Updated September 27, 2021

If you want to travel to France under Covid rules you need persistence and knowledge of the new regulations. It’s not as daunting as you might think (but it is ridiculous as the rules keep changing).

We went to France from the UK on Sunday August 15 and booked to return on Friday September 3, 2021. Here are my experiences of travel to and in France under covid rules. We took the ferry, but the requirements are the same if you are travelling by plane (though the queues are longer).

I start with the UK regulations; Canada requirements are at the end and are easy as it is on France’s Green list.

PLEASE NOTE: The status of the USA has changed. For France, and many other European countries, you have to be vaccinated to enter France though you can enter France if you follow certain rules (see below under Rules for USA citizens for entering France).

Before you Travel:

Requirements to enter France from the UK (Amber country)

At the time of writing France is on the Amber list for the UK and similarly, the UK is on France’s Amber (Orange) list.

The UK government website on travel to France is not comprehensive, so I would advise using the French government website for full information.

You will need the UK website for the return journey.

If you are vaccinated you must demonstrate your COVID-19 status before travelling to France. (See below for advice on the NHS app you need to use to get this from the UK). You are also asked to fill in a Sworn Statement form which you find on the French website.

If you are not vaccinated you must present a compelling reason to travel (which can be to get your second home ready to let, etc.)

You must also provide a negative test 24 hours before departing for France, agree to quarantine for 7 days when you arrive and get another test on day 7.

You’ll find the conditions on entry into France from an amber country (i.e. the UK) here.

You don’t have to quarantine on arrival in France.

Rules for USA citizens for entering France

This is the website telling you about valid reasons for travel to France.

If you are unvaccinated you will have to comply with the following:

1. When boarding, you must present a negative PCR test of less than 72 hours or a negative antigenic test of less than 48 hours. (PCR or antigen negative test less than 24 hours for travellers from the UK)

2. You must give a compelling reason to be admitted into metropolitan France.

3. You may be required to take a random test on arrival and you must agree to self-isolate for seven days on arrival.

You will need to fill in a travel certificate which you can download from here on valid reasons for travel to France.

PLEASE NOTE: US citizens, please check with the French Embassy or consulate in your state if you have any questions. Here’s the link to the French site that gives you contact details.

Booking the Ferry

No problems here. We went with DFDS Ferries, booking on a straightforward site that was easy to navigate.

Taking the Ferry

We were going down to the Loir Valley (not the Loire valley but its lesser known, delightful cousin), and then on to Le Mans. So Newhaven to Dieppe was the obvious route.

Uncertainty about queues/passport control/covid regulations) we arrived at Newhaven at 7pm, half an hour before the check-in opened. 7 cars/campers in front of us and I regretted the early start for the 9am ferry. But what about the hundreds of cars about to turn up?

There were a few driving up but not many. The passport/check-in took perhaps four minutes per car. Oh well…

Entering France

It was equally relaxed in Dieppe. Two Gendarmes asked for passports and evidence of vaccination on our mobiles.

And that was it. No mention of the ‘Sworn Undertaking to Comply with Rules for Entry into Metropolitan French Territory from amber list countries. Had they even heard of it? We didn’t ask or offer the paper and with a cheery wave and a ‘Bonnes vacances’ we were on our way., slightly confused by the ease of it all.

Ferries to France Guide

Rules for travel in France

So you’ve got here. What do you need to travel in France on holiday?

Health Pass (Passe Sanitaire)

If you plan to travel to France under covid rules, you must have a health pass (passe sanitaire) to get into hotels, restaurants, cafes, bars and all attractions. Plus some large hypermarkets and malls are required to ask for it (though we haven’t had to show it in any large supermarket so far).

What is a Health Pass?

Health Passes can be your NHS digital pass (displayed on your mobile phone) or in paper form (proof of vaccination or test result). The third option (by far the easiest to use in France) is to the TousAntiCovid French app on your phone with the NHS details.

PLEASE NOTE: The following is important for families from the UK and may impact on people already on holiday in France. The health pass is required from September 30, 2021 for young people aged 12 to 17 though not for children under 12.

The pass must prove:

That you are fully vaccinated (with an EMA-approved vaccine or similar):

Seven days after the second shot for two-shot vaccines (Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca)
Four weeks after the shot for one-shot vaccines (Johnson & Johnson)
Seven days after the shot for vaccines administered to people who have already had COVID-19 (only one dose is necessary).

If you are not vaccinated and from the UK, you must present a negative test certificate less than 24 hours before you travel.

OR The result of a positive RT-PCR or antigen test attesting to recovery from Covid-19, dating at least 11 days and less than 6 months.

How to get the UK Covid vaccination proof

This requires you to jump through a few hoops. If you go onto the NHS Covid pass website, you’re given two options: a letter or the digital version. BUT: Forget the letter version; it doesn’t work in France as it has the wrong barcode. And it takes 5 days to reach you.

So you must get the NHS app and register for the digital version. It asks for all sorts of information, including an uploaded photograph of an ID document (passport, driving licence for example). To verify that document it also asks you to record a video of you reciting numbers which is simple to do. 

When done, you can download the NHS COVID Pass – Vaccinated. This has the necessary QR codes for your vaccinations. This lasts for one month. If you are in France after it has expired, you need to generate a new one.

Keep this digital version on your phone, but also print a couple out. However if you’re still in France after it has expired you’ll have to have access to a printer. Why does this last for one month only? I’d love to know but in the meantime…hey ho go with the flow.

How to get the French TousAntiCovid pass

Once you have the NSH Covid pass, go into your app store and download the TousAntiCovid app. Then just follow the instructions; it’s very easy and takes just a few minutes to do.

Getting into those restaurants, cafes, bars and attractions…

I have the TousAntiCovid French app on my mobile, the UK NHS digital form on my mobile, and a paper form. When you’re going to a restaurant, bar, etc., someone just scans your version with their machine. But you can use any of these.

Why worry with the paper form?

An elderly friend who is booking a French holiday in the autumn doesn’t have a smart phone so cannot download either the UK digital version or the French TousAntiCovid app. 

