Thinking about taking the ferry from the UK to France or vice versa? The Saint-Malo – Portsmouth route has it all: a comfortable crossing from a must-visit French coastal town, with easy onward travel to Paris and even southern France – and in the other direction, a gateway to the UK. It’s perfect if you’re travelling to or from southern England, Wales or London, or heading the other way towards Brittany, Normandy, Paris or beyond.
We tried this route ourselves in August 2025 and share here what to expect: from the boarding and facilities on board to tips you won’t find in the booking confirmation.
We travelled by ferry from Saint Malo to Portsmouth on the outward journey. For the return, we had planned Portsmouth to Caen, but car trouble and a fully booked sailing meant we ended up on the Portsmouth–Cherbourg route instead, on the ship the Santona.
In mid-August, we left the Netherlands for Saint Malo. We stopped overnight in Belgium and continued the next day. After a quick lunch in Honfleur, a harbour town in Normandy, we reached Saint-Malo by early evening. We gave ourselves an extra day there, staying at a small bistro hotel (Hotel Les Chiens du Guet) inside the city walls, only 50 metres from the beach.
Saint Malo is full of history. Once an independent city state, later famous as the pirate city1, and more recently featured in the film
All the Light We Cannot See. It’s also a great base for exploring the Breton and Normandy coasts, or visiting Mont St Michel.
Terminal, customs and boarding in Saint Malo
The next morning, we headed to the Brittany Ferries terminal. After a quick stop for photos for this site & review, we went through passport control and check-in. Within half an hour, we were on board. Customs were friendly and fast. The only hiccup: our car started acting up while boarding. More on that later.
Important: keep your boarding pass safe. It’s not just the key to your cabin. You also need it in restaurants and the duty-free shop.
Route: from Saint Malo (Brittany) to Portsmouth.
Crossing time: 7 hours 30 minutes
Price: £315.50 for 4 people and a car.
Ideal for: travelling from Portsmouth to Brittany, Normandy or, for example, from London to Paris – and vice versa. From Brittany and Normandy to London, Wales or Southwest England.
Booked via: Brittany Ferries ↗
We sailed on the Saint-Malo, one of Brittany Ferries’ brand-new LNG-hybrid ships. Choosing a daytime crossing meant we had the perfect chance to wander around and get to know the ship.
Car deck on the ferry ‘Saint Malo'
We boarded early, so our car was parked near the front. The Saint Malo has two vehicle decks for passengers. Everything felt spacious and looked brand new. The photos below give a good impression of the deck.
Being near the front should have meant a quicker disembark in Portsmouth, but it turned out quite the opposite. There was also plenty of space for motorhomes and caravans. The lower car deck is also noticeably higher, which is especially convenient for larger vehicles such as motorhomes or caravans
We left the car and went upstairs. We only took a few things – a mistake – as you can’t go back during the crossing. Bring what you need, like a jumper, as the air conditioning can be strong.
On board
Our daytime sailing lasted 7 hours and 30 minutes. There’s plenty to do on board: there are two main restaurants: Le Littoral (Bistro) and Le Jardin (buffet-style). There’s also a sundeck with play equipment for children, terraces on the upper deck to catch some well-deserved sun, and a bar (Breizh Ma Bro Bar) – though we didn’t see it in full swing as we travelled by day. Other facilities include various lounges, a gallery, a small spa, a children’s play area and some arcade machines.
There’s plenty to keep children entertained, from the play zone and entertainment team to the playground on the sundeck.
For dog owners there’s a kennel facility, or you can book a pet-friendly cabin so your four-legged friend can stay with you.
If you’d like more privacy and comfort, you can also pay extra for access to the CClub Lounge/restaurant, which includes drinks, food and snacks.
There are several decks with cabins. For this crossing, we didn’t book one, but in hindsight, a cabin would have been useful for the children’s naps. They still managed to sleep fine on the sofas, though.
Be careful with roaming – it’s best to switch off data or buy a small WiFi bundle if you really need it. While at sea you’ll move between French, British and maritime satellite networks. The satellite one is very expensive, so best avoided. After all, it’s probably your holiday!
Streaming over WiFi isn’t really possible unless you buy an expensive package, so if you want extra entertainment for the kids, consider downloading some films in advance. There’s plenty to do on board, but it’s a handy extra on a long daytime crossing. On a night crossing it’s less of an issue, of course.
Restaurants on board the Saint Malo
Besides the bar for light snacks, there are two restaurants. We opted for Le Littoral, more of a bistro style, while Le Jardin is more buffet-oriented and a little more relaxed. We took our chances and sat down for lunch in Le Littoral, and we’d definitely recommend it. We didn’t try Le Jardin, but from the photos we took, you can get an idea. You can also pick up some snacks there. Don’t forget your boarding pass – you’ll need it here too!
