Its the baggage costs, it more than doubles the cost of the flights.

Hello Davey, have you thought about the crossing from Hull to Zeebrugge? A lot shorter drive from Scotland. The overnight ferry is great, a meal can be included then get your head down in your cabin. Lovely breakfast then on the road ready for the day ahead. I have made the crossing dozens of times from Dover/Folkstone and believe me from the North of England the Hull crossing is the best in terms of time, fuel and relaxation. Give it a coat of looking at. Your car hire company should provide all the documentation you need for insurance, permission to drive, permission to leave UK etc. Check it out. I hope you enjoy your trip anyway you travel. Cheers Concrete

I use Majestic Wine on the Eastern Industrial estate, just off the road up to the ferry terminal. Better quality that the hypermarket and not that much more expensive.

I have not been on ferry yet where they are slightest bit bothered if you have a different reg to what was used in the booking.

Agree with this, I go regularly - and in fact used to to go twice a month for work - no problem with a different reg no. If you are trying to book online just use your own reg (providing it's similar ie car not a high top van or camper).

You will need V5 or paperwork from the hire co as you are not the keeper.

Take your licence as well and the ins. paperwork from the hire co - but contrary to all the Francophobic scare stories Gendarmes are not waiting to pounce for the the slightest infringement - it's a laid back country and they are well used to thousands of visitors .....I've never been asked to show a breathalyser, had a ticket for speeding or been stopped in 23 years. If you see any police at the motorway tolls (unlikely) they will be looking for domestic issues and not tourists..

Enjoy the trip and bring back plenty of wine, any hypermarket away from Calais will be good - for everyday drinking and ease of transporting the supermarket ownbrand wine boxes are cheap, decent & reliable (unless of course you have a particular requirement) if you pass through a wine growing region look out for a wine Coop (large building usually in rural/large village/small town location) which sell to the public at great prices, you can taste and they usually do boxes or bottles......you don't necessarily need to buy "En Vrac"

+1.I agree completely.40 yrs of experience and I own a property over there as well.

"Gendarmes are not waiting to pounce for the the slightest infringement - it's a laid back country and they are well used to thousands of visitors"

Not totally convinced about this, although I've never been stopped myself I came close this year. I passed throiugh a motorway service station "sting" where Gendarmes were questioning what appeared to be mulitple motorists. Adjacent to them was a double decker transport lorry nearly full of UK plated cars - many people carriers and family cars with roof boxes etc..

I didn't dare ask them why!! but it was mentioned they were looking for visible windscreen attached sat navs - the law has changed and having a satnav containing positions of speed cameras is now a very serious offence.

Fortunately my Tomtom wasn't visible as it was vent monted but was legal as on a recent update the French cameras have been removed from my device and replaced with "Zones de danger" - I wouldn't like to argue in French though.

Speeding is also a big no no now - you see many roadside radar detectors as well as fixedcameras. The new overhead gantries are NOT speed cameras.