So does just the NHS paper version with the QR code work in France? 

The whole checking of health passes is a bit of a lottery which we discovered when we started to do the research on the three types of Passe Sanitaire.

We tried the paper version in restaurants, hotels, bars, cafes and attractions. Some of their machines accepted the paper version; others didn’t. Some places didn’t know that you can use the paper version with the QR code. Some places had machines that were not up to date and would not register the paper version.

We also had similar problems with the NHS version on our mobiles and with the TousAntiCovid app.

So what to do if there’s a problem?

If you have the TousAntiCovid pass on your mobile but the venue doesn’t recognise it, brazen it out. After all you know you’re right. Tell them their machine/version is not up to date. It’s the same with the NHS pass version on your mobile.

Do the same with the paper version with the QR code; just insist that you are right. 

In the end, businesses in France are eager for your custom, so they will probably shrug their shoulders, raise their eyebrows at the British and let you in.

Rules for Canadian citizens for the Passe Sanitaire/TousAntiCovid pass

Canada is on France’s Green list and on the EU list for allowing all travel to France.

If you’re fully vaccinated, the system is the same. 

If you’re not fully vaccinated or have been given a different vaccine, you can get a temporary QR code for the health pass while in France from a healthcare professional after a negative PCR or antigen test. This is valid for 72 hours from the time of testing.

France government website for travel health pass applications for USA and Canadian citizens.

Other rules on travel to France during Covid

Wear a mask that covers nose and mouth in indoor public spaces (shops, offices, schools etc) and on some public transport like long-distance travel by plane, train or coach. 

For campsites, and other holiday accommodation you will need to present a pass once, on arrival. 

You don’t need to wear a mask in places where a health pass is required (although local authorities may review this).

NB: This last point on the places where you show a health pass and don’t need to wear a mask seems to be ignored by the French who STILL wear masks inside attractions, cathedrals etc. So when in France, do as the French do and mask up!

If  you are outside you do not need to wear a mask except in places where social distancing is not possible (queues, open-air markets, railway stations, etc.).

Have a great holiday!

Travel from France to the UK

For England: You will need to:

Take a Covid PCR test within 72 hours before you return. You can do this in many pharmacies and it’s very easy. You just turn up to the pharmacy and fill in a form. You pay 25 euros and take the test which is just a nasal test. You get the result within 15 minutes. You can get it on your phone or as a paper version.

BUT PLEASE NOTE: From 4am on October 4 you will NOT be required to take this test to return to the UK from France.

You must pay for a Covid test before you leave the UK to take 2 days after you arrive home. We paid for Randox tests at £48 each. When we got home we did the test ourselves on day 2 after arriving home. It involves both the throat and nostrils so is uncomfortable.

But nothing compared to registering the test which is complicated and long and not very well designed. You will need the RANDX booking number which the company sends after it has despatched the test. You complete all sorts of information and if successful, receive an email.

You must fill in the Passenger Locator form which you can only do if you have bought the test. And here it can get really silly.

Requirements for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

For Scotland please check the requirements here.

For Wales please check the requirements here.

For Northern Ireland please check the requirements here.

Requirements for the Republic of Ireland, Jersey, Guernsey and Isle of Man

For the Republic of Ireland please check the requirements here.

For Jersey please check the requirements here.

For Guernsey please check the requirements here.

For the Isle of Man please check the requirements here.

Getting onto the Ferry

We travelled with DFDS and arrived at Calais an hour before boarding. That was foolishly hopeful.

First you go through French Border Control. Two lanes were open: All Passports and EU passports. We took the former; many UK cars took the EU lane…which was far quicker. The young French border official on All Passports had clearly been told to go slow. All he had to do was look at the passport, stamp it and hand it back. Anything from 5 to 10 minutes per car. On the other apparently EU lane, cars whizzed through. I don’t advise you to do this – perhaps the female official was feeling kind and had not been told to send UK cars through the right channel now that Brexit has happened and we are a third country.

Then you go through UK Border Control where in our case the official was bad tempered but quicker.

Then you go to DFDS. They have to check you have done everything correctly (why not the UK Border Control – it’s all government requirements after all?) They send you information on what you must do before departing France for the UK. FOLLOW THIS!

A lot of people had obviously thought they could wing it somehow and ignored the advice. They had either not bought a test beforehand or hadn’t filled in the Passenger Locator Form. The patient and charming French DFDS official had to explain, many times over for some of the passengers, that they had to park to the right, buy the test and fill in the form before he could issue them with tickets. There were so many people who had to do this we missed our ferry.

Tip to follow:

Get to the port at least 2 hours before the ferry departs at popular times.

France Events

Events in France in August 2021

Events in France in September 2021

Events in France in October 2021

Events in France in November 2021

More about France

Rivers of France

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This Loire Valley drive from Le Puy-en-Velay to Nevers is the first part of the Loire Valley adventure along the river’s meandering route to the Atlantic. The Loire rises near my house in the Auvergne. But here it’s a modest river, slowly gathering its strength as it wiggles its way north west. At first it passes through small villages where all it does is keep the local communal washing places busy and water the pastures of cows and sheep.

It’s not until Nevers that the Loire becomes a major commercial river.

The main towns and cities in the Loire Valley running east to west start with Le Puy-en-Velay in the Auvergne where the river is a modest burble. Then it goes through Nevers, Orléans, Blois, Tours, Saumur, Angers, Nantes and St-Nazaire where the Loire finishes its epic journey to the sea.

Loire Valley Routes from Le Puy-en-Velay to Nevers

Fast Route: 280 kms/174 miles taking 3hr 40 minutes. It’s on the Autoroute N102 which has tolls of €6.40. Or take the A71 (no tolls) which is a journey of 307 kms/191 miles taking 3 hrs 50 mins.

Scenic Route: 367 kms/229 miles taking around 6 hours. It is possible to do all the attractions in one day though you might find you have to cut some a little short or bypass others.

