Has anyone taken a British car through Eurotunnel & driven it in Normandy?

With regards to Eurostar, I don't think the costs were too high. People on this site recommended going to the British Eurostar website and this definitely saves money as opposed to the american eurostar site and definitely compared to RailEurope.
We booked ticket from Paris to London 4 weeks ago for 44 pounds each one-way which with the current exchange rate is around 80 dollars. This plus the convenience of being dropped right in the middle of the city makes Eurostar a great option(and super cool!!!)

This question has come up here once or twice and one or two UK drivers who regularly do this have replied: hey, no problem. However, your experience may be different from theirs, since they (presumably) frequently do this and of course spend 99.% of their driving time driving UK cars and are thus used to that part of it. I haven't rented a UK right hand drive car and driven it into France, but I have driven a US drive car (driver on left side) in Asia in a country that drives on the "wrong side" (like the UK)--the same thing you're asking about, just the opposite. Here's what I learned: it can be a significant challenge for the uninitiated, when the steering wheel and driver are on the wrong side of the car to see around traffic in front. Just one example: you're on a two-lane road in France driving a UK car, one lane in each direction, and you want to pass a slow car in front. You (the driver) are sitting on the right side of the vehicle and thus are unable to see around the car in front, to see if it's safe to pass. Don't under-estimate how disconcerting this can be: possibility of head on collision here...the only way I found to avoid death in a head on collision is to always have an adult passenger in front (in the front left seat in your case) who can look around the car in front and reliably, 100% of the time, tell you if it's safe to pull into the on-coming traffic lane. There are some strategies for minimizing the difficulty, such as driving on controlled access highways and, if on a two-lane road in the country simply not passing anyone.So, it can be done, but I would be cautious about believing at face value any statements here saying "oh no problem" which might lead you to under-estimate the challenge.

I know plenty of people over here think nothing of taking a ferry to the continent and driving over there. Furthermore I conversely see left hand drives or here. So it certainly can and is done.

I honestly have not tried it personally and just thinking about it ties my head up a bit. The safety question would be huge as the gentlemen pointed out. I would also think about the stress question if this sort of endeavor does not get your blood churning.

Thank you gentlemen. Those were precisely the concerns that I had myself. If the Eurostar wasn't just a bit high, I would never even have considered it. After reading your posts, I think that perhaps my good sense will overrule my need to be frugal here, and we'll rent separate cars in France and the U.K.

Cheryl: Yes, that's what I've done.

Thanks for the suggestion on the U.K. Eurostar website. I DID notice that they had some great prices (although not quite as far out as March), but I wasn't sure if one could order tickets from there if you were from the States. Knowing that you can will really help me out - - - if I keep an eye on it now, I might just snag a better deal. I'll also continue to really read through these message boards thoroughly (also waiting for my copy of Rick's "France" book).

I'm late to this discussion, but something seems wrong to me with this plan...

You say the cost for taking the train for several people is high. You're looking at instead renting a car in the UK and putting THAT through the tunnel to save money.

Unless I'm grossly mistaken (wouldn't be the first time), I think your plan has two very serious flaws: first, the "tunnel" is not like a tunnel here in the US that you can drive through. You want to take a car from the UK to France? Yes, you can do that, but you don't drive it through the tunnel, you take it to the train and they put the car on the train (which I'm thinking can't possibly be cheap). I suspect they do NOT let you sit in the car while this takes place, and they're not going to let you ride in the car during the train trip through the tunnel -- I assume you would still need to pay for train tickets for the passengers, in addition to the cost of hauling the car. I might be missing something, but I'm guessing that the plan to take the car with you under the Channel would end up cost more (probably a LOT more) than simply buying the passenger tickets and renting the car once you get there.

I'm certainly no expert on this, but the original plan just seems very suspect to me. Hope it works out for you whatever you decide.

David, I did understand that the Chunnel is not like our tunnels over here, and I did the research on that and included it in my cost estimates. Taking the Eurostar will still be more expensive (by over $200), but after much consideration, i do think it will be the better choice.

Just to clarify what happens when you take a car through the Channel Tunnel. Firstly, It is best to book in advance over the internet at www.eurotunnel.com.

Passport and customs formalities are carried out at the time of departure, so you cross the French border in England, and cross the U.K. border in France. You drive your car onto a train, and stay in your car for the whole of the journey which takes about 35 minutes. You then drive straight off the train and onto a motorway or autoroute.

It is all very straighforward, although the first time can be a bit challenging since it is all new. Having driven a British car in France many times, I can say that this is something I quickly get used to on each occasion. It is much easier on busy roads with separated carriageways, where you just follow what everyone else is doing. You always have to stay alert.

If you arrive early by car at the Channel Tunnel, they will put you on an earlier shuttle if there is space. They will also accommodate you if you arrive late. You don't need to arrive more than about 20 minutes before your departure time. On both sides, there is a departure terminal with shops, refreshments, etc.

As for comparative cost, on Eurotunnel you pay for the vehicle, irrespective of the number of occupants, while on Eurostar you pay per passenger. If you want to tour the French countryside, a car would be best. If you want to go to Paris and stay there, Eurostar would be my choice.

Some agencies restrict use of their cars.
Be sure to ask if you can take your car to France.

And what documents you will need to enter France.