01/11/2026
🇪🇸 🚐 IS IT REALLY CHEAPER TO DRIVE THROUGH FRANCE THAN TAKE THE FERRY TO SPAIN?
It's a question that comes up every year when British motorhomers start planning their trips south.
At first glance, driving through France seems the obvious budget option. But once you've added up the Channel crossing, fuel, tolls and overnight stops, is it actually that much cheaper?
Then there's the ferry from Portsmouth or Plymouth to northern Spain. The ticket can look expensive, particularly with a larger motorhome, but you're saving a lot of driving, fuel and wear and tear on the vehicle.
And what about your time? Would you rather spend a couple of days driving through France or arrive in Spain feeling rested and ready to explore?
We've compared six different ways of getting from the UK to Spain, including distances, driving times, tolls, fuel costs and the advantages and disadvantages of each.
I'll put our full route comparison in the first comment. 👇
But first, what would you choose?
Pay more for the ferry and avoid the long drive, or take the road through France and make the journey part of the holiday?