Start the Loire Valley Drive at Le Puy-en-Velay

Le Puy-en-Velay is my nearest big town in France. You can’t miss its two main features as you approach. The religious statues and buildings rising out of the town on volcanic pinnacles give the town a theatricality out of all proportion to its fame. It’s the start of one of the most popular and best organized pilgrim routes to St James of Compostela in Spain.

Le Puy-en-Velay to Saint-Étienne

Drive: 118 kms/73 miles taking 1 hr 40 mins

From Le Puy take the D103 that runs mainly beside the still small Loire river. It’s a pretty drive so if time is not important, take the even smaller D42 up to D46 at La Roche/Bas en Bessat. You continue up the ever growing Loire, turning right onto the D25 to Unieux which becomes the D3 into Saint-Étienne.

The road takes you beside the Loire. It’s a delightful journey and much nicer than the main fast autoroute. There are no spectacular sights to stop at, just a drive through the Auvergne with its wide open spaces and rolling hills.

Saint-Étienne

Saint-Étienne was an industrial city and the centre of the French arms making business from 1665 to 2001. La Manufacture d’Armes de Saint-Étienne occupied a huge area with numerous industrial buildings.

Today the buildings have been renovated and transformed in this design city. So visit the Musée d’Art et Industrie which displays the city’s three main industries: weapons, bicycles and textiles. The Cité de Design is a prestigious design university with good temporary exhibitions. The Musée de la Mine takes you down into a different and rather grim world.  

The Musée d’Art Moderne is a real eye opener. It was the first regional museum of modern art and has a huge collection.

If you’re there for a meal make sure you eat at the up-to-the-minute La FABuleuse cantine.

A city of art and design, Saint-Étienne has an important bi-annual Design Festival starting in August. A surprising find and well worth the detour!

From Saint-Étienne to St Pierre de la Roche

Drive: 67 kms/42 miles taking 1 hr 20mins. Drive north into the glorious Gorges de la Loire on the D1082 with the river on your left.

It’s a lovely drive to a château you probably don’t know about. I didn’t until fairly recently and it’s a real find.

The Château de la Roche stands on an island, its stone defences mirrored in the surrounding waters. Stop to look at it; its strategic position gave it huge importance from the 13^th century onwards. If you have enough time (and good French) the guided tour is dramatic and fun, led by the proprietors of the château.

St Pierre de la Roche to Roanne and another city stop on the Loire Valley from Le Puy-en-Velay to Nevers drive

Drive: 24 kms/15 miles taklng 30 mins

Keeping to the scenic route, go back to the junction with the little D56 road which winds its way along the Loire. You’ll pass by Roanne, another city that is largely ignored by visitors unless you’re from Nuneaton and Bedworth (which Roanne is twinned with).

But worth a stop for its port, the old quarter, its superb Fine Arts Museum which houses one of the best Egyptology collections in France. (If you’re a fan of Egyptology, get to the new Champollion museum in Isère. It’s one of the many new museums and attractions opening this year.) And if you’re a gourmet, book at the 3-Michelin star Troisgros restaurant in Roanne.

Roanne to Digoin

Drive: 56 kms/35 miles taking 56 mins. From Roanne take the D482 with the Loire still on your left. The road becomes the D982 after Iguerande.

You’ll lose sight of the river a few kilometres on at St Martin du Lac. The road takes you to Digoin where the Canal du Centre joins the Canal Latéral à la Loire.

Digoin to Decize

Drive: 67 kms/42 miles taking 1hr 2 mins. The D979 runs beside the river, past St-Aubin-sur-Loire with its Trappist Abbey de Sept-Fons which has been inhabited by Cistercian monks since 1132.

Then Bourbon-Lancy appears just off the D979 on the D973. The town is worth a stop for its walled medieval area dating back to 1495. Standing on a hill, its wooden frame-houses crowd the small streets.

Bourbon-Lancy is a spa town and its thermal springs have treated visitors for centuries, starting with the likes of Cardinal Richelieu, James II of England and Catherine de Medici. and continuing on to today’s health-conscious visitors.

Decize

Decize, standing on a rocky island in the Loire, is a major destination in the central France canal system. Here the Canal du Nivernais joins the Canal Latéral à la Loire. Decize is a boarding place for barge and small boat trips on the river from the Vieille Loire quay. Hire a boat from the excellent small company, le boat. From here you can go north up the Nivernais Valley, west to Nevers or south to Roanne.

Once fortified to defend its strategic position, the ramparts, walls and towers of the city offer a good walk. They once enclosed the old castle of the Counts of Nevers. A clock tower and the Saint-Aré church dating back to the 7^th-century complete the tour.

The final part of the Loire Valley Le Puy-en-Velay to Nevers drive

From Decize it’s just a delightful 35 kms/22 miles drive on the D981 beside the Loire as it makes it way up to Nevers. It will take you around 40 minutes.

Nevers is one of the Loire Valley’s great towns. Here’s more on Nevers including what to see and where to stay.

So it’s the end of the first part taking you along the Loire Valley from Le-Puy-en-Velay to Nevers. The next Loire Valley drive takes you from Nevers up to the lovely city of Orléans.

Nevers Tourist Office

More Information

Loire Valley Towns and Cities including attractions, places to stay and how to get to each one

Loire Valley Drive in Sections

From Nevers to Orléans
From Orléans to Blois
From Blois to Tours
From Tours to Saumur
From Saumur to Saint Nazaire and the Atlantic Ocean

French Atlantic Coast

Major Rivers of France

Loire à Velo Route – Where to stay, how to book and attractions to see on this great cycle route

Budget Hotel Chains give you some good options on cheap (and good) accommodation in all parts of France

Departments of France

New Regions of France

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My Summer 2020 France trip started two days after the official British FCO ban on anything but essential travel to France was lifted on July 4.

The trip ran from July 6 to July 27, 2020. Events in this Covid-19 world are moving fast so some of these experiences might not apply. But I thought it worth writing a full account because who knows? History might repeat itself.

