Ferry from Portsmouth to Caen - mistake in Feb?

Yes, it's a mistake, for the following reasons. The days are short, so the amount of time for sightseeing is limited. Most people who go by ferry are travelling with their car. If you do this journey as a foot passenger, you will also have to make lots of transfers, all of which will take time. February weather is not always good (have you looked out of your window this morning? Have you heard the wind?) There is a risk that the ferry could be cancelled, and might be uncomfortable. Most people are not sea-sick on these ferries, which are big, comfortable, ships, but it could happen to you or your children. You don't want to be standing on a Normandy beach in the wind and rain. How are you proposing to get to Mont St Michel from Bayeux and then back to Ouistreham by public transport? Have you checked the timetables? This is a trip best left until spring or summer.

What Bob said. February is usually the coldest month of the year in Normandy, plus the wind off the channel makes it even worse. The Dover-Calais route would give you the opportunity to explore Dover Castle which was used in WWII.

The ferry crossing in winter can be horrible due to weather. No matter the size of the boat, high waves means seasickness for many whether night or day. I speak from experience. And as someone else said, the weather in Normandy might be pretty bad too. You might not have flexibility in your timing, but be prepared.

Thanks for the reality check, all. We are going in May instead.

Portsmouth to Caen is my recommendation, especially if your'e now planning to go in May. Spending time on the ferry is much more relaxing than charging down french motorways from Calais ( unless you are planning to stop off and do some site seeing). I love being on the ferry. It is my preferred mode of transport from Britain. We use the ferry at least 6 times a year and have never yet had an 'uncomfortable' crossing. It is the one part of our travel time that I really look forward to. A nice meal in the restaurant, (a little more expensive than the self-service but worth it), and then a brandy/coffee in the bar before a stroll along the outer deck and then bed. Heaven. Arriving refreshed in Caen.

Check the timetables - you will see that the daytime ferries are faster than the night-time ferries. Roger

The ferry actually docks at Ouistreham where you must take the bus to the Caen RR station. The bus is usually waiting at portside. I don't remember the fare. Your third day is a real killer. You might consider spending another night in Bayeux after MSM, then getting to Caen and the ferry port at Ouistreham the following day. Another option We chose to pick up our reserved rental car right across the street from the Caen RR station and drive to Bayeux after the ferry crossing. With a car you can do your own MSM jaunt (about 2 hours from Bayeux via the motorway) and arrive well before the hordes are expelled from the tour busses and clog the streets of MSM. MSM is two hours tops to see it all and then you can drift back to Bayeux on a course you've predetermined or even return the car to Caen that day. A car provides many more choices for you and your kids to explore. Driving in France is quite easy and a GPS can really help.

Another tipyou might check out the Portsmouth forum on tripadvisor.com in case you want to spend a night there and take in the historic HMS Victory, Admiral Nelson's flagship. There is a car service out of Portsmouth, AquaCars, that will fetch you and the kids on your schedule and deliver you to Portsmouth for less money than a rail journey. We used them to fetch us from Heathrow and it was really first rate. Portsmouth has a lot to offer in WWII history and museums as well.