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Ferries to France from the UK

All the routes leading to France

There are at least 10 ferry routes from England to France. Which you can see on our interactive maps below. Depending on your departure and destination points, you typically have 2 or 3 options, which you can compare with our tools.

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Picking the best ferry for your trip

We aim to help you choose the best route. While “Dover to Calais” might seem like the best option, travelling through Dover on busy days can lead to queues and delays. It might be worth considering alternative routes to avoid these issues.

Book and compare with us

You can use the booking module and select ‘UK‘ to find the crossings to France.

Ferry route map UK to Franceโ€‹

Use the interactive map to find the right crossing and ferry company. You can zoom in and out and view the routes in the ports.

Above, you'll find a map displaying the ferry routes from England to France, including Dover-Calais, Dover-Dunkirk, Plymouth-Roscoff, and various ferries departing from Portsmouth to France.

Getting to France from the UK by ferryโ€‹

These are all the crossings from the UK to France.

Poole-Cherbourg

Brittany Ferries
77 miles
4h 30 mins.
Up to 1 time per day
From: £105.00

Dover-Dunkirk

DFDS
47 miles
2 Hours
Up to 8 times per day
No
Car ferry
From: £81.00

Portsmouth-Caen

Brittany Ferries
112 miles
5h 45 mins.
Up to 3 times per day
From: £59.00

Portsmouth-Saint Malo

Brittany Ferries
156 miles
11 Hours
Once per day
Possible
Cruiseferry
From: £63.00

Portsmouth-Cherbourg

Brittany Ferries
84 miles
6 Hours, 8 hours
Up to 3 times per week
Possible
Cruiseferry
From: £51.00

Poole-Saint Malo

Condor Ferries
143 miles
6h 20 mins
Up to 4 times per week
From: £124.00
Popular
PO ferries

Dover Calais P&O

DFDS, Irish Ferries, P&O
26 miles
1h 30 mins.
Up to 35 times per day
No
Car ferry
From: £36.00
Popular
Irish Ferries

Dover Calais Irish Ferries

DFDS, Irish Ferries, P&O
26 miles
1h 30 mins.
Up to 35 times per day
No
Car ferry
From: £36.00

Newhaven-Dieppe

DFDS
78 miles
4 Hours
Up to 4 Times p/day
Possible
Cruiseferry
From: £36.00

Plymouth-Roscoff

Brittany Ferries
112 miles
11 Hours, 5h 30 mins.
Up to 8 times per week
Possible
Cruiseferry
From: £25.00
Popular
dfds seaways ferry

Dover Calais DFDS

DFDS, Irish Ferries, P&O
26 miles
1h 30 mins.
Up to 35 times per day
No
Car ferry
From: £36.00

Portsmouth-Le Havre

Brittany Ferries
106 miles
5h 30 mins.
Up to 5 times per week
From: £150.00

Ferry Guide to France from the UK

Getting to France from the UK by ferry

If you're planning a journey from the UK to France, you've got several options: flying, driving, taking the train, or catching a ferry. A wide range of ferry routes connects Southern England with Northern France. The most suitable route depends on your starting point and destination.

The quickest crossing is typically Calais-Dover, but if you reside near Portsmouth or Plymouth, there are plenty of logical crossings to the French coast from those locations too.

In all, there are a minimum of 10 ferry routes to France, serving Normandy, Brittany, and Pas-de-Calais. Which crossing is the most sensible choice? Our handy ferry map offers a convenient way to decide, providing a clear visual overview.

But it's worth exploring further! Some vessels offer quicker journeys, while others are more budget-friendly. Alternatively, you might prefer a night crossing where you can catch some sleep, thus saving on an additional hotel stay. 

The Strait of Dover Ferries

Some of the most popular ferry routes to France are those crossing the narrowest part of The Channel: the ferries from Dover to Calais and Dunkirk.

Ferries from Dover to Calais stand out with their brief 1.5-hour crossing time and affordability compared to other French routes. However, potential delays at border checks can be a downside.

Although these ferries head to France, passengers often use them to travel to Belgium and Germany and further.

For those bound for Southern-France, the Dover to Calais ferry is a more logical option than the Dover to Dunkirk ferry, which docks further north, near Belgium.

Popular
PO ferries

Dover Calais P&O

DFDS, Irish Ferries, P&O
26 miles
1h 30 mins.
Up to 35 times per day
No
Car ferry
From: £36.00

Dover-Dunkirk

DFDS
47 miles
2 Hours
Up to 8 times per day
No
Car ferry
From: £81.00
In the map below, you can visually identify the ferries crossing the Strait of Dover. The northernmost one is Dover-Dunkirk, while the southernmost one is Dover-Calais.

More routes to France from the south of UK

There are more alternatives to make the crossing to France; above we've listed the most logical/fastest routes. But also Brittany Ferries offers a lot of crossings which can be handy if you live close to Poole, Plymouth or Portsmouth.