I booked Eurotunnel for a morning departure on July 6 and set off early with my partner for Folkestone. There’d been a slight price rise from the previous week but it was easy and quick to book. We felt like pioneers.

Summer 2020 France: Eurotunnel’s hiccup

The Eurotunnel terminal was almost deserted and a sad sight with every outlet except Starbucks shuttered. We’d naively reckoned we could buy the headlight stickers you need in France to redirect your headlights at the terminal. But don’t worry if this happens to you as well. There’s a solution when you arrive in France.

Not everyone was wearing masks in the main terminal building but a one-way system at Starbucks was in place for ordering and getting that much-needed coffee. No need to hurry we thought. The board announcing departures was saying ‘Wait for call’. So we waited then moved to the departure zone. Too late. Everyone was waiting for the next shuttle. It was not a good start as we’d planned to visit Fontainebleau Palace later that day. No marks to Eurotunnel for that error.

Eurotunnel Crossing

The Eurotunnel trip itself was easy, though do remember that all the toilets on the train are closed. And if you need those headlight stickers, maps, warning triangles, in fact almost anything you’ve forgotten there is a solution. Stop at the very useful service station just after leaving Eurotunnel on the road signposted to Calais.

The car park was full of drivers fixing those newly bought stickers, which are of course, designed to confuse unless you’re a sticker-locating mechanic. Then we drove out to the main roundabout where there’s a choice of motorways to Paris and other destinations.

Then it was on to the autoroute and the drive to Fontainebleau where I’d booked a hotel. A couple of kilometres after we left Calais we saw the last UK car we were to come across for a couple of weeks.

Summer 2020 in France: Fontainebleau

France began easing restrictions at the end of May and by mid-June many of the hotels were open. But many are open on a very restricted basis. We had booked at the Hotel Le Richelieu in Fontainebleau but still had to ring the bell when we arrived as reception was deserted. The hotel was very empty and their restaurant was closed on a Monday. There were bottles of hand sanitiser everywhere; the room sporting a kind of shabby chic/industrial design decor was spotless.

We walked into the centre of town which was buzzing. Apart from a few people wearing masks, life seemed normal. A meal on a sunny pavement at the Bistro des Amis felt very far away from London.

Breakfast at the hotel the following morning was just as it had always been though there were more individual packets of food than before. We served ourselves; the waiter brought coffee.

Driving through France

We drove down on Monday/Tuesday July 6/7. The autoroutes were remarkably clear, apart from those near Paris and Clermont Ferrand. The A77, imaginatively named as the Autoroute des Arbres (Autoroute of the Trees) was so traffic-free that we could slow down to photograph some of the road signs which show what tree it is you’re passing. The French are very good at relieving boredom on a long drive.

Returning was slightly different. We came back on Sunday/Monday July 26/27. On Sunday, driving north, we were passed by Belgians and Dutch driving like fury to get home. The southbound lanes were clogged; full of those driving south for their holidays. Monday saw just the odd Belgian or Dutch going home and the southbound lanes clearer.

The moral of this tale? Avoid weekend driving, particularly the start and end of holidays and on those busy dates: around July 14th and August 14th.

Summer 2020 in the Auvergne

My French house is in the Auvergne, near Le Puy-en-Velay. Since 2000, the city has thrived. Le Puy with its strange volcanic outcrops with religious buildings or statues perched on the tops, is the starting point for one of the most popular, and well organised, pilgrim routes leading to St. James of Compostella in Spain.

Our nearby local village is one of the first stopping points outside Le Puy. We arrived at maximum pilgrim rush hour time. The local bar was full of walkers; business was clearly booming which makes sense. A self-guided walk along well-marked paths from village to village in this remote region is about as social distancing as you can get.

Outdoors in the Auvergne

Everywhere we went we saw bottles of sanitising liquid. They were even fastened to gate posts and fences at the open-air vide grenier we indulged in which makes perfect sense. Everything at such a sale is in cash; items are picked up and put down again, or in my case haggled over (usually totally unsuccessfully) and put into a large bag. I am a complete push-over when it comes to vide greniers, car boot sales, brocante, etc.

If you want somewhere remote, try the Auvergne, the glorious region in central France.

Summer 2020 in France: Restrictions again

On Monday July 20^th, with a rising number of covid-19 cases in France, the French government re-introduced the wearing of masks. The French took it in their stride. There was no fuss, no ridiculous outrage about loss of persomal ‘freedom’, and from that day on everyone wore a mask in public.

The shops enforced the rule (except in the case of one lady in Tinel who looked so daft that the staff left her well alone). I’d gone in just before her without a mask to be met by an assistant asking me to put one on. I clearly looked quite normal.

The Château of Fontainebleau which we visited on the way back enforced the rule absolutely, anybody not wearing one is asked to leave. However we didn’t have to pre-book, unlike some attractions in France.

Summer 2020 in France: Hotels and Restaurants on the Journey Home

This was a little different from our drive down to the Haute-Loire. With the new restrictions, the hotels were playing it very safe.

Our first stop was the Hôtel les Grands Chênes, just outside Saint Fargeau at Les Berthes Bailly. It’s a delightful place, with well-sized bedrooms, good bathrooms, a swimming pool and badminton nets set out in a very large garden. No masks outside, but step inside and they were put on immediately.

Breakfast was served in a pretty yellow-walled dining room. Bread, butter, hard-boiled eggs, cereals, fruit (in individual plastic containers), cheese, ham and yoghurts were all on one table but we had to go up to the table to order them. Rachael, the English owner, and her assistant then handed them to you on plates. Coffee or tea was served directly at the table. It was slightly strange but easy enough.

Second Night

The second night was a bit more of an adventure. We had booked at the Best Western Les Beaux Arts in Compiègne, just north of Paris. We arrived at the hotel to find the doors firmly shut, though lights were on inside. Eventually I telephoned the number I had at the top of the email they had sent on Friday. A slightly bewildered but charming Frenchman answered. He seemed surprised, but gave us the code to get in via the side entrance. An envelope propped up on the counter contained the key and instructions on how to get into the garage (free on this occasion). There was one other envelope. It felt odd and ghostly to be in an almost completely empty hotel.

