A complete guide to ferries to France 2023
Book your ferry… et allez!
Are you planning a ferry trip to France from the UK, Ireland, Italy, Spain, or North Africa? Here you can find all ferry routes to the ports of northern and southern France, wherever in Europe (and not only) you are coming from!
Find out all about available routes, compare ferry prices to France and book your tickets on Ferryhopper at the same prices as ferry companies.
- Ferry routes to France (the UK, Balearics, Sardinia, etc.)
- Ferry companies traveling to France
- Planning a ferry trip to France
The lovely port of Cherbourg filled with sailboats
Which are the most popular ferry routes to France?
If you wish to travel to northern France by ferry, you can get there from England, Ireland and the Channel Islands (Guernsey, Alderney and Jersey). The French ports that you can reach from there are: Roscoff, Saint-Malo, Cherbourg, Caen, Le Havre, Dieppe, Calais, and Dunkirk.
To travel to southern France, you can catch a ferry from Italy (Sardinia), Spain (Balearics), and North Africa (Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco). The French towns and cities that you can reach from there are Marseille, Toulon, and Nice in the French Riviera, as well as Sète.
Here you can find all ferry routes that you need to check if you want to travel to France by ferry:
Cross-channel ferries from the UK to France
Traveling by ferry to France from England is one of the easiest and most popular ways to reach France from the UK. The ferry is also very convenient if you want to cross the English Channel and bring along your vehicle. Many British ferries to France depart daily from the ports of southern England, such as Dover, Plymouth, Poole, Portsmouth, and Newhaven.
The Dover - Calais ferry is probably the most popular UK - France connection, with up to 25 daily ferry crossings and tickets starting at around €35. Note that on DFDS and Irish Ferries you can't travel from Dover to Calais as a foot passenger. You can only travel with a vehicle.
The ferry companies operating on routes from the UK to France are: Brittany Ferries, Irish Ferries, Stena Line, P&O Ferries, DFDS, and Condor Ferries.
Find out all about ferries from England to France:
Ferries to France from Dover
Dover to Calais ferry
Dover to Dunkirk ferry
Ferry to France from Plymouth
Ferries to France from Poole
Poole to Cherbourg ferry
Poole to Saint-Malo ferry
Ferries to France from Portsmouth
Portsmouth to Saint-Malo ferry
Portsmouth to Caen ferry
Portsmouth to Cherbourg ferry
Portsmouth to Le Havre ferry
Ferry to France from Newhaven
Map of ferry ports in northern France connected with the UK and Ireland
Ferries from Ireland to France
You can also travel to Brittany and Normany in northern France from 3 ports in Ireland: Dublin, Rosslare and Cork. The fastest and cheapest Ireland - France ferry connection is the one from Cork to Roscoff, normally available up to 2 times a week. The crossing takes 14-15 hours and tickets start at around €55 for foot passengers.
Ferry tickets to France are also pretty cheap on the Rosslare - Cherbourg route, starting at around €70. With about 3 weekly departures, the trip takes 15.5-18 hours.
The ferry companies operating on routes from Ireland to France are: Brittany Ferries, Irish Ferries and Stena Line.
Here some of the most popular ferries to France from Ireland:
Ferry from Dublin to France
Ferry from Cork to France
Ferries from Rosslare to France
Rosslare to Cherbourg ferry
Rosslare to Le Havre ferry
Ferries from Spain and Italy to France
With Corsica Ferries vessels, you can reach important ports in southern France and the French Riviera all year round from:
- 2 ports of Sardinia in Italy: Golfo Aranci and Porto Torres. There are about 3 weekly sailings to Toulon and 2 weekly departures to Nice from Sardinia. Tickets start at around €30 and the trip takes around 12.5 hours.
- 2 Balearic islands in Spain: Mallorca and Menorca. The French port Toulon is connected to Alcudia (Mallorca) with around 2 weekly crossings and Ciutadella (Menorca) with 1 weekly crossing. The Balearics - Toulon trip lasts 14-17 hours and tickets start at around €30.
Here’s a list of all available Sardinia - France and Balearics - France ferry routes:
- Golfo Aranci - Toulon ferry
- Porto Torres - Toulon ferry
- Porto Torres - Nice ferry
- Mallorca (Alcudia) - Toulon ferry
- Menorca (Ciutadella) - Toulon ferry
Major ports on the southern coast of France: Sète, Marseille, Toulon, and Nice
Ferries from North Africa to France
Did you know that, apart from European ports, you can also reach southern France from 3 countries in North Africa? In fact, you can get to France by ferry from:
- Morocco: you can travel to Sète and Marseille from the ports of Nador and Tangier. Ferries from Morocco, such as the Nador - Sète ferry and the Tangier (Tanger Med) - Sète ferry, usually take over 38 hours to reach France and tickets start at around €70.
