France by Car - Disney-Paris & Holiday Park - Direct Ferry or Landbridge?

Seve OB

We are planning family (girls 13, 12 & 9) holiday to France this summer. General gist is that we are going to head to Disneyland for a few days, then a few days in Paris and then some sort of campsite for a week probably around the north coast somewhere. Would appreciate if anyone has any info they can share on a similar trip.

Leaning towards staying in the Davey Crocket Lodges and they seem to be a fair bit cheaper, but there is no shuttle service. (no issue if we have car)

But for the moment I'm looking at options to get there.

>Fly and hire a car.

So the fly and hire a car option obviously is quicker but means restrictions on baggage and I won't be able to fill the roof box with wine on the way home . It doesn't really make sense to hire a car till after Disney and city part of trip. This might cause issue with staying in Davey Crockett and it's a nearly a grand extra staying in next priced option which has a shuttle. It does opens up the possibility of heading in the other direction away from home and flying home from a different location. I have never been east France so would be something new and different. Would look at about a 5 hour drive I guess so opens up option of somewhere along German and Swiss borders also. This option looks like it will work out slightly cheaper than direct ferry, but not a lot and I suspect a few taxis will eat into that.

>19 hours on a boat and then about a 5 hour drive to Disney.

Direct ferry is straight forward, but I am prone to seasickness (not to worried, I can grin and bare it) but my kids have shown in the past they might be following my footsteps. We did the ferry and driven myself a couple of times before (south and west coast of France) but about 10 years ago now when ferry went from Rosslare. My eldest was the worst traveller but she has indicated that she would prefer this option though than stuck in a car.

>Ferry to Holyhead and 7 hour drive to Folkstone for tunnel (or Dover for Ferry) and a 3 hour drive the other side. Leaning towards tunnel as an hour quicker and only about £80 more expensive. Also never gone through Tunnel and would like to give it a go.

I haven't driven Landbridge myself (although did it when I was a kid) and I have driven lots in UK. I do enjoy driving, so it doesn't phase me, although it is quite a long time with the family cooped up in the car. I am thinking of landing in Holyhead late and driving through night and they are good and getting sleep on car journeys.

I'm obviously concerned about the state of play with Brexit nowadays and what role that will play. Anyone any experience of this?

Taking in a few stops, it will likely be about 6-7 hours quicker to go via England and the price is looking like coming in about €1,000 cheaper, even after factoring in fuel.

Downside is that we would obviously be a bit tired after the trip and the direct route would leave us more refreshed.

Welcome any thoughts and recommendations and if anyone has done anything similar to share their experiences.

10-10-20

"So the fly and hire a car option obviously is quicker but means restrictions on baggage and I won't be able to fill the roof box with wine on the way home" - not an option on land-bridge either. You're limited to just a hand-full of bottles as you're importing from France and exporting to Ireland.

I'd be doing the boat directly and swallowing one of those quelles pills.

Munsterbhoy

We done landbridge to Disney then onto vendee for the other 10 days and back direct from Roscoff (2013)Took the late ferry from Dublin and drove thru the night to euro tunnel. Euro tunnel is some experience, it's brilliant. We stayed in le village parisien near Disney as we like the freedom a site gives you as well as the facilities, pools etc. Commute in to Disney wasn't far 25km. The Mrs done half the driving so it wasn't too bad. Kids slept most of GB. We booked a cabin on the Dublin holyhead leg and got a couple of hrs sleep.

Seve OB

Thanks Munsterbhoy. Yes was only considering splitting it like that after I posted earlier on. Did you think it was a good way to do it?

Del2005

How old is your car and what fuel is it? France has lots of restrictions on vehicles with high emissions and Paris has some of the toughest. Unless you have a fairly new car you'll have to park outside the cities and towns.

https://www.france.fr/en/holiday-prep/crit-air-anti-pollution-vehicle-sticker

https://www.environmentalbadge.com/eco-zones-france/

Munsterbhoy

Absolutely, I wouldn't recommend doing landbridge both ways unless you want to do legoland Windsor on the way home or something similar. Driving across GB at night you eat up the miles, but M25 is always busy. Coming back direct is a dream, few pints on board then a cabin to get a good night sleep. BTW if you arrive earlier for the tunnel 9 times out of 10 you will get on the next train regardless of how early you are.

