wants to use it - it gives a 10% discount off the ferry, but not the free breakfast - that is only for us I am afraid........ We do give the same number to people renting our gite so that they can use it if they want.

If that would help, feel free to drop me a PM.

Dave


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

We have a 250 mile drive to either Folkstone or Dover.
We used to drive further to Plymouth when caravaning to Brittany
Holiday starts when the key is turned in the front door. So no days lost.
Late afternoon/ early evening tunnel crossing, Cite de Europe or Gravelines for the night.
Since we started using Tesco clubcard we have suffiecient points for two crossings a year.
We don`t even shop at Tesco.

dave p


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## lesanne (May 1, 2008)

Hi we live in France and regularely travel from Caen to Portsmouth w ith the van if you want to save a few quid P M me as we have a voyages club registration ,no probs using it ,could save you 10%or more..regards Les


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## Hawcara (Jun 1, 2009)

When we had a caravan we used Brittany Ferries to travel to France. We used to get the 2pm boat and stay at Roscoff overnight and start through France the next day. The crossing takes 6 hours and is a bit of a drag if it is rough.
Now with a motorhome it is 6 hours to Dover, a stay on the port overnight and start the next day for Germany. The journey time is the same but the cost of diesel each way is less than the ferry crossing. For us it makes sense, but only as we are going to Germany.
If we still had a caravan I would have a serious think as I think tugging is harder work.


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

I live in Weymouth less than 5 miles from the Condor terminal but Its MUCH cheaper for me to drive to Dover for a channel crossing than it is to take any of the western approaches crossings, even taking into account the 200 miles each way. 

My holiday also starts once I get in the driving seat. Overnight on Marine Parade, early morning crossing, brekkie on board, then I'm in France!!

Portsmouth -Cherbourg or similar is nearly £400, Dover Calais is about £110. So I have nearly £300 to spend on fuel. At 25mpg thats about 1200 miles worth of diesel!!

You can either save time OR money, never both. 

Portsmouth to Santander is about £1000 return in September Portsmouth to St Malo at the same time is about £400 bearing in mind how much further it is to Sanatander the costs dont really add up do they??

What is needed is a bit of competition, look how much the Dover - Calais crossing shot up once SeaFrance went under.
,


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## Mike48 (May 1, 2005)

Mrplodd said:


> Portsmouth to Santander is about £1000 return in September Portsmouth to St Malo at the same time is about £400 bearing in mind how much further it is to Sanatander the costs dont really add up do they??
> 
> What is needed is a bit of competition, look how much the Dover - Calais crossing shot up once SeaFrance went under.
> ,


I have my September return ticket to Santander in front of me for return in late October. Cost is £695.60 which includes club class cabin and free breakfasts for two. I'm a travel club member.

According to via Michelin using the Dover Calais route from my home in Devon to a popular place such as Benidorm the *return* mileage is:

2800 miles at a cost of £808.38 inclusive of tolls plus ferry (say £150 return) = £958.38

On the Plymouth Santander route from my home in Devon the return mileage is:

1150 miles at a cost of £245.56 (virtually toll free) plus ferry @£695.60 = £941.16.

Of course these figures are very approximate but they at least show that the Santander route is not as extortionate as many people believe it to be. You can of course make savings on the Calais route by avoiding tolls but you have to add to that the cost of additional journey time and overnight stops.

Touring in France en route to your destination is enjoyable but that no longer is of interest to me as I've done France so many times.


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Travel*



carol said:


> We lived in Cornwall for 25 years and now 12 in North Devon and find Brittany Ferries way overpriced and we go to Dover and use Tesco Rewards for the tunnel, so cost is diesel to get there and quick crossing
> 
> Carol


Is it really worth it?

Say 540 miles return from north Devon to Dover. That is a lot of Fuel!. And then if you want to get over to Brittany, another 510 miles (1020 return).

So if you were to go to Brittany, that is 1560 miles (roughly).

If you are going to South east med (Nice) it is 880 miles from Roscoff one way. To do the same from North Devon, 1050 miles and 270ish of that is on UK's Congested roads.