The restaurant was, of course, shut, as were the TWO restaurants across the river. But a short walk into the town centre brought a good choice and the evening was saved.

The next morning we came down to be greeted by the manageress who was serving a free breakfast express to us and to the one other guest. She showed me the email she had sent a couple of days before; it had clear instructions on it (below the formal booking acknowledgement) of what to do when we arrived. I hadn’t read that far. She was upset, not surprisingly. I was mortified, not surprisingly. The obvious point? READ YOUR EMAILS! And be prepared for the unexpected.

Here’s a guide to budget hotel chains in France.
And good value hotels in Antibes/Juan-les-Pins in the south of France if that’s where you’re headed.
Or perhaps a quick trip to the Normandy D-Day Landing Beaches? Try any of these excellent hotels and bed and breakfasts.

Summer 2020 in France: DFDS Ferry

We came back to the UK from Calais by DFDS ferry.

A word of advice on the general check-in at the port: allow a bit more time than usual. The UK Border Force are working at the passport booths, but only two of them were open and they are slow. There was a desultory search of the back of the trunk (presumably for hidden people). Was this a way of showing us what it will be like from January 1^st, 2021, we wondered? Probably, except the search might be more than desultory when we aren’t allowed to bring more than 2 litres of alcohol into the UK.

The ferry was very empty, and this was peak holiday time normally. It wasn’t just that DFDS were having to operate a reduced capacity due to social distancing. The Brits just aren’t travelling at the moment in any numbers to France.

We saw just three cars with UK number plates on our trip until we reached the autoroute running into Calais where we saw around a dozen.

On board the ferry there were bottles of sanitising gel everywhere but few people bothered with masks. There was a free meal thrown in; you just had to pay for any drink apart from water.
More about Ferries to France.

Summer 2020 in France: Overall Impressions

Allow more time to check in for ferries and Eurotunnel both in the UK and in France.

Many of the big attractions have re-opened or are about to re-open. But check on whether they require pre-booking before turning up.
Think of taking a picnic or check whether you can buy food at the attraction. Many of them how have specific picnic areas, but restaurants generally remain closed at attractions.

Take masks and be prepared to wear them!

Go for it; don’t be worried. It’s easy and the French are very welcoming.

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Ferries to France from the UK run mainly from five ports in the south of England. Dover is the most popular port.

Here is a round-up of the different ports, routes and ferry companies. I have also added tables showing distances from the French ports to various cities, plus toll costs and fuel costs.

I have included ferries from Ireland to France at the end of this article.

TIP: Two useful French sites to check before you decide on Ferries to France from the UK.
Autoroutes in France is the official website giving accurate information on distances, real time traffic information, weather etc.
European tolls gives a comprehensive guide to tolls throughout Europe.

Where to stay in each French port

I have recommended hotels in each port, some of which are quite basic. Alternatively, all the ports have a selection of the well known budget chains, so check out my Budget Hotel Chains in France.

For Normandy hotels check out Hotels and Accommodation in France near the Normandy D-DayLanding Beaches.

Booking your Ferry

For the best deal book as early as possible. Off season and night ferries are cheaper.

The biggest booking service for ferries to France from the UK is operated by AFerry.co.uk offering ferry routes around the whole of Europe.

Also consider booking companies that compare rates like www.ferrycheap.com.

When you book you will need details of passengers and details of the car (make, model, number plate, size, trailer, caravan, etc.).

Dover to Calais

Currently three ferry companies operate on the Dover to Calais route. Sailing time is 1 hour 30 minutes. If you want a quick getaway, it’s worth paying for priority boarding which will get you to the front of the ferry. Also consider the Premium Lounge offers. Each ferry company has a comfortable, large lounge with free soft drinks, tea, coffee and macaroons. You can buy a meal in any of the onboard restaurants/cafes and take it to the lounge. 

Check-in is 30 minutes before departure but each company advises you to arrive 45 minutes early. And with the present delays people are experiencing at Dover, check the websites before setting off. You may have to wait a very long time, due to the new Brexit restrictions which are badly affecting all sailings.

Please note: the low prices on each site refer to unpopular sailings so it might be for a crossing during the night. You should reckon around £150 for off peak sailings at civilised times.

DFDS runs every day of the year for 24 hours. There are fewer crossings in winter, but the prices are cheaper (apart from peak Christmas and New Year sailings).

Prices for a car and up to 4 passengers start from £68 return. Free WiFi.
Priority boarding is £10 each way.
Premium Lounge is £12 per person each way.
You cannot travel as a foot passenger on DFDS on this route.
Check out the DFDS sailings.

P&O has reinstated its Dover to Calais route. It is more expensive generally.
Priority boarding is £12 each way
Premium Lounge is £24 per per person each way.
Check out the P&O sailings.

Irish Ferries has entered the market.

Prices for a car and up to 4 passengers from £69. Free WiFi.
Priority boarding and club class lounge is from £18 per passenger each way.
Check out the Irish Ferries sailings.

Why Calais?

Calais is the perfect place for a short break to the north coast with its lovely north France seaside resorts.

If you’re interested in World War II there’s plenty to see.
La Coupole and Hitler’s V2 Rockets
Eperlecques Blockhouse
The Secret Mimoyecques Fortress and the V3 Rocket

DFDS has up to 15 sailings a day. Prices for a car and up to 9 passengers start from £44 each way. Free WiFi.
Priority boarding is £10 each way.
Premium Lounge is £12 per person each way.
You cannot travel as a foot passenger on DFDS on this route.
Check out the DFDS timetable for Dover to Calais.

P&O has lost so much money due to Covid that it is currently changing its crews and sailings, having sacked up to 800 staff with no warning. It is going to use agency staff from abroad to save money.

