I'm coming round to the 'Drive thru France' to Spain idea..... (1 Viewer)

[Hagstrom]

After over 13 years of driving through France in December, in the middle of last month I took the Cap Finisterre mid-week (the direct, 24 hour, crossing to Bilbao) crossing and enjoyed it, despite the pain in the wallet.

If I could leave UK earlier, say, 1st October, and drive through France on the tail of good weather, then I would because of the cost saving.

But driving down France in late November/December is hard going.

Norman

PS By the way, the weather in the Cabo de Gata has been fabulous since I arrived!

 

[Granjan]

Tried a few routes now, Tunnel / various ferries, given where we live pros and cons to all of them. We will use whichever seems best on each occasion depending where we are heading.
I love to do things differently and most importantly keep stress to a minimum ... its supposed to be a holiday. I would rather spend a few pounds more to have a nice day.
Equally I don't bother paying for a luxury cabin if it will be dark and I am arriving late / docking early I won't see much out of the window anyway and I hope to be asleep and arrive refreshed. Save it to spend on another trip. Are the ferries full in winter, could you book last minute after checking the weather via road / sea?

 

[PeteH]

It is a long drive up through France, and the weather can be vicious after the New Year, Gales, Snow, Ice. Crossing the Pyrenees can be a lottery on some days too. (I followed a snow plough in near zero visibility one year). Nice when you get over, but getting there????.

Also Not many Sites are open Jan/Feb. and some Aires are unavailable too. We Over-nighted outside a cemetery in the car park, and outside the gates of a site that was Supposed to be open!! in 4" of snow!. Than goodness for the generator in an R-V!!!.

There is no doubt though that it is cheaper than the North Spain by sea route, up to £400-00 in fact even taking into account the fuel consumption difference between my Current M-H and the R-V it was still a £150 dearer!.

Pete

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[Jaws]

8 years of going to Spain for the winter.. Every year I do the calculations based on a 20mpg figure ( though apart from when we towed the Smartie we always get better than that )
Every year it comes back the same.. It is cheaper ( and to an extent more fun ) to do the Calais ( or Dunkirk ) route than the Santander / Bilboa route.. And by a fair few bob too !

 

[Lenny HB]

Going to Portugal mid Feb returning mid April, Brittney ferries economy £750, cruise £890.
Cost to Bilbao via Newhaven Dieppe ferry & fuel less than £300.
Will be booking the Newhaven ferry tomorrow.

 

[Allan & Loren]

I've been in the bay of biscay at the end of April in a mega storm on a Royal carribean cruise ship. We didn't see the captain or crew for 2 days, stabilisers were extended to their fullest, all smaller cruise ships behind us were sent back as they couldn't cope with the 16 metre waves! People less able bodied were asked to stay in their cabins but we still had 3 with broken legs, 2 broken arms and a few with nasty bruises. I'm not sea sick and managed ok but I was so pleased to be on such a fantastic ship. I wouldn't want to go through that on a ferry and the chances of bad weather would be greater in winter months.

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[MR. FUSION]

It is a long drive up through France, and the weather can be vicious after the New Year, Gales, Snow, Ice. Crossing the Pyrenees can be a lottery on some days too. (I followed a snow plough in near zero visibility one year). Nice when you get over, but getting there????.

Also Not many Sites are open Jan/Feb. and some Aires are unavailable too. We Over-nighted outside a cemetery in the car park, and outside the gates of a site that was Supposed to be open!! in 4" of snow!. Than goodness for the generator in an R-V!!!.

There is no doubt though that it is cheaper than the North Spain by sea route, up to £400-00 in fact even taking into account the fuel consumption difference between my Current M-H and the R-V it was still a £150 dearer!.

Pete

Spent over a decade in northern Scotland driving and living in snow, gales and sub zero temps, dont need any more of that, Glad I took the ferry option.

