Limerick / Cork to Bordeaux travel options???

mlmcelligott

Hi

Myself and the extended family are heading to Bordeaux, France for a wedding in late august next year and want to know how best to get everyone there.

The group ranges from grand parents who never really travelled outside Ireland before, two families with 4 and 3 children between 7 and 2, and a handful of well travelled adults.

ideally an overnight ferry between cork and Bordeaux would be great but that doesnt exist. Not having kids myself I've been told I have no idea what its like to take kids through airports, juggle baggage and hyper children, getting seats together, toilet breaks and so on... Driving a packed car has its problems too and a camper can be expensive???

So, whats the best option? how much does it really cost from experience? Should the group break up and some fly with the grand parents and let the families drive themselves and meet up out there?...

what do people think?

highlydebased

The luggage and seats thing is not so much of an issue anymore if travelling with Ryanair as they have relaxed those rules, and seating is now 100% assigned so no worries there.

I don't have kids either but if I did I'd much rather a quick flight rather than hours and hours on a boat plus a drive on the other end with kids!

Tigerandahalf

I presume you know Aer Lingus fly from Dublin to Bordeaux. It is a short flight. Even with kids that would seem to be the best option.
There is also a new ferry service from Rosslare to St. Nazaire (Nantes). It could be an option if a lot of luggage had to be taken. You would still have a good drive from Nantes to Bordeaux.
According to ViaMichelin app it is about 6 - 6.5 hour drive.

munchkin_utd

not sure what you were up to on the nantes-bordeaux trip planner.
St naziere to Bordeaux is 412 km which google rightly reckons would take a mere 3 h 48 min.
A journey of <4hours on well maintained French motorways is a handy drive.

Had you set up "avoid tolls" or the likes to see a journey time of 6 hours?
To be honest, tolls in france are fairly cheap and worth it to speed up the journey.

schemingbohemia

Ryanair fly Cork to Bordeaux on Wednesdays and Sundays in August. Well that's now, I see you're looking for NEXT Summer, who knows what the situation will be like then.

Bordeaux airport is handily connected to the city via bus.

If it were me I'd do the flight, less travel in Ireland if you fly from Cork, less time in the air than on a ferry and a shorter journey all round.

Tigerandahalf

munchkin_utd wrote: »

not sure what you were up to on the nantes-bordeaux trip planner.
St naziere to Bordeaux is 412 km which google rightly reckons would take a mere 3 h 48 min.
A journey of <4hours on well maintained French motorways is a handy drive.

Had you set up "avoid tolls" or the likes to see a journey time of 6 hours?
To be honest, tolls in france are fairly cheap and worth it to speed up the journey.

Yes it said avoid tolls.
If you go through tolls it says it is 4.5hrs with tolls of over 24eur. It may well be less of a journey time. I have never driven it.

Tigerandahalf

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

Yes it said avoid tolls.
If you go through tolls it says it is 4.5hrs with tolls of over 24eur. It may well be less of a journey time. I have never driven it.

Given your max speed is going to be 120km/hr, 4 hours of driving give a max distance of 480km. Via Michelin says the distance is 390km. Now you may not be travelling at that speed but it gives you an idea.

munchkin_utd

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

Given your max speed is going to be 120km/hr, 4 hours of driving give a max distance of 480km. Via Michelin says the distance is 390km. Now you may not be travelling at that speed but it gives you an idea.

in france its 130 BTW.
And national roads are 90kmh
So theres a much more substantial difference between motorway and taking the toll dodge than in Ireland.

mlmcelligott

thanks everyone for the replies. The two families want to make a holiday out of it and will want to hang around the region for a few more days. i was thinking that maybe they could drive and then stay in a caravan park for a few days where theres lots of things for their kids to do.

If they flew whats it like trying to rent a car with seating for 6 with a booster and three child seats? Im guessing any saving made flying would be eaten up by renting a family car. Might make more sense to bring their own... has anyone done this before?

schemingbohemia

Just remember August is the main time for French people to go on holidays themselves so prices will be up on normal. Have a look at prices for August this year, then tell the bride to change the date to June!

Riskymove

schemingbohemia wrote: »

Just remember August is the main time for French people to go on holidays themselves so prices will be up on normal.

the French holiday period is 17 July to 17 August

so late August should be ok

mlmcelligott

Riskymove wrote: »

the French holiday period is 17 July to 17 August

so late August should be ok

thats good news to my ears! I dare not even laugh at the suggestion to asking the bride to move the date. i value my life.

metrostation

The way things have been going lately the Rosslare - St Nazaire service may not be available next year, then your best option would be the ferry from Cork to Roscoff and then your looking at a 7-8 hour drive down to Bordeaux. Hopefully if the sailings do well this season then LD will run it again next summer.

munchkin_utd

mlmcelligott wrote: »

thanks everyone for the replies. The two families want to make a holiday out of it and will want to hang around the region for a few more days. i was thinking that maybe they could drive and then stay in a caravan park for a few days where theres lots of things for their kids to do.

If they flew whats it like trying to rent a car with seating for 6 with a booster and three child seats? Im guessing any saving made flying would be eaten up by renting a family car. Might make more sense to bring their own... has anyone done this before?

if you look now at prices in August, for 7days youre looking at 800euro to 1000euro for a 7 seater. And that on top of 6 full price flights, so 250 a head, and a wee bit extra for clothes and whatnot for a week in france.

Theres precious few 10euro flights in mid summer

mlmcelligott

What about a home and car swap with a family in the area who want to holiday in Ireland?