A holiday promises freedom. The reality is delayed flights, forking out for luggage (we’re looking at you, Ryanair) and car hire rip-offs. That’s before we mention the impossibility of using your wine allowance on the return.
That may explain why more of us are taking our cars to Europe by ferry. The most recent government statistics, from 2022, show passenger numbers on the Dover-Calais route doubled from 2021 to 5.1 million. P&O says it transported 3.5 million people last year. With your car, you’re limited only by boot capacity. “Bring the bikes and inflatable canoe!” you’ll chirp breezily to the kids.
Admittedly, the reality is not quite so sunny. Remember those reports of massive delays at Dover last April as Brexit checks bit? They were not an exception, reported consumer group Which? Travel after a survey of more than 2,000 readers. Add in poor facilities on Dover-Calais routes (food and loos were particular gripes) and Which? recommends swapping Calais for Dunkirk, 35 minutes’ drive up the coast. Brittany Ferries’ routes to St Malo and Roscoff also won praise. In short, it pays to be picky.
Le Shuttle via the Channel Tunnel from Folkestone deftly side-steps the issue of facilities – you’re in the car for the journey, handy if you’re bringing the dog – and is faster at 35 minutes to a ferry’s 1h 30m. The catch? While there are red-eye bargains, it’s typically twice the price.
Once you’re across, however you do it, the open road beckons, with nary a border-check between countries. For this list we’ve limited ourselves to 10 hours’ driving time and used péage (toll) routes across France: cumulatively expensive, still worth every euro. The surprise is how much 10 hours permits. Why suffer traffic jams down the M5 to Cornwall when you could be on Brittany’s coast or among the Swiss Alps, could be slugging Grand Cru French wines or touring fairytale Germany? There are also brilliant family destinations 30 minutes from disembarkation. Keep them quiet.
Brittany, France
Best for bespoke beach breaks
You may think you’ve done Brittany as a self-drive destination. This new 11-day trip suggests otherwise. It’s a bespoke Brittany for insiders, looping around the peninsula via the sort of places the French would prefer to keep to themselves: places like medieval Dinan and village resort Trébeurden, where you stay bang on the beach; yachtie favourite the Gulf of Morbihan and ancient Paimpont forest associated with legends of King Arthur (the Bretons claim him as their own). And while other holidaymakers merely paddle off the Pink Granite Coast you’re taking a traditional sailboat to winkle out hidden coves.
Drive time from Calais: 5h
How to do it: Original Travel (020 3958 6120; originaltravel.co.uk) has 10 nights’ B&B from £2,930 per person, including Le Shuttle crossing.