cheapest France options

Tarry

In the past, my friend and I stayed in Boulogne Sur Mer. We went on foot on the ferry as foot passengers and caught the train from Calais to Boulogne and stayed in Hotel Alexandra These where the days the speed ferry sailed to Boulogne, although didn't use it, just saw it dock.

I know that was in the past, but I do normally go over to France 3/4 times a year (last trip over was 7 Decmber 13) but these days take the vehicle and have visited quite a few places over there.

pompeyrich

Cornucopia wrote: »

If you're staying at a port, then traveling on foot, rather than taking the car on the ferry is generally much cheaper.

Not always on the Dover-Calais crossings, I just priced up a peak season return, out fri back monday mid August and it is £100 for a car and 5 passengers or £167.50 as foot passengers with P&O.

For the longer crossings, Portsmouth/Plymouth it could well be cheaper to leave the car this side.

Tarry

Yes you can get some good deals if you book at right time. It's a competive stretch of water, so IMO you can afford to shop around, although I tend to use the same company

Satoshi

Tarry wrote: »

Yes you can get some good deals if you book at right time. It's a competive stretch of water, so IMO you can afford to shop around, although I tend to use the same company

Any tips for getting the good offers?

Tarry

I always just book direct in advance, and sometimes get deals sent to me as booked before.

pompeyrich

Satoshi wrote: »

We want to stay in Calais. we are looking at ferry then hotel or hiring a house near the ferry terminal.

I cant seem to find any package deals.

At the moment we are thinking about £70 rtn for the car on the ferry, and about £230 for 2 nights in a nice looking holiday house in Calais.

So about £300 plus fuel and food etc.

Is this a good deal, or are there better options?

You don't say when you are looking to go but the ferry is about right at £70 return for the car and all of you. The accomadation is as much or as little as you want to pay really, F1 hotels start from around €30 a night but you would probably need 2 rooms, although we have sneaked 5 in a room before! The toilet is down the corridor so may not be great if the kids are young.

How about a weekend at SunParks, similar to Centre Parks, the nearest ones are in Belgium but that is only an hours drive from Calais along a toll free Motorway. They have some good offers for feb and march about €225 for the weekend, fri-mon.

DCFC79

If you want a Hotel but want the toilet within your room there are other hotel chains like hotel premiere classe , theres 1 in boulogne sur mer for 125euro for 2 rooms, they can fit 5 in a room but only 1 room left at Boulogne (its a little cheaper for 1 room). Ive based it on fri and sat night stay.

Im struggling to think of other hotel chains.

pompeyrich

DCFC79 wrote: »

If you want a Hotel but want the toilet within your room there are other hotel chains like hotel premiere classe , theres 1 in boulogne sur mer for 125euro for 2 rooms, they can fit 5 in a room but only 1 room left at Boulogne (its a little cheaper for 1 room). Ive based it on fri and sat night stay.

Im struggling to think of other hotel chains.

There is a lot of info on the day tripper.net site, direct link to budget chains HERE.

We used to like the B&B chain, the 4 bed rooms at around €55 a night at weekends, have a mezzanine floor inside the room with 2 single beds and enough room for an inflateable bed too. Apart from F1, most of the others have an en-suite. They all used to be really cheap but the prices are creeping up these days.

Satoshi

pompeyrich wrote: »

You don't say when you are looking to go but the ferry is about right at £70 return for the car and all of you. The accomadation is as much or as little as you want to pay really, F1 hotels start from around €30 a night but you would probably need 2 rooms, although we have sneaked 5 in a room before! The toilet is down the corridor so may not be great if the kids are young.

How about a weekend at SunParks, similar to Centre Parks, the nearest ones are in Belgium but that is only an hours drive from Calais along a toll free Motorway. They have some good offers for feb and march about €225 for the weekend, fri-mon.

I like the look of sunparks, thanks for that.

Yes seems good value, but you have to pay for everything else when there?

maman

I don't know your budget but we had a cheap holiday in Brittany last year using Brittany ferry holidays. There are discounts at the moment on many cottages. It would mean you taking the car to Portsmouth but we found going for the cottage and ferry package much cheaper than we could do separately.

Personally I would always take the car to France unless flying to Paris.