Car Ferry Travel to France from UK
There are numerous car ferries to France from the UK when it comes to planning your summer holiday. Dotted along the Northern coast of France the channel ferry ports make the Vendée a “drivable distance” within the day, after arriving on French soil.
Travelling from Ferry ports to France from UK
There are numerous ferry routes from the UK to France making it easy to reach the French mainland from any region within the United Kingdom. Several ferry companies sail to France daily throughout the year. Each company offers a range of sailing times, making it easy to plan a family holiday or short break.
What ferry companies go to France?
There are numerous ferry companies sailing from the UK to France. No matter where you live in the UK, you are bound to find an English Channel port that will be the most convenient to you.
Ferries to Northern France, the first step!
There are 3 main ferry companies sailing from southern England :
- For Dover to Dunkirk : DFDS SEAWAY
- For Dover to Calais : P&O Ferries, DFDS Seaways
- For Folkstone to Calais : Eurotunnel
Ferries to other French channel ports
Brittany Ferries is probably one of the most well-known ferry companies sailing to France and offers a wide choice of French channel ports. Below is a map of ferry routes to France from UK.
It is possible to travel with your car, motor home, van, motorbike, bicycle and even as a foot passenger...
Further details can be found on the Brittany Ferry website – here is an example of some crossing details.
Ferry from Portsmouth (UK) to Cherbourg (Brittany Ferries)
- Weekly overnight sailings on new Salamanca ferry
- Crossing times: approximately 8 hours
- 2 sailings a week in each direction
- Crossing capacity: 1 100 passengers
- Cabins available for overnight sailings
- Ferry port located two miles from Cherbourg town centre
An alternative car ferry to France from UK - Poole -St Malo/Cherbourg
An alternative route for UK visitors as well as holiday makers from the Channel Islands visiting mainland France with Condor.
Driving times from the main French channel ports to the Vendée
The examples given are average travelling times from the main ferry ports towards La Roche sur yon:
- Roscoff - La Roche sur Yon 4 h 21 min (370,1 km) via N165,
- St Malo - La Roche sur Yon 2 h 49 min (253,7 km) via N137,
- Cherbourg - 4 h 14 min (415,7 km) via A84,
- Le Havre - 4 h 40 min (450,9 km) via A28 et A11,
- Caen - 3 h 46 min (366,4 km) via A84 et N137,
- Calais - 5 h 59 min (637,3 km) via A28
Duty free ferry prices are back!
Since the 1st January 2021 following the end of the Brexit transition period, duty free shopping has returned on cross channel ferries. For the first time in more than 20 years, duty free has made its comeback on ferry routes between the UK and France. Passengers can now purchase tax-free tobacco, alcohol, and perfumes once more. A personal allowance will apply to goods being brought back into the UK or taken into France.
Duty free allowance entering the UK
| Goods | Allowance |
| Wine | 18 litres (still wine) |
| Beer | 42 litres |
| Spirits | 4 litres of spirits or alcohol over 22% or 9 litres of sparkling wine or fortified wine or other alcoholic drink less than 22% (not including beer or still wine) |
| Tobacco | 200 cigarettes or 100 cigarillos or 50 cigars or 250g tobacco or any proportional combination of the above items |
| Any other goods | £390 worth of any goods e.g., fragrances, cosmetics, souvenirs, gifts, electrical products |
Duty free allowance entering the EU, including Ireland
| Goods | Allowance |
| Wine | 4 litres (still wine) |
| Beer | 16 litres |
| Spirits | 1 litre of spirits or alcohol over 22% or 9 litres of sparkling wine or fortified wine or other alcoholic drink less than 22% (not including beer or still wine) |
| Tobacco | 200 cigarettes or 100 cigarillos or 50 cigars or 250g tobacco or any proportional combination of the above items |
| Any other goods | 430€ worth of any goods e.g., fragrances, cosmetics, souvenirs, gifts, electrical products |
The allowance is the maximum that you can bring back whether you bought items duty free, or duty paid. Duty paid items are any items that you purchased in France such as in shops, supermarkets etc. If you exceed this, you will need to pay duty on everything in your possession.