 

[2657]

Driving through France in Winter is not my idea of relaxing fun......but then neither is a 24 hour crossing in heavy seas.

Luckily we don't have to make that decision we leave our static van in S.Brittany early September and meander through France and Spain to Portugal for most of the Winter and then reverse in May. Always use BF Portsmouth St. Malo though when we return to UK in Summer.

May have to return to UK in March to change vehicles and will be using Santander then, most convenient just hope for good weather, if not lie down in cabin and move about as little as possible, not pleasant but passable.

 

[MR. FUSION]

Having just checked the ferry prices for January I am beginning to think that going via Calais instead of Bilbao is not such a daft idea

The saving once the cost of diesel is taken into account is approx £200 one way

Does the panel (hehe, I know you're all out there) have any thoughts on the matter?

Cheers

When I checked the prices it was about £230 for the cheap ferry, (6m van) so do you have a really big van & trailer???

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[MitchandJenny]

Still undecided about the route to take through France, but that can be decided when we get out of the tunnel on the 5th Jan..
No rush.

 

[Lenny HB]

When I checked the prices it was about £230 for the cheap ferry, (6m van) so do you have a really big van & trailer???

Doubt if that includes the £100 for a cabin.

 

[makems]

Horses for courses.
We always take the ferry for reasons other than cost:
I don't drive because of bad eyesight so Gwen does all the driving. She suffers badly from an arthritic back so the driving itself is no great pleasure and for us it is worth paying a few bob to save a lot of driving.
Also because of her back we are limited to three hours maximum driving per day (more typically 2 - 2.5 hours) which means taking quite a few days to get down through France. If the weather is bad as it can be occasionally, days and days spent in ice and snow just aren't worth it for us.
As for bad weather, we've done the crossing eight times now and so far only had rough seas for one half of one crossing. We dose ourselves with Sturgeron and sleep most of the way. For that reason we book an inside cabin as there's nowt to look at except water in a more expensive outside cabin. (Inside cabins roll less too).

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[Barclaybasher]

I did Barcelona and back last January...... F**king freezing, few places open... if you 'do' France in Winter, get South as quickly as possible, ferry or peage....

 

[MR. FUSION]

Doubt if that includes the £100 for a cabin.

Oh yes forgot about that

 

[wanderer]

I did Barcelona and back last January...... F**king freezing, few places open... if you 'do' France in Winter, get South as quickly as possible, ferry or peage....

This !!! France in Dec/Jan/Feb bl##dy freezing either wet or cold same as UK . I am not a good sailor but bed for 24 hours with a few tablets and its over .

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[jumartoo]

Our friends booked the ferry to Spain earlier this year and in both directions the ferry was cancelled and so ended up having to drive from and to France anyway. They did get compensation but they almost missed the start of a competition they were taking part in.

 

[Chockswahay]

Wow, a massive response

I should add that my calculations are based on the 'cheapest' ferry on each crossing. This does mean the 'Economie' ferry on the Spanish sailing, if I were to use the 'proper' ferry then the price will increase by another £45

I have used 35mpg and £0.75 per litre to work out diesel costs (note for @Judgemental: this assumes I will be driving faster than normal almost at 'JudgeSpeed' )

If I were to take a min miles road trip then I would use the Portsmouth/Caen ferry which will add £76 but drive 172 miles less in France (saving £16 in diesel) therefore £60 more than going via Calais.

In summary then:

Dover/Calais to North Spain border ................. £48 ferry + £64 diesel = £112

Portsmouth/Caen to North Spain Border ........£124 ferry + £47 diesel = £171

Portsmouth/Bilbao 'Econimie' .........................£314 ferry no diesel = £314

Portsmouth/Santander 'proper ferry' ...............£359 ferry no diesel = £359

Whilst none of these take into account mileage/wear and tear on the van I think the argument for driving through France is fairly strong (if cost is the promary factor).

