Through France to Spain ? not likely (1 Viewer)

Jul 18, 2009
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IF any of my Friends wish to try the route, you may use my 10% Ferry Discount.

As it has been said many times. We have done it to death.

In Real terms, driving through France costs the same as getting the ferry.

Yes, there are the pros and cons to both routes.

Personally, I prefer the Spanish Ferry Routes. For Speed, ease of driving, Small & Low Cost tolls and now, much cheaper fuel.

Heading out soon with Ryanair and Back with the Car for the Summer. With trips planned Back to Spain with the Motorhome.
 
Aug 18, 2011
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Funny, we always find most day to day stuff in France cheaper than the U.K, but I agree it is getting more expensive. Cost of living for us, taking into account the crappy exchange rate, is still so much cheaper for us than when we were back in Kent.
Best place to shop for fresh food is at local markets, but keep away from touristy places, where everything is dearer than you would expect.
It must be expensive in Kent then..Love France but other than wine in supermarkets everything is much more expensive than home in Derbyshire..A drink out is twice the price..Busby..
 
Aug 18, 2011
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Just gets in the way, really, doesn’t it? It would be much better if they could just move Spain 600 miles north to the other end of the tunnel.
Then the weather and the country would be just like France..Busby

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Aug 18, 2014
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Got a shock when I came out of Portugal a couple of years ago and discovered how expensive Spain was.:D
I haven't been for 25 years not ionce we got shot of an apartment. Used to be as cheap as chips so it sounds like it still is ?

In Real terms, driving through France costs the same as getting the ferry.
In all seriousness can you explain this one to me as it has been mentioned many times before & yet I fail to see how a £1k + return ferry fare ( + 1400kms worth of diesel to get there) can be cheaper than the 400€ in diesel + ferry cost inc; dog return of 150€ ?
 
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Prefer the Calais route personally and take a good 7 days to do it. After 35 years we still find new places in France and probably always will. Just arrived in France on the way home with 11 days left to get there so got a few days to enjoy Argelès Sur Mer! Do we turn left at Narbonne or carry on to Orange? We haven’t decided. Horses for courses there’s no best way to get to Spain or Portugal

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Jul 18, 2009
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I haven't been for 25 years not ionce we got shot of an apartment. Used to be as cheap as chips so it sounds like it still is ?


In all seriousness can you explain this one to me as it has been mentioned many times before & yet I fail to see how a £1k + return ferry fare ( + 1400kms worth of diesel to get there) can be cheaper than the 400€ in diesel + ferry cost inc; dog return of 150€ ?


SO,

Spanish Ferry BY CAR:

Manchester - Portsmouth £65 Fuel
Bilbao - Javea £185 Fuel
Ferry £168 (from)

TOTAL: £418

French Route BY CAR:

Manchester - Javea Fuel £515
Ferry/Tunnel £100 +
Overnight Hotels? £100 +

Minimum TOTAL £715

Would you like me to do a Motorhome Calc? I have got the info, it works out around the same as a Ferry.

Spanish Ferry Route:

Manchester - Portsmouth £55 Fuel @ £1.25 Litre
Bilbao - Javea £75 Fuel @ €1 a litre
Bilbao Ferry £257 (inside) £272 Outside
Tolls £50 ish?

TOTAL: £437

Through France:

Manchester - Eurotunnel/P&O £65-£85 Fuel
Calais - Javea Fuel and Tolls £500 Min
Short Sea Crossing £0 (Tesco) - £60+ P&O
Overnight Stops - Use Free aires so £0 (some will only use camping sites)

Minimum Starting Total £565
(Probably More £700 ish)

As I said, lots of pros and cons with both options.

Summer Will Be Higher (A lot on here go off season)
More in the Vehicle - Cheaper



In my Circumstances

Motorhome

Take into account:

Tolls Through France - Class 3
Overnight Stops
Cost of Ferry
Diesel for Motorhome is now £1.25 a litre and we get 25mpg

I have done Price calculation based on A Large Diesel Car and Caravan.

The calculation does not take into account the costs of some Tolls charged at Class IV in the past. Or, overnight campsites, wear and tear on the vehicle, mileage depreciation costs etc. Don't forget, return, thats almost 3,000 miles tyre wear. Let alone, actual service costs and vehicle depreciation. We make the trip several times a year.




Now, the car:

Its a V8 Petrol

With this, I would have to travel for 3 days and have two hotel stops (bear in mind, on the Ferry, thats our overnight stop and I can get from Javea - Bilbao/Santander in a day. No Hotels Required). Again, this does not factor in the extra wear and tear, any depreciation costs etc.

French Route


Same route after getting off the ferry at Bilbao


Sorry, added images in poor order.

*If I book the Ferry Early, it starts from £168* or less
 

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Jul 18, 2009
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So, I have tried to be fair with costings.