Hotel Recommendation

Ibis Styles Calais Centre Hotel is a good choice. Completely refurbished, this 3-star hotel is central and near both the beach and the train station as well as good restaurants. There’s a fitness room, lounge with billiards, football and darts so you’re likely to meet fellow Brits. Well priced also.
Ibis Styles Calais Centre Hotel
56 rue Royale
Calais
Tel: +33 3 21 97 45 00
Website

Dover to Dunkirk (Dunkerque)

DFDS is the only ferry company running to both Calais and Dunkirk. Dover to (Dunkerque) service takes 1 hour. Prices for a car and up to 4 passengers start from £40 each way. This is a cheaper option than Dover to Calais and slightly quicker but you are further north.
However it’s a good port if you are going to Eastern France and Champagne-Ardenne.
Check out the DFDS sailings.

Why Dunkirk?

Well apart from being a cheaper crossing and its World War II attractions, Dunkirk is just near the Belgian border so it’s a good start for a hop over to Bruges. It’s also very near Calais, St-Omer and Lille.

Hotel Recommendation

On my last trip I had an excellent stay at the All Suites Apart Hôtel by the water. It’s aimed at the University so there are plenty of families of students, etc. Each apartment has a kitchenette but if you’re just passing through you won’t have time, so take the breakfast provided.
All Suites Apart Hôtel
Quai Freycinet
1 Avenue de l’Université
Dunkerque
Tel: +33 3 28 69 70 40
Website

Newhaven to Dieppe

DFDS operates 3 daily sailings from May to September and 2 at other times, and the crossing takes 4 hours. DFDS  recommends a check-in of 1 hour 30 minutes. Prices from £98 return. There are reclining seats in a quiet area or better still, book a cabin which takes up to 4 passengers. Prices for cabins from £24 to £35.

Summer departures (May 1 to September 30) are 10am, 5pm and 11pm.

Winter departures (Oct 1 to April 30) are 10am arriving at 3pm and 11pm arriving at 4am.

Information about DFDS here.

Why Dieppe?

Dieppe gives you easy access to Rouen and points south such as Chartres, Orleans and the Loire Valley and further south.

Hotel Recommendation

I first stayed at the 3-star Logis hotel Auberge du Clos Normand many years ago and was enchanted. It was a fairy tale place with rooms looking out onto rolling farmland and a restaurant with red brick walls and a stone-flagged floor. It’s still a fabulous stay just 10 minutes outside Dieppe.
Auberge du Clos Normand
22 rue Henri IV
76370 Martin Eglise
Tel: +33 (0)2 35 40 40 40
Website

Ferry to France from the UK – Southern England

All routes from England’s south coast are operated by Brittany Ferries, a company founded in the 1970s by a group of French farmers who wanted to export their cauliflowers to the UK. Today it’s the top ferry company to France, operating comfortable ships that are more like mini cruise ships than ferries.

Portsmouth to Le Havre

Brittany Ferries operates up to three crossings a day taking from 6 hours 30 minutes up to 8 hours on overnight sailings. This crossing is cheaper than other routes on the Brittany Ferries timetable.

Brittany Ferries Portsmouth to Le Havre sailings.

Why Le Havre?

Le Havre itself is a surprisingly interesting city, despite the heavy destruction of World War II and rebuilding. Contemporary architecture and a museum with the second largest collection of Impressionist paintings outside the Musee d’Orsay in Paris are just some of the attractions.

Le Havre is close to Rouen and is well placed for going south to Le Mans, Tours and Poitiers.

It’s also the starting point if you are taking a holiday in the Normandy Cotentin peninsula.

Hotel Recommendation

The Best Western ARThotel is just five minutes from the seafront and stands opposite the Volcano cultural center, one of the iconic buildings by the Brazilian architect Oscar Niemeyer. 31 rooms with stylish decor. some overlooking the water, a tapas bar and live jazz.
The Best Western ARThotel
17 rue Louis Brandeau
Tel: +33 2 35 22 69 44
Website

Portsmouth to Caen

This is Brittany Ferries’ most popular route. There are 3 crossings a day taking 6 hours during the day and 7 hours overnight.
The ferry terminal is at Ouistreham, 15 kms (9 miles) north of Caen.

Brittany Ferries Portsmouth to Caen sailings.

Why Caen?

Caen is the port to choose for exploring the Normandy coastline and the D-Day Landing Beaches and Bayeux for its tapestry and Rouen. Like Le Havre, it’s ideal for going south to Le Mans, Tours and the Loire Valley.

Check out this guide to visiting Normandy and the various beaches from Mech Traveller.

Hotel Recommendation

Le Dauphin, set in a former priory is a good central hotel. It has a spa and a notable restaurant where they use local ingredients.
Le Dauphin
Quartier des Quatrans
29 rue Gémare 
14000 Caen
Tél : +33 2 31 86 22 26
Website

Check out my hotel recommendations in Normandy near the D-Day Landing Beaches.

Portsmouth to Cherbourg

Take the Normandie Express to Cherbourg, taking just 3 hours on Brittany Ferries’ high-speed catamaran. There is one crossing a day each way in the high season; less at other times.

Check out the Brittany Ferries Portsmouth to Cherbourg sailings.

Poole to Cherbourg

Brittany Ferries also runs from Poole in Dorset to Cherbourg, taking just 4 hours 30 minutes. Barfleur sails from Poole in the morning and returns from Cherbourg in the evening.
Check the timetable here.

Why Cherbourg?

No longer the great port for transatlantic crossings, Cherbourg is still a good place to visit. Its great attraction is the Cité de la Mer museum which is all about that transatlantic journey, with a section on the ill-fated Titanic.

Hotel Recommendation

La Régence hotel is a good value choice. Overlooking the harbour the 3-star family run hotels is comfortable and has a good value restaurants.
La Régence
42 quai de Caligny
50100 Cherbourg
Tel: +33 (0)2 33 43 05 16
Website

Portsmouth to St Malo

Brittany Ferries operates luxury ferries to St. Malo in Brittany taking 11 hours overnight, making this a delightful mini cruise. The ferries leave at 8.15pm so you have plenty of time for a good meal and a decent night’s sleep.
On the return, there’s both a daytime and an overnight service.

