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Quote: Originally posted by Dai the Taff on 08/1/2015

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The first year we went abroad we forgot a cork screw and tin opener, a classic schoolboy error.

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Quote: Originally posted by Dai the Taff on 08/1/2015

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The first year we went abroad we forgot a cork screw and tin opener, a classic schoolboy error.

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We started travelling to France when our son was just a six month old baby, and soon worked out our best travel plans.

We used to set off immediately after they'd finished school, late on Friday afternoon.  That meant we generally got down to the ferry between 8.00 pm and midnight (traffic depending).  We used to cross on the next crossing, and then always stay on the French side - sometimes at the port, sometimes an hour or so down the road in a motorway Aire.  That gave us a feeling that we'd got an extra day in France - we were already there on Saturday morning and could have our first coffee and croissants (which you couldn't buy in Britain then or rather only at very posh places, not our local bread shop)! 

In those days there were no forums like this to get advice, so no one to say 'Aires aren't safe' and we used to think it was great being able to have a free shower in the morning, and not pay for parking like you do here.  Now there are certain aires that we choose to stay on, in preference to others, usually based on the quality of the shower and whether we 'rate' the croissants.  There are, however, some sites where late arrivals have a special area to park up in, or others which may allow you to arrive late by prior arrangement.

I don't know which way you're heading, but we generally stopped at Aire des Deux Caps near Boulogne, or if we arrived rather earlier at another aire near St Hilarie des Cottes on the autoroute heading south east, or at Aire de la Baie de Somme near Abbeville.

It worked for us, and we continued with those timings long after our children had stopped coming with us, in fact until we both retired.

First time we went to France as kids in august in the 70's. We lived in Felinheli (North Wales) overlooking the Menai Straits.

I remember helping mum and dad pack the trailer finished about 9p.m. Then off to bed. Too excited to sleep.... About 3:30 a.m. it was time to go  It was still dark but there was a wonderful electrical storm in the distance over Anglesey lighting up the sky.

It was so exciting, I had never been up that early before. I can still remember stopping on the A5 somewhere near Shrewsbury as the sun was coming up and eating bacon sandwiches and drinking coffee from a flask. Then later at a service station spending some of our holiday money on a Beano Summer special, sweets etc.

Then Dover... the first ferry crossing... brilliant. France! what an adventure. So many new friends, so many things to see just great.

ahh... still only seems like yesterday