One thing I will add regarding car trips.

If you drive a car on a PCP or Company lease with mileage limitations. 3,000 miles in one trip as opposed to 1,500 make a big difference. Especially if you are limited to 8,000 miles pa like our neighbours.

Also,

If you have a new motorhome, a few of those 3,000+ treks and you mileage soon increases. Not so much of a problem with our current old girl.
 
Aug 18, 2014
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Yes I did check using my current dates before I posted but even the return ferry price for September was £449.50 + £95 for a shared cabin +£29.50 for the dog so a total of £574 Returning.That was dearer than booking outward in 2 weeks time ! That was only £539 .Booked as a return journey it was discounted to £1093. Then I have to add the 174€ needed for diesel to get me to Santander & back. By the time I have driven there I am over 1/3rd of the way to the UK !

Whereas by road it will cost me 400€ to Dunkirk & back in diesel + the return ferry cost of 150€ including the dog.
I don't use toll roads as there isn't any benefit to me.
So the difference to me is 870€.
Kms on the vehicle really doesn't matter here so no lowering of value & there isn't really a limit on the yearly kms, although I tell them 25k.Which is about what it usually is.

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Jul 29, 2017
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When paying your tolls in France if it shows Class 3 just press the button and say ‘Camping Car’ and they will downgrade you to Class 2.
 
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The thing is , even with the car when I looked in 2013, I have never had a fare that wasn't around £500 each way before adding on cabins etc.

Varies a lot with the season.

Car + 2 people in October £209 cruise ferry (£146 with Club Voyage), £185 Economy
August £409

Cabins extra.

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Teuchter

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I have been caravanning for 32 years but in 2014 I have"gone over to the dark side"
Has the advantage of making France look cheap.:D
And only 20 miles to the ferry for me.:)

"20 miles!!!! cor that's a long way - much too far Oh Please! - only 10 for me!! ;) :D2
 
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We used the late lamented LD lines service fro Gijon to St. Nazaire every year that it was running, our static van is only 15 mins from St. Nazaire, saved a lot of driving.
 

Teuchter

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I have been caravanning for 32 years but in 2014 I have"gone over to the dark side"
It’s funny isn’t it because I hate the Cap Finistere and will only use the Pont Aven if there is a commodore cabin available. I hate the bars, restaurants and everything else about the Cap Finistere.

We are not keen on the Cap Finistere either - though the Commodore cabins with the double bed are nice - Restaurant & bars - Not Good!!!(n)

Pont Avon is good in most cabins - the Commodore Cabins with private balcony and separate lounge are nice when there is plenty of daylight also the restaurant is very good - similar to the "Bretagne" which we are booked on to St Malo in 2 weeks time! :):):)(y)

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We don't mind the Cap Finistere, never bother with the bars in any case, it does lack a decent self service restaurant, the a la carte along with Commodore cabins is far too expensive for us ' Pobre Jubilados ':). A cabin is a cabin to me somewhere to sleep, must admit don't do bunks anymore!

Having some Yorkshire blood in me we now go prepared, frozen pre cooked meal taken on board along with kettle, microwaves are provided for re heating the ready meals sold in the shop.

Has been known for me to get some chips or even the Beef Bourgignon, which seems to be the default dish from the open air cafe.
 

Chris

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We don't mind the Cap Finistere, never bother with the bars in any case, it does lack a decent self service restaurant, the a la carte along with Commodore cabins is far too expensive for us ' Pobre Jubilados ':). A cabin is a cabin to me somewhere to sleep, must admit don't do bunks anymore!

Having some Yorkshire blood in me we now go prepared, frozen pre cooked meal taken on board along with kettle, microwaves are provided for re heating the ready meals sold in the shop.

Has been known for me to get some chips or even the Beef Bourgignon, which seems to be the default dish from the open air cafe.

I should say the commodore cabins on the Pont Aven are great if you smoke.

It saves having to negotiate 3 walkways , an escalator and various drunks just to have a fag.
 
Jul 18, 2009
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When paying your tolls in France if it shows Class 3 just press the button and say ‘Camping Car’ and they will downgrade you to Class 2.

Not as easy as it used to be.

It used to be classed as “class touristique” by manned booths.

Despite, good smattering of French, we have been charged class 4

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JollyJack Hawkins

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Mate you need to try the "No Frills Run " Brittany Ferry from Santander. It's a great run and not too expensive. Did it to come back from a 10 week trip starting Portsmouth to Caen did France Spain Gibralter and Portugal. Got back to Santander the boat left about 1730 we had a very nice outside 2 berth cabin and arrived in Pompey at 2130 the following evening. When we worked it all out assuming we stayed on ACSI sights it worked out cheaper and less hassle.
 
Aug 18, 2011
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Varies a lot with the season.

