I'm looking at going to Basque country next year with the family to do a mtb/kids trip – would like to take the ferry as it would be easier. The costs seem to be very high though – £700 for 2 adults, 2 kids (under 5) and a car. Is that the norm? Is there way to get discounts?

ta!

I've not done it and don't ask all the people who come how much they've spent but I think that it's about £600 with the car and a couple of people. That's to Santander. You can also get to San Malo but then you need to drive down through France so it'll work out about the same price.

I don't know of any discounts that you can get online other than booking in advance and going at the cheapest times.

nope. there is only one ferry there and they charge crazy amounts.

however it does save you over 1000 miles of driving.

biscay can be fun if its lumpy….

actually, just remembered. I think if you buy shares in brittany ferries you are entitled to a discount.

There's two ferries, operated by different companies. One goes to Santander and is a bit more plush. The other goes to Bilbao and is a bit less so! The Bilbao one is going to be discontinued at some time in the future (no idea when, it's just talk at the moment). From San Malo it's 450kms or thereabouts, all on the motorway if you want, tolls are about €30 each way.

I would of thought paying 1K for a ferry ride entitles you to shares in the company!

We once had a nightmare drive down and in the car made a pact that we would get the ferry back "whatever the price" but when we looked we just couldnt bring ourselves to do it!

cheers, perhaps the ferry companies are doing well with those prices (or just kept afloat (sorry) by the haulage firms) – it surprises me that there isn't an Easyferry or something as the prices seem over the top compared to flying.

An Easyferry would be good. There's a business opportunity for someone to take over the Bilbao ferry when it closes! You could be the next Stavros!

I think when you look at the cost for flights and car hire it becomes a bit more reasonable but there are cheaper / faster ways of getting to the Basque Country.

the Santander ferry is brilliant. the boat the Pont Aven is like a mini cruiser. If you take it I recommend taking a copy of their artwork podcast with you. The boat is full of Breton art.

Food is good too as it's a french vessel.

Ive worked out the cost in the past to be only £50-100 more than the cost of diesel and tolls so for the relaxation and the overnight travelling I think it's worth it. Whenever we go to the pyrenees we take it (because we go by campervan)

We're cycling from Barcelona to Santander via the Pyranees to watch the tour this year. One way cost us £225 for 2 people sharing a cabin. Thought it was a bit steep too but its a 13 hour journey.

Isn't the Bilbao service due to be cancelled?

Work out the fuel and then double it (to cover the cost of French tolls), plus a hotel for one night. Times twice, and then add the English Channel crossing.

Do it work out somewhere near?

is that £700 return? i think i paid about £350 the other year. the Brittany ferries to Santander one is much cheaper (and faster) than the P&O one to Bilbao too. The ferry (pont aven as noted above) is pretty nice, the food very good, the evening entertainment is a bit like being in butlins in the fifties though, but i'm sure the kids will love it.

Time of year could be an issue ? I paid about £250 for wee van and two people one way, but that was the first sailing once they started again in spring. Was easy choice looking at diesel, peage, hotels etc and the years of your life removed by the peripherique via Paris.

We paid over £900 to Santander return on the Pont Aven last August, for 2 adults and 2 toddlers in one Coffin cabin. It was HELL!!!.

Our plan was to drive to just above Biarritz for a camping trip – we estimated about 2.5 hrs, but that ended up being 5.5hrs.

On the way back the underside of the Pont aven was slapping down on the waves meaning no sleep for anyone. It is an experience I wil never repeat with young children. Speaking of which, the only thing for young children to do is a crappy little room with broken crayons and a few colouring sheets. there's also a climbing frame that was permanently invaded by surly pre-teens thinking they were hard and cool, and intimidating the toddlers. Also, the scooby Doo movie on a constant loop was too scary for a 3 year old and 18 month old to watch.

Having done the journey from calais to SW France (landes region) on many occasions, if you have very young kids with you, the road trip is actually easier. The main part of the journey is on a dual carriagway N route without tolls, but with plenty of Aires.

cheers, some good advice – will work out costs and see if the calais drive option is a goer.

The Calais drive is all the sweeter when you use Tesco clubcard deals (i.e. nowt).

I live in Bilbao and the cheapest way to go frm here to UK with car has always been to drive. Calais to Bilbao is one long day of driving, if you can share the driving and the kids can cope then that might be an idea. In total a round-trip costs me 500 euros.

We paid over £900 to Santander return on the Pont Aven last August, for 2 adults and 2 toddlers in one Coffin cabin. It was HELL!!!.

I've done it a couple of times. Once with a car & four kids & a cabin (we booked reclining seats for the 2 older kids to save dosh) it still cost £700 and once with bicycles and reclining seats which cost around £80 return each. For comforts sake I'd definately try to get a cabin next time I do it, even if I have to sneak into an empty one. The reclining seats lounge is stuffy, noisy and the word reclining bears little fidelity with the seats actual arc of travel. Better off finding a quiet corner in one of the resturants after they've closed.

I guess Mildred's journey was rougher than ours and there was plenty of entertainment for the ten or so kids on board on the sailing out. When we landed in Santander our people carrier was crammed full of balloon sausage dogs & octopi that the onboard magician had kindly cobbled together for our younger kids. I had to pop them discreetly at regular intervals to free up some breathing space as we drove across Spain.

I've never driven across France to get to Spain but as we live near Plymouth I reckon it's the better option and I'd gladly do it again. The indoor swimming pool's cool as well 'cos you can keep an eye on the kids whilst you prop up the adjacent bar 😉

We are going by motorbike in June / July – motrbike rider and pillion with a wee cabin each way works out at £541.40 return, and this included an early booking 10% discount. Not cheap, but considering the day's ride each way and tyre wear on a bike( rear tyre lasts about 3000 miles!!)it probably works out about the same cost. We wanted to be relaxed when we get to the Pico's, then Pyreneese.

or just go to Wales instead?