Duty-free shop
There’s also a duty-free shop on board. Tip: don’t head there straight away – it’s busiest at the beginning and end of the voyage. If you wait a little, it soon becomes much quieter. The shop stocks the usual range: souvenirs, alcohol, perfumes, toys, etc.
Entertainment and activities
The Saint Malo is well set up for keeping passengers entertained. In the bar (especially fun in the evenings) there are occasional live performances, plus large screens showing films or sport. The restaurants also offer a way to pass the time.
Other facilities include a small wellness centre, sundeck, arcade, children’s play area, a destination lounge with information on Brittany Ferries’ routes, the La Plage lounge, Les 8 Trésors lounge and an exhibition area with art and displays. In short, there’s more than enough to do – but if you want to watch your own films, download them beforehand.
For the kids, there was an entertainment team on board to keep them busy during the trip.
Cabins on board
We didn’t book a cabin on this leg. But we did on the return from Portsmouth to Cherbourg which was on the Santona – essentially a sister ship of the Saint Malo. On the Santona we had a four-berth outside cabin with a window and TV.
It was fairly spacious, very comfortable and perfectly fine for our family of four. You can also book higher categories like Admiral or Commodore cabins, shown in the video above. There are also pet-friendly cabins if you’re bringing your dog along. The bathroom was more than adequate and everything looked new and well kept.
Or see this video of the Brittany Ferries vessel Saint Malo.
Thinking of taking your dog on holiday to the UK? We’d say: go for it! Not just because of the ferry, but because the UK is so dog-friendly. Hotels, campsites and restaurants often welcome dogs, and you’ll see plenty of them around. Want to know what requirements your dog has to meet for travel to the UK? You can read more in this blog.
Something fun to do on board when arriving in Portsmouth (or Saint-Malo)
As you approach Portsmouth it’s worth heading up to the sundeck (upper deck). From here you can watch the ferry sail past the Isle of Wight with its impressive cliffs. Sailing into the harbour via the Solent is also a great way to end the crossing.
From the deck you’ll spot the Spinnaker Tower, the Wightlink ferries full of cars (sometimes even with alarms going off), and with a bit of luck the hovercraft arriving or departing for the Isle of Wight. It’s a memorable way to finish the trip before disembarking.
The reverse direction is just as special. When arriving in Saint-Malo from Portsmouth, make sure to be on deck as the ferry approaches the old walled city. The views of the ramparts and the historic harbour are a beautiful welcome to Brittany.
To disembark or not to disembark?
And then came the big surprise of the trip – something we had already suspected while boarding. Our car’s clutch seemed to be failing, and though it’s an older vehicle, the chance of it breaking right there on the ferry seemed slim. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what happened when it was time to disembark. The clutch gave up completely, and the car wouldn’t move. To make matters worse, we were parked near the front. Stress!
The steward guiding us off was calm and helpful. He explained we’d need to wait until the other cars had left, then they would work out how to move ours.
Help from Brittany Ferries staff
Thankfully, the staff were brilliant. They pushed our car off the ship by hand. They also let us leave it at the terminal for a few days so we could start our holiday with a hire car. The Brittany Ferries team in Portsmouth were always available and even helped out when the car had to be towed from customs to a garage. Locally, the team at Mr Clutch in Portsmouth helped us fix the clutch almost in time for our return trip.
Fortunately we’d booked a flexible ticket with Brittany Ferries. When I booked, I didn’t think much of it, but it turned out to be a lifesaver – we could change our return ferry several times while the car was in the garage. Definitely worth it if you’re planning a trip
Things to remember when taking the ferry Saint Malo–Portsmouth
- Apply for your ETA early. It takes up to 3 days and costs about £16 / €19 per person.
- If travelling from the UK to Saint Malo, plan to stay 1–2 nights. The city is beautiful, historic and worth it.
- You’ll need a passport for both directions.
- Switch off data roaming to avoid unexpected costs
- Download entertainment before you sail.
- Take what you need out of the car. You can’t return during the crossing.
- Switch off your car alarm to avoid a flat battery.
- Keep your boarding pass – it’s your cabin key and needed in restaurants and duty-free.
In summary, the Saint Malo – Portsmouth ferry is a relaxed and practical way to travel between France and the UK. The ships are modern, the journey takes just over seven hours, and there’s plenty to do on board. With the right preparation – passport, ETA, and a few essentials from the car – your holiday really does start the moment you step on board. For us, it was a comfortable and memorable crossing, even with a bit of unexpected car drama!
Driving in the UK: hire car tips
Driving on the left takes getting used to. Roundabouts can be tricky, with cars coming from the right. If hiring a car, consider an automatic. I often reached with the wrong hand to change gear and had to remind myself that the gearstick was on the left.
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint-Malo ↩︎
JW, one of the co-founders of FerryGoGo, has a passion for food, drink, and travel. He loves exploring data and the history of the many destinations featured on FerryGoGo, and he's always curious about the population of each place.
