Tips & Information for France

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Ferry to France

There are large number of different shipping companies offering ferry connections to France from a wide variety of different locations. The most popular ferry operators for France are Euro Tunnel, Brittany Ferries, P&O Ferries and DFDS.

There are many different ferry ticket options for you to choose from - prices can vary due to times of the year, the number of passengers, what route you are taking, and if you are bringing your car with you. We recommend using our price finder to discover the best times and prices to suit your journey.

How long are ferry sailing times to France?

Due to the number of destinations you can travel from to France, the sailing times are widely varied. One of the most popular connections, England to France, can take anywhere from 35 minutes and 11 hours.

Popular routes from the UK to France include Dover to Calais, Dover to Dunkirk and Plymouth to Roscoff.

Some of the longer journey times can be found on our connections from Algeria and Morocco, taking 23 hours and almost 40 hours to sail to France, respectively.

Which ferries travel to France?

At this moment in time, there ferry connections offering around almost 1,000 sailings per week that travel to France – from a multitude of locations, such as the ferry from Portsmouth, the ferry from Dover, and the ferry from Poole.

Travelling with pets and vehicles on the ferry to France

It is entirely possible for you to take your pets and vehicles with you on the ferry to France. However, it is important to be aware that you are responsible for making sure that your pet complies with regulations both on the ferry, and in France itself.

Ferries to France - FAQs

What is the quickest ferry to France?

Dover to Calais is the quickest ferry crossing to France. This route takes approximately 1 hour 30 minutes. 2 operators sail on this route with 25 daily sailings. The next quickest route is Dover to Dunkirk, which takes approximately 2 hours, with 12 daily sailings.

Which ferries go to France?

Ferries to France sail from Dover, Newhaven, Portsmouth, Plymouth and Poole. P&O Ferries, DFDS and Brittany Ferries are popular ferry operators who sail to France from England. The Eurotunnel from Folkestone to Calais offers an alternative to ferry travel across the channel, with up to 62 crossings per day.

What is the cheapest ferry to France?

The cheapest ferry to France with Direct Ferries last month was £30, from Dover to Calais. The cheapest prices are typically during off peak times and low seasons. Compare prices from Dover to Calais with our deal finder to find the cheapest deals.

France reviews

"Bretagne, sweet Bretagne!"

I live in London and traveled on board The Bretagne from Portsmouth to St Malo to go home for few days. It''s a nice, not too big ferry. The food is good quality for value and the entertainment very family orientated, with singers and magician. I booked the night crossing, but too late to get a cabin, so I got a reclining seat. It''s "ok" for few hours, but I ended up sleeping on the floor as most people in the salon. On a final note, it was a good experience, cheaper than the plane and I really enjoyed the arrival overlooking St Malo!

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"Nice ferry"

I traveled on board the Normandie from Caen to Portsmouth last night and enjoyed a pleasant and fast night crossing back to England. The Normandie is a rather nice ferry, its facilities look new. I booked an inside cabin and, even though it''s pretty small, it''s very comfortable. The advantage of traveling overnight by ferry is you don''t get the feeling of wasting a day off traveling!

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"Good ferry service"

I recommend this ferry service for anyone crossing the channel. Good price and quick.

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"DFDS ferries are ok"

The ferries are quite new, comfortable with alternative styles of seating. Staff were friendly and helpful. On my journeys the number of car passengers were minimal so there was masses of space and the ability to choose a quiet spot if needed (I was going down with flu on the return trip so this was welcome). Lots of televisions around showing Sky News.

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