France for a few days and a ferry

[thebullettrain]

I am looking to take a ferry to France. I've never driven there before but I was thinking about going somewhere nice for a a couple of days with either one or two nights there. At the moment I am thinking about driving to Dover, taking the ferry, maybe visiting a hypermarket there and doing a few other like [insert your suggestions here], spending the night in a local hotel and probably coming back the next day.

Any ideas would be welcome. I'm taking a toddler and a older lady so it needs to be faimly friendly.

[blueST]

If I was in your boat, I'd drive to the Champagne region, say Epernay, tour a champagne house, visit a vineyard etc. It's far enough from the port to feel like a proper break but not a gruelling drive.

[Dover Nige]

How about Norfolkline Dover > Dunkirk, an hour or so up the motorway and a couple of days in Bruges? Park the car in one of the underground car parks, stay in the town and enjoy what looks like a living film set. I did it myself recently with my girlfriend and we had a lovely time.

[F i F]

First of all agree with the choice of ferry Norfolkline Dover>Dunkirk, definitely my favourite of the short crossing operators.
Only use the Tunnel if you really have somebody who travels badly on the sea plus the ferry gives a better feel of an occasion than just sitting in your vehicle in a train.

Bruges is a good suggestion as once you are there enough things to do without needing the car all the time.

I'm doing Reims later this year in a short break. As for champange houses will visit Ruinart in Reims and Moet in Epernay I think plus various historical sites, eg Basilica, Museum of the Surrender, including the old GP circuit as far as possible.

As mentioned above far enough to be an event without being so far it becomes a slog.

Edited by F i F on Tuesday 27th July 09:58

[Trophybloo]

Can only endorse Dover Nige's post. Norfolk line off peak is the cheapest ferry crossing by far. Its actually less than an hour up the coast from Calais if you want to get to Champagne or Brie regions (even day trip into Paris range

[Muzzlehatch]

I'd recommend a short stay at Le Touquet (just south of Boulogne). It's dubbed "Paris Plage", as it's effectively the place where the well-to-do Parisiens used to holiday in days of yore.

It has plenty of reasonable hotels and good restaurants, family activities, walks, cycle routes, horses, and there's even a race circuit about 30 minutes drive away (Croix en Ternois).

Edited by Muzzlehatch on Wednesday 28th July 10:12

[YRRunner]

If you are only there for a couple of days, you probably don't need to be driving too far. I can highly reccommend Giverny, west/north west of Paris. Fantastic scenic routes along the Seine, arriving in Giverny (beautiful) and visiting Monet's house and gardens within which are the factual scenes of many of Monet's most famous works. Also, spend a couple of hours in Vernon (a little further north up the Seine). There is a medieval castle right on the river which is linked to Richard the Lionheart. Stunning scenery, great roads, lovely villages with great bistros.