From Portsmouth to France by ferryโ€‹

From Portsmouth, there are a total of four ferries departing to different destinations along the French coastline, all operated by Brittany Ferries. You have the option to travel to Caen, Le Havre, Cherbourg, or Saint Malo from Portsmouth.
Ferries from Portsmouth UK to France
From Portsmouth, ferries operate routes to Caen, Le Havre, St Malo, and Cherbourg.

Portsmouth-Caen

Brittany Ferries
112 miles
5h 45 mins.
Up to 3 times per day
From: £59.00

Portsmouth-Le Havre

Brittany Ferries
106 miles
5h 30 mins.
Up to 5 times per week
From: £150.00

Portsmouth-Saint Malo

Brittany Ferries
156 miles
11 Hours
Once per day
Possible
Cruiseferry
From: £63.00

Portsmouth-Cherbourg

Brittany Ferries
84 miles
6 Hours, 8 hours
Up to 3 times per week
Possible
Cruiseferry
From: £51.00

Dover-Calais is the shortest crossing

The car ferry from Dover to Calais covers a distance of just 26 miles (42 km), making it the shortest route to France. The ferry journey takes only 90 minutes, and there are up to 35 departures per day during the summer season.

Ferries from the UK to the south of France

There are no direct ferries to the South of France, but you can opt for a ferry to France that sets you on the right course. Most of these ferries usually depart from Portsmouth, Poole, and Plymouth, ferrying you to Normandy and Brittany.

If you're heading to the south of France and wish to circumvent the traffic around Paris, the ferries from Portsmouth to Le Havre or Caen are an excellent option.

In the map above, you'll find the different crossings to Normandy and Brittany, from where you can conveniently journey further to Southern France, the Cรดte d'Azur, and Provence.

Ferries from London to Paris

Newhaven Dieppeย is a great connection for those who want to travel from London to Paris. You travel with this ferry in a fairly straight line in the direction of the French capital. So you make fewer miles/kilometres and don't have to drive that far on this route.

This route is a very popular alternative to the ferries operating in the Strait of Dover. A good alternative is aย ferry to Le Havre from Portsmouth.ย In this route map below you can easily find the ferry that makes the most sense for your point of departure.

Travelling through France

In combination with the ferry, most people make the crossing with their car.

PS. Do remember that you have to drive on the right side of the road!

The good roads are unfortunately not always free. In France, you travel a lot on toll roads. These do not cost much, but the amount can add up considerably over a long drive to the South. In Google Maps, a function allows you to avoid toll roads. That will surely help save a bit!

If you don't go by car, you can choose to travel through France by train. The country is known for its good connections with the TGV. The stations are easily accessible from some ports of arrival, but you could also consider travelling through the Channel Tunnel with the Eurostar. In Paris, you can then change to other connections or get off.

Join the Conversation

Ask questions, share answers, and discover routes and crossings. We and our visitors are here to help you find a suitable crossing.

2 Comments
  1. Fastest ferry route uk to france

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All crossings to (and within) France

Royan-le Verdon

Gironde
4 miles
30 mins.
Up to 12 times per day
From: £5.00

Santa Teresa-Bonifacio

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡น Sardinia
Ichnusa Lines, Moby Lines
10 miles
1 Hour, 50 mins.
Up to 4 times per day
No
Car ferry
From: £32.00

Portsmouth-Caen

Brittany Ferries
112 miles
5h 45 mins.
Up to 3 times per day
From: £59.00

Dover-Dunkirk

DFDS
47 miles
2 Hours
Up to 8 times per day
No
Car ferry
From: £81.00

Poole-Cherbourg

Brittany Ferries
77 miles
4h 30 mins.
Up to 1 time per day
From: £105.00

Portsmouth-Saint Malo

Brittany Ferries
156 miles
11 Hours
Once per day
Possible
Cruiseferry
From: £63.00
Fast Ferry
Condor-Ferries-logo

St Malo-Jersey

Condor Ferries
40 Miles
1h 25 mins.
up to 12 times per week
From: £47.00

Portsmouth-Cherbourg

Brittany Ferries
84 miles
6 Hours, 8 hours
Up to 3 times per week
Possible
Cruiseferry
From: £51.00

Poole-Saint Malo

Condor Ferries
143 miles
6h 20 mins
Up to 4 times per week
From: £124.00

Roscoff-Cork

Brittany Ferries
312 miles
14 Hours
Up to 2 times per week
From: £66.00

Cherbourg-Rosslare

Brittany Ferries, Stena Line
274 miles
18 Hours
Up to 4 times per week
From: £189.00

Le Shuttle

Eurotunnel
49 miles
36 minutes
Up to 24 times per day
From: £100.00

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