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Which
crossing should I take ?
A
short sea crossing, Dover to Calais is usually the cheapest and most
popular way of getting to France. At peak times there are up to four
ferry sailings an hour from Dover and four Eurotunnel shuttle trains
an hour from Folkestone. Crossing times vary between 35 minutes by the
tunnel, to just under an hour by high speed catamaran, to about 90
minutes by ferry.
Like
Dover, Calais is one of the world's busiest passenger and vehicle
ferry ports. As the closest landing point in France, Calais has long
been the port of passage across the Channel to England.
If
you've crossed by ferry or Eurotunnel, it's amazing how different a
place can be when it's so close. Calais has plenty to offer, you can
enjoy the cultural heritage of traditional French restaurants and
despite the town having been flattened in two 20th century wars, you
can also find a lot of surviving glimpses into its fascinating past -
if you know where to look.
If
you are travelling to the South of France, or the more central regions
such as Paris, Burgundy or the Auvergne (refer to map on home
page), then the Dover to Calais ferry crossing, or the tunnel
option are the obvious choices.
However,
if you are travelling to the West of France to regions such as
Brittany, Vendée or Biarritz, this is not the obvious choice of
crossing.
Cross-Channel
Routes
Travelling
West
Dover
to Calais is a short crossing for those who wish to save money or who
do not especially enjoy sailing. The crossing is short (about 90
minutes), however if you are travelling West, you may have a long
journey by road in France to your final destination. If you are in no
rush, it may be a good idea to break the journey in France. Hotels in
France are much less expensive than in the UK.
By
choosing the Dover to Calais crossing (or the tunnel), you will make a
significant saving on the price of the crossing, less than half the
price of the other cross-channel routes. Despite the long drive in
France, you will find it less stressful than driving in the UK.
The roads in France are excellent, the density of traffic is much less
and there are no heavy goods vehicles on the road on a Sunday.
Portsmouth
to Cherbourg or Caen are long crossings (5 to 6 hours) and you will
have plenty of time to unwind and rest and enjoy the luxury
facilities the modern cross-channel ferries have to offer, eg. Casino,
bars, restaurants, shops and cinemas (depending on the boat). Many
people prefer taking the night crossing with a cabin so that they are
refreshed for the journey ahead of them in the morning.
From Caen it is
motorway all the way (non-toll) and it will take around 5 hours, but
from Cherbourg the first 100 miles are on A roads and later some of
the motorways are toll.
Portsmouth
to St Malo is another popular crossing. The night crossing takes
about 10 hours but if you are asleep in your cabin you will be unaware
of the time. You
will have plenty of time to unwind and rest and enjoy the ferry.
This crossing leaves the shortest drive in France in the morning
(about 4 hours).
Approximate
driving distance in France to the Vendée, from the different
cross-Channel ports.
• Calais : 400 miles
•
Dieppe : 321 miles
•
Le Havre : 290 miles
•
Cherbourg : 270 miles
•
Roscoff : 250 miles
•
Caen : 240 miles
•
St Malo : 170 miles
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