Ferries / Eurostar suggestions

[simons123]

My wife is 3 months pregnant and she is adamant she won't fly abroad because of this (despite from what I'm reading there being no risk to the unborn baby, she has it in her head it's dangerous due to someone she knows having a miscarriage on holiday straight after a flight).

The idea of going away in the UK depresses me, so she agreed she would be happy to go on a short ferry then drive or Eurostar. I was looking at a ferry from Portsmouth to Bilbao. That alone comes to £800 return with my car! This is absolutely outrageous given I could fly for around £80 return. So looking at shorter ferries to France and even they are close to £500. Absolutely ridiculous....anyone got any suggestions to cut the cost??

Looking at the Eurostar and they all seem to go to major cities like Paris or Amsterdam. Anyway to get to a nice beach resort via Eurostar?

[simons123]

loskie said:

"The idea of going away in the UK depresses me"

What a sad attitude.

Not really. Other then bits of Cornwall (which is a 5-6 hour drive) and hardly warrants a full week, it's all pretty much meh (IMO). Overpriced hotels, crap weather, nothing really interesting to see or do Just depresses me. I like the Cotswolds but not really a holiday place. Horses for courses and all that but I'd rather stay at home then waste money in the UK.

[simons123]

Nemophilist said:

We rarely fly.

We love uk holidays generally but once a year we get le shuttle or dfds ferry to Calais and drive into France and sometimes a bit further.
The crossing to and from France has never cost us more than £270 return and no need to hire a car at the other end.

Manche area of Normandy has lovely beaches, Brittany is not much further along.
Sometimes we go further south, Lake Annecy with a visit to Geneva etc.

If not into that sort of holiday there are cruises you can go on without needing to fly.
We don’t fancy cruising but lots of friends do the no fly cruises and rave about them.

I’ve noticed a few companies popping up specialising in no fly holiday planning based around sleeper trains which sounds fun

Edited by Nemophilist on Sunday 12th May 15:21

Thanks for the suggestion. Any other places in the north of France you recommend?...Lake Annecy looks spectacular. How far is the drive from Calais?

[simons123]

loskie said:

We rented a gite in courseulles-sur-mer las year which was nice. Got the Dover Calais ferry but Portsmouth Caen would be nearer.

You don't really say what you want from a holiday but due to your negative attitude to UK holidays I'm assuming you are the all inclusive lying by a pool type.

Nah not at all. Been all over India, China, Cambodia, etc so like doing more then generally sitting around a pool. Just think the UK is one big expensive, depressing dump and I work to get away from the UK as much as possible (it's still my home though so no plans of leaving). But if I'm stuck in 1 place for a week then at least you want is nice weather, good food, good hotels, nice beaches (none of which can be found here).

[simons123]

Antony Moxey said:

simons123 said:

loskie said:

"The idea of going away in the UK depresses me"

What a sad attitude.

Not really. Other then bits of Cornwall (which is a 5-6 hour drive) and hardly warrants a full week, it's all pretty much meh (IMO). Overpriced hotels, crap weather, nothing really interesting to see or do Just depresses me. I like the Cotswolds but not really a holiday place. Horses for courses and all that but I'd rather stay at home then waste money in the UK.

What do you mean ‘hardly warrants a full week’? Get a good drop of weather (yes, I know) and you can easily spend a couple of weeks exploring. I took the Eurostar to Amsterdam a couple of weeks ago and as good as the trip and city were for a long weekend break, give me a motor home tour of Cornwall (like we did a couple of summers ago) any day of the week.

I don't have a motor home though. I mean you couldn't exactly stay in 1 resort / location in the UK could you really for a week or more. The hotels are just not catered to that, neither is the weather and it's expensive. Done Padstow area a couple of times and you honestly can't tell me after 2-3 days there is anything to do to justify spending a week there.

[simons123]

andyA700 said:

simons123 said:

Antony Moxey said:

simons123 said:

loskie said:

"The idea of going away in the UK depresses me"

What a sad attitude.

