First time going to France - all advice needed!

Points for the OP – if you have not already got one apply for a Crit’Air sticker for France via their official website - ensure scanned documents are reduced size when sending them.  Be aware of LEZ’s in UK – I believe there is one in Portsmouth area. Take insect repellent and probably best to book pitches if going during summer school hols.  Enjoy.

i would definitely use the ferry route, Two weeks isn't very long and there is lots to see in Brittany and Normandy for all the family.

Having previously visited the Disney and Universal theme parks in Florida, we thought that EuroDisney was a pale imitation. Much smaller than we expected and pretty disappointing. 

When we had two relatively young kids we never ever considered Dover. Portsmouth is a similar distance for us as the OP. It was always a night sailing out and often a day one back and the kids slept as we travelled home. Personally there is no way I would want to spend 7 hours driving to Dover, then onto the shuttle /  short boat crossing and doing some mileage the other side before stopping. Not even when I was much younger. If Dover is an option I would consider a night stop near the port a necessity.

Further to NB1805s post.  Portsmouth dock is not in the LEZ. My twopeneth on crossings from Pembrokeshire.  Long way to Dover and why head a long way East when you are going to to the Dordogne - not done the sums but it adds a lot of expensive mileage and time to your trip!  The Portsmouth crossing would seem to be the best bet.  If you are going in the school hols best to book crossings and sites asap and stay clear of any Olympics venues!!

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Woops should have read more carefully; read wh1nbrew's post then posted.  Mea culpa.

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Of it were me and I was thinking of going to Brittany, Normandy and possibly Paris. I would use the Plymouth crossing work my way down the coast of Brittany, beautiful at that time of year. Then cut across to Nantes for the children to see La Machines' 

Work my way up the coast of Normandy then cut across to Paris. Return home via Caen to Portsmouth. That way not crossing the same route to and from the ferry.

We travel from Scotland and have used both Portsmouth and Plymouth depending on where we are heading, always night ferries as that suits us. We do also use Dover/Folkstone. How good are the children on the longer crossings.