- Algeria: you can get to Marseille from 3 ports in Algeria: Algiers, Béjaïa and Skikda. There are up to 8 weekly Algeria - Marseille crossings in total, operated by Corsica Lines. Ferries usually take 25-26 hours to arrive in France, while tickets normally start at around €135.
- Tunisia: you can also reach Marseille from the port of Tunis with up to 5 crossings a week. The ferry trip takes around 23 hours and tickets start at about €124.
The ferry companies operating on ferries from North Africa to France are: Baleària, GNV, Corsica Linea, La Méridionale, and CTN.
Ferry companies operating routes from/to France
There are 12 ferry operators traveling to France from Europe and North Africa:
- Brittany Ferries
- Stena Line
- Irish Ferries
- DFDS
- P&O Ferries
- Condor Ferries
- Corsica Ferries
- Baleària
- GNV (Grandi Navi Veloci)
- Corsica Linea
- La Méridionale
- CTN (Compagnie Tunisienne de Navigation)
The majestic “Stena Horizon” traveling between Rosslare and Cherbourg
FAQs for planning a ferry trip to France
What about vehicles, amenities and pets on ferries to France? Can you travel by high-speed ferry to France? Find answers to these and more questions below.
What's the fastest ferry to France?
The fastest crossing to France is the ferry from Dover (UK) to Calais. The ferry ride from Dover to Calais usually lasts 1 hour 30 minutes. The second fastest ferry to France is the one from Dover to Dunkirk, which takes approximately 2 hours.
As for high-speed ferries to France, there are only a few. For example, there is a high-speed ferry to France from the UK by Brittany Ferries, operating on the Portsmouth - Cherbourg crossing in about 3 hours.
Can I bring my car on the ferry to France?
Yes, you can bring your vehicle on all ferries serving crossings to France, as the majority are conventional vessels with car decks.
Tip: if you are traveling with a vehicle, make sure you book your ferry tickets well in advance, as car-deck spaces usually sell out fast on popular routes.
Which ferries to France allow pets on board?
The majority of ferries to France are pet-friendly so you can normally travel with your dog or cat (or other pet). Usually, pets can travel in a designated pet cabin or in a cage/kennel, or they can stay in your vehicle during the journey. They are not allowed in indoor areas but can walk around the deck as long as they wear a leash and a muzzle.
Depending on the operator, you might have to pay an additional fee for your pet. Make sure you bring your pet’s passport and health certificates, and fill out any form necessary for pet embarkation.
Note: each ferry company has its own pet policy, so make sure to check it or contact the company before your trip.
What documents do I need to board a ferry to France?
To travel by ferry from the UK or North Africa countries to France, you should carry a valid passport with you.
If you travel to France from Spain, Italy or Ireland, and are an EU citizen (Schengen Area), you just need an officially recognised European Union ID card. If you are not an EU citizen, you will need a valid passport.
At the moment, there are no Covid-19 restrictions in effect for ferry travel to France. That means that you have no formalities to complete (rapid antigen test, form of entry, etc.) and that you don’t need any Covid-19-related documents, such as a vaccination certificate, to enter the country.
The glorious Baleària “Regina Baltica” connecting France with Morocco
What to expect on board the ferry?
Depending on the company you book with, you can find a wide range of amenities and facilities on board ferries to France. The vast majority of these ferries are large conventional ferries, equipped with restaurants, cafés, lounges with TV, children’s playgrounds and game rooms, and shops.
Moreover, there are cabins available on almost all ferries to France (except for the Dover - Calais and Dover- Dunkirk routes). We strongly recommend booking a cabin, especially if you are traveling by ferry from Ireland, Sardinia, the Balearics or North Africa, as overnight ferries to France are very common and have a long duration (over 12 hours).
What is the cheapest ferry to France?
The cheapest route to northern France is the ferry from Dover to Calais. More specifically, you can book very cheap tickets to France with P&O ferries if you travel as a foot passenger. In this case, a single-passenger ticket starts at about €36.
As for cheap ferries to southern France, the Corsica Ferries routes to Toulon from Mallorca, Menorca and Sardinia start at about €30.
There are also several deals on ferries to France available by ferry companies, such as Irish Ferries, P&O Ferries, DFDS, Brittany Ferries, on return tickets for short trips to France from Dover, Portsmouth and Poole. Bear in mind that any current offers on ferries to France are automatically applied when booking your tickets on Ferryhopper.
The stunning Old Port of Marseille on the French Riviera
Book ferries to France on Ferryhopper
In the north or in the south, the coasts of France are fascinating and well connected to the mainland. Ready for a magical ferry trip to France? Compare routes and schedules to and visualize your trip to France on our Map of ferries. Don't worry; it’s super easy to use!
Tip: want to use a mobile app where you can have your ferry tickets on your phone? Download the Ferryhopper App for free, to keep your e-tickets (if available) in one place and track your ferry in real time!