Not really. Other then bits of Cornwall (which is a 5-6 hour drive) and hardly warrants a full week, it's all pretty much meh (IMO). Overpriced hotels, crap weather, nothing really interesting to see or do Just depresses me. I like the Cotswolds but not really a holiday place. Horses for courses and all that but I'd rather stay at home then waste money in the UK.

What do you mean ‘hardly warrants a full week’? Get a good drop of weather (yes, I know) and you can easily spend a couple of weeks exploring. I took the Eurostar to Amsterdam a couple of weeks ago and as good as the trip and city were for a long weekend break, give me a motor home tour of Cornwall (like we did a couple of summers ago) any day of the week.

I don't have a motor home though. I mean you couldn't exactly stay in 1 resort / location in the UK could you really for a week or more. The hotels are just not catered to that, neither is the weather and it's expensive. Done Padstow area a couple of times and you honestly can't tell me after 2-3 days there is anything to do to justify spending a week there.

I agree with you, I couldn't spend more than a week in any place in the UK. In 2022, we went to Brittany, Dinard, absolutely superb, two weeks of sheer pleasure and relaxation. We rented an appartment, with good views of the Atlantic from two rooms, in a very peaceful area for around £90 per night. We were just 100m away from superb beaches and the best patisserie ever. I think the Shuttle cost around £250 return, so not that bad.

Glad I'm not the only one who finds the UK depressing to holiday in.

Just looked at Dinard. Great shout on that. Looks great tbh. Do you have a link for the apartments if you don't mind me asking? Sounds a bargain.

[simons123]

croyde said:

simons123 said:

Nah not at all. Been all over India, China, Cambodia, etc so like doing more then generally sitting around a pool. Just think the UK is one big expensive, depressing dump and I work to get away from the UK as much as possible (it's still my home though so no plans of leaving). But if I'm stuck in 1 place for a week then at least you want is nice weather, good food, good hotels, nice beaches (none of which can be found here).

Having holidayed a lot in the UK thanks to Covid, I can only agree with you.

Pubs in the middle of bumfek nowhere charging London prices for shoite food, great scenery, if you can see it through the drizzle.

Shame your wife won't fly. Last Christmas I spent 5 weeks in Tenerife. Up in the north away from the tourists. Hiking and exploring in my cheap hire car whilst living in an old apartment in a very working class Canarian town.

It was so cheap for eating out and having a drink.

I do day walks in the UK but I refuse to stop for a coffee £3.80, a pint £6.00 or a snack £7.00 to £10.00. Just feks me off.

I was paying €1.10 for a beer in Tenerife Norte and could eat like a king for €12.00 including drinks.

Blue skies and 22c to 28c every day of my 34 days away apart from one day of rain.

UK has been cold, wet and so muddy for every one of my trips be it in the middle of summer or December.

If you do get a sunny day it's gridlock, massive queues for food/drink, no parking and if there's a room spare, it'll be £200.

Glad its not just me who find the UK depressing to holiday in....get the feeling the only people who like to holiday here are those who are either scared of flying or have young kids.

Like you say to park anywhere is a nightmare, the accomodation in the UK is pretty shocking, weather is st, food is expensive and pretty st, it's all just very bleak and depressing. Can't even go in the sea as it's freezing cold and full of sewage.

[simons123]

vikingaero said:

ferret50 said:

I am a fanboy of Newhaven/Dieppe, both ferry and terminals are clean but basic but undercut Brittaney Ferries by a fair margin. However, I would suggest booking as far ahead as you can manage!

I have also discovered on my last two trips that amending my return crossing gets very expensive....

I did a short break from Newhaven-Dieppe and it was a breath of fresh air compared to the Tunnel or Dover. I think for a 4 day break I paid about £100 return for a car and 2 adults. Looked up another short break in June and it's £118.

Where are you seeing these prices? For first week of July for 2 adults and a car cheapest I can find is just over £200

[simons123]

Thank you for all the responses on this thread.

On the back of this decided I will catch the ferry to Calais, drive to Honfleur (spend 1 night there) then drive to St Malo (4 nights there) then 2 nights in Bayeux before catching the ferry back from Caen. Thoughts on this itinerary? Possible day trips to Dinard, Dinan, Mt St Micheal maybe Rouen.