We are considering this crossing this year as we want to visit the Arriage and Med coast round Perpignan. We'll possibly venture off and back up the Rhone Valley making it a round trip and return from a channel port coming back. I'm a terrible sailor so has anyone used this crossing, does it get really rough, is there enough to keep you occupied for time it takes?
Many thanks

We have crossed to both Santander and Bilbao on Britany Ferries and once did the same as you are proposing but from northern Spain. We have always had a smooth trip.

The ships used are large with stabilisers fitted and follow a course across the Bay of Biscay quite far out from the French coast, so unless you are unfortunate enough to travel during a bad storm, any motion is hardly discernable.

Alan

Good shout there Randa hadn't considered Plymouth looks good though and times of crossings would work mmmm!

We’re booked from Portsmouth -Santander in June - 3 weeks, and I don’t have to drive all that way!🙂
I do enough for work so I’m ready for a rest.

We were kindly sent a friends and family 10% discount code from a lady on this forum so it helped, but it was still about £1700!
(Tried the Brittany ferries club membership but that doesn’t give much discount to new members in June.)

We booked from Plymouth to Roscoff despite the 30 minutes journey from home ( none stop) to Plymouth, a cabin for a little doze and a 6 hour steady drive the next morning

Hi Old Rocker

We have done both of these crossings a few times over the years and most have been OK as far as rough seas go - one year we were given an upgrade to one of the State Rooms at the front of the Bilbao one through a complex set of circumstances. It was spectacular and our son made much use of the complimentary free bar and snacks but that is another story

However one year on the big Portsmouth Bilbao ferry we sailed into the stinker of all stinkers and it was horrendously rough - so bad that they had to close the dining room as so many of the staff were seasick. My wife and son sat it out next to the pianist in the bar (which wasn't serving drinks) and they said it felt like the Titanic must have done.

Fortunately I had driven all night down from Lancashire and just crashed out like a dead man on a bunk in our room and barely noticed anything.

We have probably done the route to Northern Spain about 10 times so one out of ten isn't that bad. The worse thing was that next morning the ship had an all-pervading smell of vomit in the background but it didn't stop us having our croissants and coffee

Go for it

MikeT

Done the Roscoff crossing a few times,but never again after the last return trip. Closed all the bars duty free restaurants etc it was that bad.

We only did the Plymouth Roscoff ferry twice and both times it wasn't great

We had a daughter of some French friends who worked for Brittany Ferries and Celine said that it was down to the fact that the ferry was smaller and older with less effective stabilisers. She recommended that we use the newer larger ferry that went into Ouistreham instead.

We never touched the Roscoff one again and settled for the extra drive south and west

The ferries on the Spain route were always bigger and seemed more stable but you can never predict the sea - I come from a large family of sailors and shipbuilders and this was always drilled into me as a child.

I'm sure you will be OK..................................

MikeT

The little old ferries don't cross Plymouth Roscoff any more..... now it's usually either l'Armorique or the Pont Aven.

Bilbao is on ITV at the moment. Look for James Martin if you haven't seen it. It looks like a great city to visit.

l'Armorique booked Plymouth - Roscoff and only 30 mins from home ( Plymouth that is)