Travel by Car
It's an easy drive from the UK and other parts of Europe as there is now motorway to within 5 minutes of our base. The motorway system is improving all the time and you don't have to go through Paris or Lyon. Route planning information and customised itineraries, including detailed autoroute directions, toll charges lists, places to eat, stay, stop en-route can be obtained from viamichelin.com.
Driving from the UK
French motorways are much quieter than British ones. The services are more frequent and the food is of a much higher standard. It is now possible to complete the journey from Calais and Le Havre in 8 hours although some people stop overnight to break the journey. You have the use of your car during your holiday and can stock up with wine and food supplies on the way home. The tolls add up to about £30 each way. Petrol is about 90p/l and diesel about 72p/l.
Speedferries : We've used Speedferries a few times and can recommend it. It takes 50 minutes from Dover to Boulogne and the loading and unloading are quicker than the ferries. From Boulogne you're soon on the motorway (the best way is to Reims then towards Lyon. You miss Lyon and follow the newish motorway towards Grenoble then turn south to St.Nazaire).
Ferries: 'P & O Stena' and 'Sea France' operate from Dover to Calais. These can be booked on the web.
Other routes that people use are Hull-Zeebrugge and Newcastle-Amsterdam.
The Tunnel is a few pounds more than the ferries but much quicker.