Car + 2 people in October £209 cruise ferry (£146 with Club Voyage), £185 Economy
August £409

Cabins extra.
You definately need a cabin..Busby

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Mar 15, 2017
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Prefer the Calais route personally and take a good 7 days to do it. After 35 years we still find new places in France and probably always will. Just arrived in France on the way home with 11 days left to get there so got a few days to enjoy Argelès Sur Mer! Do we turn left at Narbonne or carry on to Orange? We haven’t decided. Horses for courses there’s no best way to get to Spain or Portugal

Sorry so off topic about the cost of travelling but you made me remember Argelès Sur Mer; so many happy memories from there.

It's where, at almost 20 years old, I met Pascale on that beautiful beach in Argeles sur Mer in 1978. , She was an 18 year old Parisian girl on holiday there with her friend. We had taken a Union Jack flag on a stick to plant in the sand so we could find our "base" after being in the sea. Two beautiful French girls approached my friend and I and asked in a sweet French accent "can we join you to practice our English please"? Of course we agreed and the rest is history? Pascale and I were together for two wonderful years after that brief encounter and then, it happened and we were never to see each again. I often wonder where she might be now.

I also remember this wonderfully typical French village called Saint-Genis-des-Fontaines; about 12Km inland where she stayed with her grandfather.
 
Jul 18, 2009
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Sorry so off topic about the cost of travelling but you made me remember Argelès Sur Mer; so many happy memories from there.

It's where, at almost 20 years old, I met Pascale on that beautiful beach in Argeles sur Mer in 1978. , She was an 18 year old Parisian girl on holiday there with her friend. We had taken a Union Jack flag on a stick to plant in the sand so we could find our "base" after being in the sea. Two beautiful French girls approached my friend and I and asked in a sweet French accent "can we join you to practice our English please"? Of course we agreed and the rest is history? Pascale and I were together for two wonderful years after that brief encounter and then, it happened and we were never to see each again. I often wonder where she might be now.

I also remember this wonderfully typical French village called Saint-Genis-des-Fontaines; about 12Km inland where she stayed with her grandfather.


I met her in 1980! But she had changed her name

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Tony54

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On my way back from Spain (Barcelona)

Went out Portsmouth to Bilbao

Expensive but pleasant - 1 day drive from Bilbao to Valencia - easy

Came back through France - 2 day drive but hard work - always find that a "5 hour drive" turns out to be all day.

The second day really is too much and I always seem to find a hold up - this time roadworks in Rouen

Diversions round back streets, inches to spare.

And the cost of nearly everything in France makes the UK look cheap

Next time it'll be Portsmouth - Bilbao both ways - sod the extra cost
It's so true. 5 hours drive always take a few hours more. Each to his own but I find the cost of the ferries to Spain a tad toooo expensive so a small compromise is Newhaven to dieppe. I also dont like to be cooped up on a boat for to long.
Tony
 
Jul 18, 2009
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Okay, Got back yesterday from Spain. Here is a costing for one of our cars, one way. I will do the motorhome when I go next.

Toyota 7 Seater Petrol, fully loaded.

Left Javea 8:30am Saturday
Arrived Manchester 12:30am Monday.

Filled up in Javea, £1.10 a litre, then stopped at Haro to refuel at Simply Supermarket, £1.10 a litre.
Tolls to from Ondara-Valencia, Zaragoza-Bilbao and Bilbao Bypass (Bilbao Bypass is a massive 63cents on a Sunday)
Ferry from Santander - Portsmouth booked early in Cap Finsitere @ £240 inc Outside Cabin for 2

Total Cost £405.00 One way.

There is no way I could drive through France, using toll roads, paying for hotel stops and get home in such a short time for less than the Spanish Crossing.

Take into account the extra wear and tear, mileage conditions on lease/PCP cars at over twice the miles. For us, the Ferry from Spain wins hands down. Bonus is, if there are more of you sharing the costs and have an economical diesel. Could shave some off the £405.00.

So, its £202 per person (Adult). If you are 4 people, sharing a cabin. That adds around £70 on the Ferry So lets say "£120 ish" each. Less if using Economie. When we fly, we book extra legroom and pay around £45-90 each way per person tp a maximum of £250 plus Taxis to Manchester airport (we keep a car at Alicante/Valencia). But we both, indeed most of our family prefer to go by sea.

I do have a High Roof van that I have booked on in Early October. Price for 2 People with outside cabin is £257.oo That would cost a fortune through France.


TM
 
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john lillie

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Just got back from 3 weeks in France, six years since we were last there, couldn't believe how expensive it is compared to last time, £2.50 average for a small loaf, diesel dearer than here and fresh milk only available at hypermarkets!!??. Good news though was never asked to put my two(well behaved) dogs on leads on any campsite, and no restrictions on beaches we went to, unlike everywhere in uk we go to in the summer months
 

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