For people living on or near to the south coast of England the Dover to Calais ferry offers a convenient, cheap way to reach mainland Europe rapidly.
Now that the Euro and the pound are almost the same value, the times of budget shopping in Northern France are over, at least for now. But Dover to Calais ferry prices remain affordable. There are still many other reasons to take a ferry trip over the English Channel though.
A weekend break
To take advantage of warmer weather
A trip to visit museums and art galleries
Shopping in France is still interesting if not as cheap as previously
Add to this the fact that you can take your own car which allows you complete control and a ferry from Dover to Calais becomes your ticket to a great time in France.