Ferries from the UK to the South of France
Southern France is one of the few destinations where the shortest ferry crossing does not necessarily result in the shortest journey. While many travellers automatically look at Dover and Calais, a longer crossing can often save several hours of driving. For most travellers, the best options are Dover-Calais, Portsmouth-Saint-Malo and the often-overlooked Santander/Bilbao routes. Which route makes the most sense depends largely on where in southern France you are heading.
Routes
Our experience
We have sailed Dover–Calais with every operator on the route. P&O Ferries stood out for us: competitive fares, modern ships and plenty of clean, comfortable space inside and out on deck. For most travellers heading to France, it’s usually the quickest and best-value way across.
Ferry services from the UK to the South of France
Travellers heading to southern France can choose between short Channel crossings and longer sailings operated by Brittany Ferries. Brittany Ferries serves ports such as Cherbourg, Caen, Saint-Malo and Roscoff, while also operating longer routes to Bilbao and Santander in northern Spain. From Dover, DFDS, P&O Ferries and Irish Ferries provide frequent crossings to Calais and Dunkirk.
Map with suggested the UK – the South of France ferry routes
This map shows ferry routes from England to South of France, with crossing times, fares and the ports they sail from. Tap a route for details, tap a port for its sailings, or zoom in for more.
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.
By car
Southern France covers a large area, which means the best ferry route depends heavily on your final destination. Travellers heading to Bordeaux or the Atlantic coast often make different choices than those travelling to Provence or the French Riviera. The tables below show approximate driving times from a typical northern French arrival port and from Santander in northern Spain.
Via northern France
| Destination | Distance | Drive time |
|---|---|---|
| Bordeaux | ~520 miles | ~8h 15m |
| La Rochelle | ~420 miles | ~6h 30m |
| Toulouse | ~560 miles | ~8h 45m |
| Montpellier | ~620 miles | ~9h 30m |
| Marseille | ~660 miles | ~10h |
| Nice | ~740 miles | ~11h 30m |
Via Santander
| Destination | Distance | Drive time |
|---|---|---|
| Bordeaux | ~150 miles | ~2h 45m |
| La Rochelle | ~280 miles | ~4h 30m |
| Toulouse | ~260 miles | ~4h |
| Montpellier | ~400 miles | ~6h 15m |
| Marseille | ~500 miles | ~7h 30m |
| Nice | ~560 miles | ~8h 30m |
Compare & book
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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.