Channel Tunnel

We live about 3 hour drive from the Chunnel but will still go across to Calais.

Why?

It’s not to make a profit from the trip (if we ever really did!) but because it is a nice weekend away, we can buy the foods and wines we can’t readily find at home and we can eat moules frites for lunch (try doing that in the UK in winter).

So, no, it is not about making profit or even about saving money on the wines (which we can do and the more we buy the more we save to offset the costs) but about enjoying the diversity that characterises the caravanning community, with or without the van on the back.

When I had my youngest son, and used to stay with friends in London regularly, we (the two women with babies a similar age) used to take our babies in buggies, firstly on the train and then on the ferry to Boulogne just for a day trip.  It seemed a good day out - we used to wander around the market, have a meal out in a restaurant where babies were welcome, buy some cheese and wine, have a coffee, sit people watching, and go home, late but happy.

Why - well not because we made a profit, but just because it was an enjoyable (if long) day out - and the babies seemed to enjoy it too!

Visiting France is never about money, but to put costs into perspective - we're members of the National Trust and visited Fountains Abbey recently - it was quite a shock to price up 2 non members fees at £27.20 before food, travel etc. We've done a day trip to France and the experience was brilliant. The boot full of wine did help though!

I think the use of the word profit is being misuinterupted by some. When I mentioned profit it was in reply to a specific post (by Peedee) that suggested that day trips for shopping were no longer good value compared to what they used to be. Altenatively perhaps the term  break even might have been better. If you are going just for a day out cost doesn't really come into it but if you are making a judgement on whether a day trip is value for money it might well be? Afterall this discussion is in the Making Caravanning cheaper section

David

If you live near the Tunnel and you treat it as a day out probably. Anyone travelling further afield I would question whether it was worthwhile. You have to buy a lot of wine to be in profit if taking all costs into account. On our last trip we purchased mainly boxes of wine and it surprising how many we have had to empty down the sink because they were undrinkable. 

David

Write your comments here...Well ,,,thats why i go on a regular basis ,and only buy my favourite tried and tested !!.

Triky, im starting to nose around for a January crossing (hopefully) and found all the ferry prices but couldnt pull up any Tunnel data.....even for a week or two ahead? 

anyone else found this....?

thanks.

I've just tried now, for January, inputting campervan (I can't see an option for motorhome) and got prices for both a day trip and a longer crossing.

The £23 day trip is for dates between 7th November, and 8th December, though, so no special offers I'm afraid in January.

found all the ferry prices but couldnt pull up any Tunnel data.....even for a week or two ahead? 

anyone else found this....?

thanks.

No problem here BB, just changed a tunnel booking with no problem. You must input your vehicle as a campervan though.

peedee

this is very odd...

i am using the 'normal' club overseas booking page and selected a single tunnel crossing....only vehicle options were car or motorcaravan.....no 'campervan' option...

are you using a different page to me?

all i get is ' no info available'...

changed vehicle to 'car' and got the same result....

works for all routes except the tunnel.....

see here

Sorry didn't know you were going via the Club, I was direct onto the ET web site.

peedee

BB, I've just tried it on the CC website, and got the same as you: we are unable to find any availability for this route etc........ Peedee and ValA were using the Eurotunnel website, that's where the term "campervan" is used.

Seems to be a problem with the CC website not being able to get any Eurotunnel details.