Ferries from the UK to the South of France
There’s no direct ferry from the UK to the south of France, so the journey means crossing to Brittany or Normandy and driving on, or sailing to northern Spain and approaching from the south. Both involve serious miles by road. This guide sets out the realistic options so you can decide whether the ferry-and-drive is worth it for your trip.
Routes
Our experience
We sailed from Saint-Malo to Portsmouth with Brittany Ferries as a family, and this day crossing felt much more like part of the holiday than just transport. Saint-Malo is a brilliant place to leave from, the views on departure are beautiful, and there was enough on board to keep the children busy during the crossing. It is not the fastest way to England, but if you are travelling from Brittany or western France, it is a relaxed and very logical route to the UK.
Ferry services from the UK to the South of France
Brittany Ferries serves the western ports used for the long drive south; its Spain routes offer another way in.
Getting to the south of France
There’s no direct ferry to the south of France. From the northern and western ports it’s a long drive south, around eight hours or more from Calais to the south-west. A faster-feeling alternative is to sail to Santander or Bilbao in northern Spain and drive up into France from there, often just two to three hours to the south-west corner. Either way, carry a Crit’Air sticker for the low-emission zones.
Still weighing up your options?
We have crossed the Channel to France more times than we can count, on most of the routes and with most of the operators. Tell us where you are starting and we will point you to the smartest way across.
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