Brittany Ferries Portsmouth to St Malo timetable.

Why St Malo?

Quite apart from its real charm, St Malo is perfect for exploring Brittany. The beautiful wild coast beckons in the north and at places like Quimper. Or going further south to fabulous Nantes, La Rochelle and Bordeaux.

Hotel Recommendation

We went for a cheaper hotel but it was outside the centre. Factoring in taxi fares and time taken, it would have been far better to pay more and be more central. So I recommend the stately De France et de Chateaubriand near the main square and within the citadel walls. Take a more expensive room for great sea views. Good bistro downstairs and posh restaurant on the top floor.
De France et de Chateaubriand
12 place Chateaubriand
Tel: +33 2 99 56 66 52
Website

Plymouth to Roscoff

Brittany Ferries operates its luxury boats to Roscoff in Brittany, taking 6 hours during the day and 8 hours overnight. There are up to two sailings per day from March to October.

Brittany Ferries Plymouth to Roscoff timetable.

Why Roscoff?

This small resort is ideal for exploring the western end of Brittany. Or go further south to Nantes and beyond.

Hotel recommendation

Les Arcades in a 16th-century building is central and just five minutes from the ferry. It has wonderful sea views and a good value restaurant.
Les Arcades
15, rue Amiral Réveillère
Tel: +33 2 98 69 70 45
Website

From Ireland to France

Cork to Roscoff

Brittany Ferries runs overnight and daytime services taking 15 hours. It is less frequent than the other crossings but it’s on one of their best ships so treat it as a mini cruise.

Brittany Ferries from Cork to Roscoff.

Dublin to Cherbourg

Irish Ferries runs ferries on Saturday, Tuesdays and Thursdays taking around 18 hours. You must book seating or cabins on this route.

Irish Ferries Dublin to Cherbourg sailings.

Tourist Board Sites

Pas de Calais Tourism Website
Nord-Pas de Calais Tourism Website
Normandy Tourism Website
Brittany Tourism Website

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What were your first memories of France?

Mine were of lying in a bunk with my mother on a ferry from Newhaven to Dieppe. I was four years old and very sick; my two elder brothers were prancing around being terribly brave on the horribly bucking and rearing old ship.

It was not a good start to a summer family holiday to Mers-les-Bains on the north coast of France.  

My parents had booked a small hotel overlooking the beach. It was very old-fashioned with iron shutters at the bedroom windows, big heavy furniture and lumpy beds. We loved it.

I can remember hot days with a shrimping net. Going back to this part of France I realised that it must have been quite difficult to catch anything with a shrimping net. There are no rock pools, though the pebble beach might have yielded the odd catch. Perhaps I was just proud of having a shrimping net.

I remember the owners who went by the outlandish name of Monsieur and Madame Pompilliou (at least that’s what I remember; my brothers can’t remember at all). I don’t know if they had children of their own, but two days into our stay they offered to look after all three of us so my parents could go to Paris for the weekend. I was 4 and my brothers 8 and 12. Absolutely unheard of today, but then? The Pompillous were just being kind.

I remember my parents coming back with toys, particularly a small model of a Paris bus. It had an open back, a bell and was green (I would describe it as British racing green, but that would not be tactful, and perhaps not true either).

It was a little like this bus, but ignore the date!

I remember the breakfasts: hot chocolate in slightly cracked French bowls (much better than porridge), freshly baked bread which was crisp outside and warm inside and joy of joys…unsalted butter and sweet sticky apricot jam.

Childhood memories are fragmentary things that catch you out when you least expect it.

I had forgotten all about Mers-les-Bains until one year when we were returning from a holiday with my husband and small son in our house in the Auvergne. On our way back to the ferry I decided to revisit the past. It was fiercely stormy; the wind roared along and the waves crashed on the beach. It was all we could do to stand upright and we took bets on which of the beach cabins would be the first to fall over.

It was out of season so most of the small restaurants were closed. We walked along the front feeling discouraged but eventually found one that was open. We pulled open the door and staggered inside, the door crashing behind us. The windows were steamed up from the warmth; it was full of locals and smelt of fish.

We ordered mussels and chips and along came steaming bowls of the molluscs and double-cooked chips with sachets of mayonnaise.

My son looked rebellious; this was the first time he had encountered a mussel. He opened his mouth to refuse this disgusting looking pot of shellfish. “Ah, monsieur” the waiter smiled at him “Voici comment on fait”. He picked up an empty shell, using it to extract the mussel flesh from another shell, ate it and put the shell into the upturned lid. “Et voilà!”

Perhaps it was Les Mouettes along the Esplanade du Général Leclerc? Until I know otherwise I will keep getting my mussels and chips here.

My son has been a fan of mussels and chips ever since. I wonder what he will remember and treasure from holidays in France.

More about seaside resorts in northern France from this article. Take a short break in any of the wonderful resorts (think northern Riviera!) that stretch down the coast from the Opal Coast and Boulogne to near Dieppe.

Or stay in one of my favorite cities, Calais, which has an intertwined history with England and all kinds of attractions including…a dragon.

The post First memories of France appeared first on Mary Anne's France.

Location

Getting to the Iles de Lérins is easy, it’s just a wonderful 15 to 20 minute ferry ride. And they are fabulous, these secret islands off Cannes. So here are the reasons to go! The Iles de Lérins represent the Mediterranean in miniature. The two islands are so near to chic but consumerist Cannes, yet so far away in spirit. This is the quiet Côte d’Azur before the cinema crowd moved in. Even the breezy crossing is cool Cannes – without the bling or billionaire company. While away an afternoon over a waterside picnic, enjoy a wine tasting with monks, or walk past creeks to the next dip in turquoise waters.

Both islands are made for walking, picnicking, swimming, snoozing and dreaming. Come for spiritual sustenance on the monastic island of Saint Honorat. The Cistercian brothers will also tempt you with their Bordeaux-style wines, monastic liqueurs and Mediterranean feasts in their island restaurant.