Thinking about it ................. I might just go for the middle ground .............. Portsmouth/Caen

Of course, I haven't even looked at the tunnel yet but I think the only real advantage there would be speed/time saving (tempting!) .......

 

[Judge Mental]

last 3 trips to Benidorm have been about £200 on fuel each leg. one way on tunnel using frequent traveler £54. I can get there with 3 overnight stops..

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[Chockswahay]

last 3 trips to Benidorm have been about £200 on fuel each leg. one way on tunnel using frequent traveler £54. I can get there with 3 overnight stops..

A good price on the tunnel Judge but once you have moved to the coast you will have to drive EAST before you can begin your trips hehe

 

[Chockswahay]

last 3 trips to Benidorm have been about £200 on fuel each leg.

£200...........£200 Crikey Judge, I know you like to drive fast but ......

 

[Judge Mental]

A good price on the tunnel Judge but once you have moved to the coast you will have to drive EAST before you can begin your trips hehe

Will probably use Newhaven - dieppe then...

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[Charlie]

I think one bit of information being missed is the time on the road ?
Take Judge for instance with his PVC. He will cover ground faster and therefore with less of a tiring time than those with the much bigger vans.
Ok it's not enormous but it's part of the bigger picture that influenced our thoughts when deciding which might be best ?

 

[Mikey RV]

We came over to Cherbourg from Poole because we wanted to Bimble along through France and Spain and into Portugal where we are now. We wanted to see them all and were in no rush. We have done 1500 miles to get to the algarve from Devon and spent £245 on fuel. only wish we had more time

 

[Chockswahay]

I think one bit of information being missed is the time on the road ?
Take Judge for instance with his PVC. He will cover ground faster and therefore with less of a tiring time than those with the much bigger vans.
Ok it's not enormous but it's part of the bigger picture that influenced our thoughts when deciding which might be best ?

I agree My van is same as his but shorter

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[Judge Mental]

£200...........£200 Crikey Judge, I know you like to drive fast but ......

That not scientific just looking at fuel receipts. Maybe it's less...We also use tolls to get through parts where no fast alternative.
A16 A63 an example.. Use tolls in Spain as well as dirt cheap. Probably another £40 one way?

First night aim to get past Rouen, second on border, third on the plains of Navarra ...next day we are there

 

[PeteH]

We came over to Cherbourg from Poole because we wanted to Bimble along through France and Spain and into Portugal where we are now. We wanted to see them all and were in no rush. We have done 1500 miles to get to the algarve from Devon and spent £245 on fuel. only wish we had more time

Yes but, lucky you, you have already done it, before the weather really breaks. I was talking Jan/Feb, when even the southern French (can) take a battering. 2" of snow at Park Verger? one year! Severe gales brought trees down another!. Chasing snow and ice for 2 or 3 days is not enjoyable!!!. trust me I`ve done it!!.

Have a Nice winter though anyway!

Pete

 

[Charlie]

All this talk of snow and ice is putting us off.... There is no way the ferry is viable ..

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[Chockswahay]

All this talk of snow and ice is putting us off.... There is no way the ferry is viable ..

I would not worry too much about the weather, how much snow does Cornwall get in January? North West France is not that much different (but milder). I intend to drive down the West coast side of France then into Spain at San Sebastian........ turn left then South towards Valencia.......

It might snow ......... but then again it probably won't

 

[DBK]

I don't think there is any doubt the trip is cheaper using one of the shorter ferry crossings and timewise not much in it either if you are happy to drive most of the day. As already mentioned there are other considerations and everyone has to decide for themselves based on their own criteria.

The cheapest way is probably EasyJet or someone like that and a tent, but this won't be for everyone either, because it is a sort of sliding scale, you just need to decide where on the scale you are comfortable.

 

[Chockswahay]

Just realised I left out:

Newhaven/Dieppe ............. £72 for the ferry and £55 for the diesel = £127

I meant to say prob use this one

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