Family viewings - why ferry travel to france makes sense for families

(Click on the image to view the full ferry vs plane infographic)

Heading to France for the purposes of viewing a property treads that very fine line between incredibly exciting and a rather foreboding pain in the proverbial. After all, the logistics of getting the whole family even a few miles down the road can be tricky at the best of times – coordinating an international property viewing therefore being a wholly heavier process.

That being said, of all the various options on the cards for getting to and from properties in France, it’s difficult to deny the way in which ferry travel can transform a chore into a trip of Pure pleasure.

Brittany Ferries for example offers a wide choice of ferry crossings to France (click here to view ferry to France crossings available) and Brittany Ferries produced this graphic that compares a family of four travelling to France by flying versus the ferry. Whilst of course Brittany Ferries are going to be very pro ferry given it's their main business, for a family, the advantages of ferry travel are clear to see. Here’s a few of the benefits that ferry travel offers:

Lower Costs

Even when looking at the cheapest of budget flights with a low-cost airline, it’s almost impossible to find a better deal for the family than those up for grabs from ferry services. More often than not, prices are quoted on a per-car basis which means that taking the whole family along for the ride costs no more than travelling alone. And of course, when you factor in the often extortionate costs of taking baggage abroad by way of most airlines, you are in fact looking at a quite outstanding saving.

More Freedom

But it’s not just the financial savings that make ferry crossings such ideal choices for families – freedom should also be factored in. To take a flight to any French airport is to leave reliant on/at the mercy of public transport. The only alternative being to overpay for car rental, which seems something of a waste of money when there’s a perfectly good car back home that you could have brought with you. The freedom of having a car on these kinds of trips really does make a huge difference as along with viewing the property, you also get to take in much more of the surrounding area.

Bikes and Baggage

It’s also worth remembering that when you travel by ferry, there are very few restrictions when it comes to how much baggage you can take. You may wish to make the trip into something of an extended holiday rather than just a quick two-way hop, so why not bring the bikes along and really get to know the local area? Again, with the vast majority of flights this just isn’t an option.

A Leisurely Cruise

Last but not least, flight from the UK to France may seem quick and easy, bit factor in things like transfers, check-in times, airport security and so on and you’re quickly looking at a day-long endeavour that may even take longer than a ferry crossing. And where there are kids involved, it’s always preferable to travel in a manner that gives you the freedom to walk around, eat, drink, relax and be entertained for the whole journey.

Ferry travel may not be the only way of travelling to France for property viewings, but in terms of advantages for families, it’s a very attractive option!