UK Ferry to South of France?

[Old Salt]

I have a disabled wife and I would like to take her on a holiday to the South of France.

Before she was confined to a wheelchair, we used fly Easyjet to Nice for a couple of weeks each year.

We rented a car and stayed in the same hotel each time, in Nice. But it has been years since our last visit.

I have found that all the other forms of travel, promised much, but eventually let you down. I am no longer as fit as I should be and I suffer a great deal from arthritis.

However, if we took our own car which is well suited to her requirements, and it seems to me it will dramatically reduce our reliance on disabled assistance by the carrier, I'm sure I would be able to cope.

I have spent the entire morning trying to make sense out of the various offerings on ferries to France, along the coast of the South of France; but I couldn't crack the code they seem to be using for ferries.

Of course I am assuming that there is a ferry that goes into the Med from England.

Sure could use some help and advice from a well informed traveller.

Old Salt

[NoMercy]

I don't imagine you'd get a ferry "crossing" to the South of France. You'd get a cruise to there if you wanted.

Otherwise, take a Ferry from Dover to Calais, or Portsmouth to St. Malo and drive down to the South.

[McMouse]

Take ferry from Portsmouth/Plymouth to Bilbao and then drive back into France.

[ABerrant]

The UK ferry destinations closest to the Med are Bilbao and Santander, but these are still 400-plus miles away from the S. France coast.

[craft1948]

Don't know if this helps but if you don't want to drive the whole way, we used to take our car across to Dover, then put the car on the motorail and get off in Narbonne.

[mushroom25]

the calais-narbonne motorail service was withdrawn at the end of the 2009 season. an alternative might be to drive to paris and take the sncf "autotrain" service to nice.

[craft1948]

sorry mushroom I didn't mean he should use that particular destination as it's still miles away from Nice.........just thought there might be a service to Nice or Frejus.

[Old Salt]

What a really fantasic and helpful bunch of responses

I must admit I never considered a cruise ship...........After thirty years in the Navy I swore I would never go back to sea. I still wake up in cold sweats, but a cruise ship is nothing like a man-o-war.

However, I've been on the Eurostar to Paris, and with the collapsable wheelchair, even if the promised assistance didn't come, I might be able to manage; certainly something to consider

Thank you all very much. At least now we have some very good possibilities to play with.

Old Salt

[craft1948]

Forget Nice Old Salt and take her on a cruise. I go with P&O and I know the Aurora has marvellous facilities for passengers in wheelchairs.

[Old Salt]

It's definitely a possibility craft1948

OS