dordogne

[john_5040675]

Thinking of going to dordogne, we live in the midlands. Which is the best ferries to take, how long will it take to get there. Is it best to stop, part way down, if so any ideas.

 

[ValA.]

The cheapest ferry is definitely the Dover/Calais (or Norfolk Lines Dover/Dunkerque). Another advantage is that on these routes there are lots of crossings, so if you miss one because of traffic conditions, there's another along shortly!

Whereabouts in the Dordogne are you thinking of? It will take a day of travel in France - and so the timing of your ferry is important! We go to France twice a year, and now take a late night ferry, and then sleep overnight in a service area or on the port at Calais, and have a very early start the next morning. Have you got a site in mind? There are some lovely sites around - and the Dordogne is a very beautiful area - and good for British caravanners as so many British people have made their home there. There are big commercial sites, and then just 'one van in the corner of an orchard, on a farm... types'. I am sure you'll find something you like.

You can use viamichelin or mappy.com to put in your destination, and make sure you select 'caravan' in the towing options, and it will calculate a route, give you the approximate journey time (add on about a quarter as much time again) and calculate your fuel costs and the tolls you'll need to pay.

When are you planning to travel - this year, next year, or just vague about the details as yet. If you can go outside the main school (and french) holidays then you could save quite a lot as site fees go down, you can take advantage of Camping Cheques and ACSI card, and sites are less busy, traffic is less, and everything is more pleasant. However, if you do have to go in school holidays then you may need to book in advance, just as you would in this country.