Raise a glass to a trip to France

Rory Fitzgerald has done the maths and claims that savings on wine have turned his family holiday to Brittany into a free jaunt. It’s the perfect excuse.

THE VIKINGS were right. One of life’s great pleasures is sailing off to foreign lands and returning home laden with plunder. An autumn ferry trip to France is a great way to take a short break and stock up for Christmas at the same time. However, those who last took the ferry to France in the 1980s might still be traumatised by memories of greasy chips and overheated cabins near the engine room.

Thankfully, the ferry to France has changed utterly: sea travel is romantic and luxurious once more. Indeed, the ships that sail to France nowadays would pass for a four star hotels - except with sea views on all sides.