France Ferry Routes, Corsica Crossings & River Bac Ferries

The premier maritime lifeline connecting mainland France to the Isle of Beauty (Corsica). Modern cruise-ferries feature private cabins, Mediterranean dining, swimming pools, and extensive vehicle decks.

The essential Atlantic crossing to Brittany’s largest island, Belle-Île-en-Mer. Sails from the rugged Quiberon Peninsula past rocky coastal forts directly into Le Palais harbour.

The overnight ferry from Marseille to Ajaccio, Corsica’s capital and Napoleon’s birthplace. Board in the evening with a cabin and arrive in the Gulf of Ajaccio in the morning.

The fast ferry from Saint-Malo’s walled city to St Peter Port, popular for day trips and short breaks to Guernsey. It is the only direct car ferry between France and Guernsey.

DFDS’s high-speed car ferry from Saint-Malo to St Helier, the shortest sea link between France and Jersey for drivers. Many French visitors use it for a day trip or weekend on the island.

A foot-passenger ferry from the Normandy port of Granville, near Mont-Saint-Michel, to St Helier. French visitors mostly use it for day trips to Jersey, going out in the morning and back in the evening.

The shortest sea crossing between France and Jersey, from the small harbour of Barneville-Carteret on the Cotentin coast. It is a foot-passenger day-trip service, and some sailings continue from Jersey to Sark or Guernsey.

The only direct ferry from Normandy to Guernsey, a foot-passenger service from the small port of Diélette on the west coast of the Cotentin. It is timed for day trips to St Peter Port and Victor Hugo’s Hauteville House.

A rare sea link to Alderney, the most northerly Channel Island, run on a few summer dates from Diélette. It is a same-day excursion: out in the morning and back in the evening, with time for Braye beach, St Anne and the island railway.

The main ferry route to the Île d’Yeu, off the Vendée coast: fast catamarans from Fromentine reach Port-Joinville in about half an hour, and the Insula Oya III carries cars and freight.

The year-round public ferry from the Pointe de la Fumée at Fouras to the car-free Île d’Aix, Napoleon’s last stop in France, in about 25 minutes.

The quickest way to Porquerolles, the largest of the Îles d’Hyères: TLV’s public-service boats cross from La Tour Fondue at the tip of the Giens peninsula in 15 minutes.

TLV’s public-service boat from the port of Hyères to Port-Cros, the car-free island at the heart of France’s first marine national park.

TLV’s boat from Hyères to the Île du Levant, the easternmost Îles d’Hyères island, shared between a military zone and the naturist village of Héliopolis, calling at Port-Cros.

The Vedettes Îles d’Or crossing from Le Lavandou to Port-Cros national park island, the year-round departure point closest to the island.

Vedettes Îles d’Or’s year-round boat from Le Lavandou to the Île du Levant, home to the naturist village of Héliopolis and a large military zone.

A seasonal day-trip boat from Le Lavandou to Porquerolles, an alternative to the short Tour Fondue crossing for visitors staying on the Bormes–Lavandou coast.

A summer day-trip boat from Cavalaire-sur-Mer to Port-Cros, giving visitors staying between Cavalaire and La Croix-Valmer a direct link to the national park island.

Vedettes Îles d’Or’s summer boat from Cavalaire-sur-Mer to Porquerolles, the largest of the Îles d’Hyères, as a full-day return trip.

The shuttle from Cannes to Saint-Honorat, the smaller Lérins island, where Cistercian monks still run the Abbaye de Lérins and its vineyards.

Corsica Linea’s nightly ferry from Marseille to Bastia, the main gateway to Cap Corse and northern Corsica, arriving the next morning.

Corsica Linea’s overnight ferry from Marseille to L’Île-Rousse, the port for the Balagne region and the Désert des Agriates in north-west Corsica.

Corsica Linea’s overnight sailing from Marseille to Propriano on the Gulf of Valinco, the closest ferry port to Sartène and the south-west Corsican beaches.

La Méridionale’s direct overnight ferry from Marseille to Porto-Vecchio aboard the Girolata, the only direct car-ferry link from mainland France to Corsica’s far south-east.

Corsica Ferries’ crossing from Nice’s old port to Bastia, the main gateway to northern Corsica and Cap Corse. It runs all year by day and by night, with the shortest sailings about six and a half hours.

The Corsica Ferries daytime crossing from Nice to Ajaccio, Corsica’s capital on the west coast, in about seven to eight hours. It is less frequent than the Bastia and Île-Rousse sailings but lands you closest to the south-west beaches.

Corsica Ferries’ shortest link from the Riviera to Corsica, from Nice to L’Île-Rousse in the Balagne, the north-west coast of beaches and hill villages near Calvi. Most sailings take five to six hours.

A long Corsica Ferries crossing from Nice to Porto-Vecchio in Corsica’s far south-east, close to the beaches of Palombaggia and Santa Giulia and to Bonifacio. It sails once or twice a week, often overnight.

Corsica Ferries’ main link from Toulon to Ajaccio, Corsica’s capital, with sailings up to every day. Daytime crossings take about seven hours and overnight ones up to twelve.

Corsica Ferries’ crossing from Toulon to L’Île-Rousse in the Balagne, north-west Corsica, close to Calvi and the Désert des Agriates. Day sailings take about seven hours; overnight ones up to eleven and a half.

The long crossing from Toulon to Porto-Vecchio in Corsica’s far south-east, near Palombaggia, Santa Giulia and Bonifacio. It runs one to three times a week, mostly overnight.

Corsica Ferries’ crossing from Sète, on the Languedoc coast west of Montpellier, to L’Île-Rousse in north-west Corsica. It suits drivers from south-west France and Spain, and takes about fourteen hours, mostly overnight.