The LittleStuff Road Trip across France – Taking the Barfleur
Thanks to the new homeschooling, we were able to take our family holiday in September this year – but it did mean heading down much further to the very south coast of France to catch some guaranteed sunshine.
The first leg of the journey was thanks to Brittany Ferries and the Barfleur.
In previous years we’ve always had the option of the High Speed Ferry – super-speedy crossing in just 3 hours, if a little bumpy at times. But Brittany Ferries have put the Barfleur back on the Poole-Cherbourg route now, so we had the option of a slower – though more comfortable journey. We were provided with a large 4-berth outside cabin – though there ARE 6 of us, so I wasn’t sure how that would work.
In the end? It worked perfectly.
The cabins aren’t what you’d call spacious – but we did fit. It was our own space, we had en-suite facilities, there were beds for resting, a power point for the all-important charging of electrical devices… and the restaurant did fabulous takeaway coffee.
Marvellous.
The full size of the cabin – as I said, not huge, but enough space for six. The two bigger boys are on the top bunks (which fold up), husband is snoozing opposite, myself and the 10 yr old are sharing, and Bear’s making use of the desk.
Boy up top.
And the desk use had to be rotated as it was popular not just for its use, but also the fact that there’s a plug underneath for DS’s and tablets that had run down on the long drive across France…
The corridor space was properly limited, with cabins on both sides – some outside with windows like ours, and some inside.
There was time for some dancing on deck – a weird place in the dark. We decided it was mostly like sliding through space.
It’s a natural talent – we were in the tiny space for just four hours. And they STILL managed to make it a mess…
and coming in to Poole was exciting – it felt like we’d been away a long time, and it’s always lovely to recognise places as you go by. And to gaze lasciviously at Millionaires Row on Sandbanks, naturally.
We do love the Poole-Cherbourg crossing when we go to France – I know the Dover-Calais route is cheaper and faster, but Poole is just 30 minutes from home for us, and landing in Cherbourg places you already half way down France; well ahead on your journey the other side of the water.
Would we bother with a cabin ourselves? Oh yes. It’s not much of an additional cost (£31 a crossing), and the benefits of having your own space are innumerable, particularly with children. I saw adults stretched out in the public areas across bench seats, or sleeping with their heads resting on a table – for me, that would have been £30 well spent.
Our crossings both ways were provided by Brittany Ferries – we travelled on the Poole-Cherbourg route, the prices for our journey in September were £100 for 2 adults and 4 children, £99 for the car, and £31 for the inside cabin.