Seve OB

Great info there thanks guys

2009 E class diesel.

Seve OB

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120061562#Comment_120061562

you say I'll have to park outside cities and towns.

But can I not just buy this badge @ €26.90 and be in the clear?

Bicyclette

We haven't done Disney but we have done many of the Ireland-France trips. Some via the UK. Some outside Paris, many in the Normandy and Brittany area.

What we generally did was take a ferry directly over. Dublin or Rosslare to Cherbourg. Then go home via the Channel Tunnel (its fabulous, you time travel because the short duration of the trip and the hour time difference means you can e.g. leave France at 3.30pm and arrive in the UK at 3.00pm). Its quick. And its not claustrophobic.

We generally spent a couple of days in the UK. We've visited the Chihuly exhibitions in Kew when they were on, we've visited lavender farms (Cotswold Lavender in Snow Hill is lovely) and other places.

In France Camping La Vallee in Houlgate is really nice and in a great location.

Seve OB

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120061562#Comment_120061562

Your link as I mention above is charging nearly €27 for the sticker

This link here suggests that it's only €4.61 including postage to Ireland

https://www.certificat-air.gouv.fr/

am i missing something?

Del2005

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120063719#Comment_120063719

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120064063#Comment_120064063

Where do you see the €27 charge? My 1st link has the official Crit’Air website and the 2nd is the zones, I can't find anything that says 27 in either.

You can drive into the cities as your car is level 3. But the cities can reduce access if the air quality gets bad, so keep an eye on the signs.

Seve OB

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120064839#Comment_120064839

https://www.environmentalbadge.com/order-critair-eur/

top of the link you sent, France drop down and order now

Del2005

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120065210#Comment_120065210

I think that's an ad, I can't see it on my browsers. Like the visas for the USA there's always scam sites that'll rip off the unsuspecting.

Seve OB

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120066506#Comment_120066506

not an ad, deffo part of the website. the second link you attached, the environmental badge site.

I've just looked on 4 different computers, different browsers on each and on phone... it's there on them all.

anyway, it seems the sticker is only €4.61 on legit site so it's nothing to worry about, and once I have it, I can't be caught out

BullBauld

We did this in 2022.

Sailed Dublin to Cherbourg and stayed in Des Ormes for a week. Then hit for Paris for a few nights for Disneyland.

Now we stayed in a hotel in Busy St George, 2 stops away from Disneyland itself. Very handy and alot cheaper than the onsite hotels at Disney. Only 10 minutes on the train right into Disney Village.

When going into the city I didn't drive as we were on the RER A line direct into the city so that was handy. About 40 minutes.

The ferry I've not had a problem with thankfully after a few trips. They are alot more comfortable than years back.

Dinkie

We have booked a nearly identical trip to what you are planning this year - we are going in May. 2 kids a bit younger then yours.

We are sailing Dublin -> Cherbourg and staying in Village Nature (beside Davey Crocket) for a week. The ferry leaves at 4pm arrives in at 11:30 - so will hopefully be sleeping for a fair portion of the journey. The drive to Village Nature is about 5 hours, so we can take it handy enough on the way there.

On the way back we are sailing Cherbourg -> Rosslare and the ferry doesn't leave till about 9 at night, so can dawdle a bit on the way back and still have time to pick up some wine!

We did consider landbridge - but with the queues this year, we decided not to risk it.

Seve OB

I didn’t realise Rosslare was an option anymore?

Dinkie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120076977#Comment_120076977

Why not?

We live in Wexford. Brittany Ferries/Stena line to France and Spain and now there is a new ferry to Dunkirk (only 3 hours from Disneyland Paris - but the times are awful - for us anyway).

Seve OB

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120084588#Comment_120084588

I just thought that there was no service since irish ferries pulled out

will deffo be looking at it before making final bookings