How do I get to France?

[Torslanda]

{Edit}

Poll Added.

Keep going guys, this is great.

luv'n'stuff

J

[Greenbank]

What about driving but using Eurotunnel instead of a ferry?

Folkestone to Calais in 35 minutes (plus faffing time), plus you get a short break from driving.

[nuttycyclist]

What about driving but using Eurotunnel instead of a ferry?

Folkestone to Calais in 35 minutes (plus faffing time), plus you get a short break from driving.

We use the ferry to ensure a decent break in driving.  Coming from Manchester Dover is an ideal location, two legs with a short break, then a long break on the ferry.

That's the same routine we use whenever driving longer distances (e.g. South coast of France).  2 to 3 hours, then a very brief p!$$ stop and change driver, a further 2 to 3 hours then a longer stop for food/drink.  Repeat.

[pcolbeck]

Hull - Zeebrugge is a nice alternative if you live in the North of England. Cuts out the horrible drive to Dover or Portsmouth and drops you off fresh as a daisy in Zeebrugge about eight in the morning after an overnight ferry ride and a good nights kip. More expensive the Dover Calais but you save on petrol not driving down to Dover and potentially could drive to the South of France in one day. Quite easily with two adults sharing the driving so you would save on the cost of an overnight. Since we have kids we tend to do an overnight stop at Clermont Ferrand and that makes for a nice easy trip.

[frankly frankie]

... then cross country through Loches to Chatearoux.  If you like driving on roads with two or three other cars this is the route for you. 

Oh do you mind - this is a route we cycle every year!!

[rafletcher]

If you want to travel in August I'd book soon if I were you. And FWIW ferry and car would be my choice. If you can't get a cabin to sleep in I'd be inclined to get an afternoon ferry to Boulogne (or maybe the shuttle) and spend a night en route in France.

Second would be train - not sure about the London connections though, and hauling luggage and kids across town between stations is no fun.

Chateuroux - had a memorable meal in the "Station Hotel" there many moons ago - 15yrs plus I guess. The fish soup came served in an individual goblet style tureen, with a perfect hemisperical dome of shortcrust pastry sealing it, amazing. And it was the only place in France I'd ever been asked to choose my dessert when ordering - we did, and I remember the sublime freshly made creme anglais it came with.

[Greenbank]

Second would be train - not sure about the London connections though, and hauling luggage and kids across town between stations is no fun.

Euston to St Pancras would probably be cheaper by taxi than the tube (given that it's less than a mile), and much easier by taxi as you don't have to deal with escalators, ticket barriers, etc. You might even get trolleys at both ends too.

[JohnP]

... then cross country through Loches to Chatearoux.  If you like driving on roads with two or three other cars this is the route for you. 

Oh do you mind - this is a route we cycle every year!!

Just make sure you ride near the edge of the road and my car should miss you.   

Perfect cycling roads.

[Andrew Br]

I've driven down to near Benidorm from Manchester for the past two years.
Both times I drove down to Folkestone in the evening, stayed in a Travelodge and got Eurotunnel early in the morning.
After that it was a case of head down and follow the sat nav.
I would recommend a car-fridge for keeping drinks cold and don't speed too much- fines are heavy and if you are too far over the limit, they can take your license away on the spot.
I'm doing something similar this year, though this time I'll also be stopping in France for a few days cycling, stopping again near Girona for more cycling before carrying on to Benidorm.
Whichever travel method you use, enjoy.

[Jules]

What about driving but using Eurotunnel instead of a ferry?

Folkestone to Calais in 35 minutes (plus faffing time), plus you get a short break from driving.

We use the ferry to ensure a decent break in driving.  Coming from Manchester Dover is an ideal location, two legs with a short break, then a long break on the ferry.

That's the same routine we use whenever driving longer distances (e.g. South coast of France).  2 to 3 hours, then a very brief p!$$ stop and change driver, a further 2 to 3 hours then a longer stop for food/drink.  Repeat.

+1 for that. We're only 2 hours from Dover but leave at about 5am as the kids will fall asleep in the car. Get a ferry at around 7:30 to 8 and use the 90 mins for a rest a restorative Full English in the comfort of the restaurant. This gets us to France before 11 forn time and we're away to Strasbourg  where we usually overnight, for late afternoon.

[Regulator]

Second would be train - not sure about the London connections though, and hauling luggage and kids across town between stations is no fun.

Euston to St Pancras would probably be cheaper by taxi than the tube (given that it's less than a mile), and much easier by taxi as you don't have to deal with escalators, ticket barriers, etc. You might even get trolleys at both ends too.

Euston to St Pancras is a bout a 2 minute walk (5 minutes with kids and luggage) - no need for either the tube or a taxi.  Both would take you longer to get in and out of than it would to walk.

[yello]

Châteauroux, it's ChâteaUroux 

I live around 60km south of there, 100km north of Limoges and reckon 6 hours to Limoges with kids is a tough tough ask. More like 7. It takes me 5 1/2 hrs to get to Calais on my motorbike!

I would also agree about avoiding Paris; you can get lucky and get around with no problem but it's pot luck. The Abbeyville, Rouen, Evreux, Dreux, Chatres, N154, A10 route is my favoured way back down here, especially now the though N154 works have been completed. Going back, I have taken the A10 through to Paris and skirted east on the A86 to pick up the A1 but that was on the mbike.

[Russell]

... then cross country through Loches to Chatearoux.  If you like driving on roads with two or three other cars this is the route for you. 

Oh do you mind - this is a route we cycle every year!!

Sorry, I meant the motorway Alencon - Le Mans down to Tours is very quiet.  And apologies for the typo on Chateauroux.

[Torslanda]

Ferries are now booked.

Thanks to everyone for all the info. Now all I need to do is sort out the right route.
I'm thinking

Manchester>M62>A1>A14>M11>M25>M20>Dover

~~~~ ~~~~ Wet Bit ~~~~ ~~~~

Boulogne>wibble,wibble>A10>A20>Limoges

Please feel free to flesh out the 'wibble,wibble' section.

luv'n'stuff

John

[Rapples]

FWIW I live on the A1 just south of A14

If you are travelling at a quiet time of day I would stay on A1 all the way to M25.

Bon Voyage

[JT]

FWIW I live on the A1 just south of A14

If you are travelling at a quiet time of day I would stay on A1 all the way to M25.

Bon Voyage

FWIW I live near the A1 just north of the A14.

If you are travelling at a quiet time of day I would use the A14/M11 - too many roundabouts and 50mph zones on the A1. Once you're on the M11 you've a clear run all the way to the M25 and you're cutting across country slightly. 

[yello]

Boulogne>wibble,wibble>A10>A20>Limoges

Please feel free to flesh out the 'wibble,wibble' section.

A16 Abbeyville, A28 Rouen, A13 N154 Evreux, Dreux, Chatres, A10 Orléans, A71 Veirzon, A20 Limoges

is my favoured route... but others have ideas too

[Rapples]

FWIW I live on the A1 just south of A14

If you are travelling at a quiet time of day I would stay on A1 all the way to M25.

Bon Voyage

FWIW I live near the A1 just north of the A14.

If you are travelling at a quiet time of day I would use the A14/M11 - too many roundabouts and 50mph zones on the A1. Once you're on the M11 you've a clear run all the way to the M25 and you're cutting across country slightly. 

I'll race you then

Seriously though, I've never found it any better cutting across to the M11, whatever time of day, but I suppose I end up going cross country more and don't use the A14.