I have given up trying to do cheap. False economy and stressful.

Just booked a Return from Plymouth to Roscoff in August for £350 for 8m motorhome. Even less if you have a French CDV membership.

Also Have booked

Newcastle-Amsterdam-Newcastle 
Hull-Zeebrugge-Hull
Portsmouth-Bilbao-Portsmouth

But we do live up-North!

TM


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

Fair comments re mileages, and certainly a lot depends just how far you are away from Dover, and where you intend to go once "over 'tother side" 

I have a 7.4m van so length does have an impact on (some) ferry fares. 

My main comment was that its only just over twice as much to go from Portsmouth - Santander as it is to go from Portsdmouth to St Malo, its LOT further to Santander so by rights it should cost a LOT more


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## CliveMott (Mar 10, 2008)

Depends where you are going. If the Gulf de Morbihan for example then the expensive ferry from Plymouth could be argued. But if heading for the Med then Dover wins hands down every time.

C.


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## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

prices are what the operator thinks the market will accept..

Dave p


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## carol (May 9, 2005)

Well I know we don't live in Torquay, but we do more or less join the M5 at around the same place, and we always go M5/A303/M3/M25/M20 I think that is how the M's come and we manage to do it in less than 6 hours, yes we allow that, as of course with especially the M25 you have to be aware of what 'might' happen, but so far, with fingers crossed, as we leave today, we have been lucky.... 

We could just go M5, M4 and then the rest, but the A303 is not really a bad road all in all, there are a few slow bits, especially if caught behind lorries on those bits.

Carol


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## chasper (Apr 20, 2008)

We use the same route as Carol and it is between 5 and 6 hours if we leave at 7 in the morning an  d thats from the north devon coast. + Tesco vouchers.


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## Motorhomersimpson (May 9, 2005)

*Re: Cheapest Way From Sw To France*



alshymer said:


> We like Ld Lines Newhaven Dieppe. We always stay the night on Seaford seafront, catch the morning ferry, landing in France at around 14.30.
> Coming the other way, take the pm ferry, drive to Seaford seafront, find a nice pub and stay the night. Very civilised.
> Don't forget if you book by phone, over 60, you receive 20% discount. Rarely costs more than £90 single.
> Regards
> Alshymer


I agree  although I don't know about the over 60 as I'm not 

I used LD lines Newhaven to Deipe (on my bike though) last June for the first time, coming from Wales we didn't want the trek around the M25 it was a holiday after all.

I then came across LD Lines, the ferry was clean, modern and the crossing takes 4 hours which is nothing really. They run two times, 8am and 6pm I think I took the 8am.

http://ldlines.co.uk/?gclid=CM2V97Sc4a8CFWchtAodi2MN5g

MHS...Rob


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## mrbricolage (Jun 30, 2008)

This year we are going to the Atlantic coast in the SW of France. It's a long trip but we feel it is worth it for the weather. 
We are calculating that it will take most of Saturday and Sunday to get where we want to be. I looked at ferries from Plymouth and it just does not work out. 

Our trip from Banbury is 170 miles which takes approx 3 hrs so we will overnight at Marine parade. Then the ferry is £68 to calais with DFDS. 

Then a further 600 miles to get there. We expec to stop over on an Aire near Tours. Round trip fuel costs will be close to £400 there and back.

So I cannot justify spending double on travel.


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## pgjohnso (Jan 8, 2009)

We used the DFDS Line from Dover to Dunkirk recently - 2 hours and ideal starting point in France. For a 7.6m Van and two adults - $48 return through Caravan Club. Ships are clean and plenty of seating and eating places. Also there are Motorhome parking places for overnighting on the "Promenade" at Dover.


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## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

Do you really only include the cost of diesel when comparing costs?
What about all the extra costs? Wear and tear, tyres, extra servicing, increased mileage on the vehicle reducing it's value and last but not least the driver wasting his/her life away plodding along a UK motorway to reach the hell on earth that is Dover only to repeat it all again on the otherside before you reach the point the longer ferry crossing would have taken you to.

I agree with Penguin 101%, life is worth more than plodding along a motorway - on either side of the channel.


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