Whether picnicking or praying, come to clear your head of Cannes. There’s only so much chic boutique-hopping most mortals can take. And the unworldly Brothers are better salesmen too.

The article The Iles de Lérins off Cannes tells you all you need to know about visiting the islands: walking, swimming, wine tasting and dining.

Getting to the Iles de Lérins

It’s a short crossing to the car-free islands from Cannes (15-20 minutes) and slightly longer from La Napoule. You can’t visit both islands on one boat trip: return to Cannes for the second cruise or, even better, do it another day, combined with the ravishing Corniche d’Or cruise of the Esterel Coast.

Getting to Ile Sainte Marguerite

Ile Sainte Marguerite: do the boat trip from Cannes, Mandelieu La Napoule, Golfe Juan, or Nice. Different companies offer different ports of departure. It’s quickest (and cheapest) from Cannes, followed by La Napoule, Golfe Juan and Nice. If cruising from Nice, treat it as a day trip to include the Corniche d’Or (Esterel Coast) as well. Try a variant on the basic cruise, combining Sainte Marguerite with a dinner cruise, regatta, fireworks display, catamaran cruise, or a sail along the Corniche d’Or.

Compagnie Riviera Lines
Quai Laubeuf
06400 Cannes
Tel: +33 (0)4 92 98 71 31
Website

Cannes to Sainte Marguerite
Daily departures from 7.30am to 7pm (the crossing takes 15 minutes). Return services run from 7.45am to 6pm.
Return tickets: 15€ adults, 13.50 € for students, 11 to 14 years and seniors, 9.50€ for children 5 to 10 years; free for children under 5.

Cannes to Sainte Marguerite and the Corniche d’Or, the ‘Golden Coast’
Return tickets 34€ adults, 22€ children 4 to 10 years. Under 4 years free
Departures: April 4 to September 9: Wednesday and Friday
July 1 to August 30: Monday, Wednesday and Friday
This glorious trip combines the island and one of the loveliest stretches of coast on the Riviera.

Golfe Juan to Sainte Marguerite and the Corniche d’Or, the ‘Golden Coast’
Return tickets from Golfe Juan: 39€ adult, 28€ children 4 to 10 years. Under 4 years free
Same departure dates and times as for Cannes to Sainte Marguerite

Trans Côte d’Azur
Quai Laubeuf
06400 Cannes
Tel: +33 (0)4 92 98 71 30
Website

Cannes to Sainte Marguerite
Daily departures from Cannes run from 7.30am to 6pm (the crossing takes 15 minutes). Return services run from 7.45am to 6pm.
Return tickets: 15€ adults, 13.50€ students, 11 to 14 years and seniors, 9.50€ for the under 10, free for children under 5. Book online for a discount on these prices (tickets are valid for one month).

Nice to Sainte Marguerite
Departures from Nice run from 9am for 10am-6pm on Sainte Marguerite returning to Nice at 7pm for this full day cruising.
Dates: May 21 to June 30 and September 3 to 29: Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday
July 2 to September 1: daily except Mondays.
Return tickets: 41€ adults, 32€ children 4 to 10 years. Under 4 years free
Book online or by tel: (+33) (0)4 92 00 42 30

Nice to Sainte Marguerite and the Corniche d’Or
Departures from Nice 9am, return 7pm full day cruising to both islands
Dates: July 3 to August 30
Return tickets: 50€ adults, 40€ children 4 to 10 years. Under 4 years free
Book online or by tel: (+33) (0)4 92 00 42 30
Also cruises to see the fireworks off Cannes around Bastille Day, Monaco Grand Prix, Regattas and Flea Markets in St Tropez

Compagnie Maritime Napouloise
La Napoule Port
Tel: (+33) (0)6 25 33 40 84
Website

Mandelieu-La Napoule cruise to Sainte Marguerite
Departures: from 9.15am to 5.30pm returning from 9.40am to 6pm.
Dates: May 19 to September 22 daily except Mondays
Return ticket: 19€ adults, students, 11 to 14 years and seniors 17.50€. Under 4 years free

Mandelieu-La Napoule cruise to Sainte Marguerite and the Esteril
Catamaran cruise departures: May-September, Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 5pm inc the chance to snorkel and bathe and meal on board.
Tickets: 108€ adults, 66€ children 4 to 10 years.
Half day afternoon tours are 3 to 5pm and cost 57€ adults and 47€ children 4 to 10 years.
See the website for more cruises.
They also depart from Théoule-sur-Mer.

Getting to Ile Saint Honorat

Ile Saint Honorat: there are fewer crossings to St Honorat as the resident monks value their privacy. Leave from Cannes on the island’s only ferry line, Planaria, and you can combine a visit with magnificent Corniche d’Or cruise.

Ile Saint Honorat
Planaria
Quai Laubeuf
06400 Cannes
Tel: +33 (0)4 92 98 71 38
Website

Cannes to St Honorat: (15 minute-crossing):
Daily departures hourly from 8am to 5pm. Return hourly from 8.30am to 5.30pm.
Return tickets booked online: 14.50€ adults; 14€ students, disabled and seniors; 13€ 13 to 18 year olds; 8.50€ 8 to 13 year olds, 5.50€ 4 to 8 year olds; children under 4 go free.
Check out the website for other possibilities like wine tastings.

Cannes – Office du Tourisme Palais des Festivals
1, Boulevard de la Croisette
06400 Cannes
Tel: (+) 33 (0)4 92 99 84 22
Website
Open daily, 9am-7pm, March-October
Cannes hotel booking on line

Walk to the hidden coves, go swimming off the rocks, take a picnic and chill out under the trees. Or see where The Man in the Iron Mask was incarcerated.
Check it all out here.

More about the South of France
Travel Guide to Nice
The Riviera – Great Gatsby Style
Essential Guide to Provence

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Find out about how to travel to Normandy. Here are various ways to get to Normandy in north France.

From the UK

Travel to Normandy by ferry from the UK

Taking the ferry is the most popular way to travel to Normandy from the UK. There are several major ferry ports in Normandy and two major ferry companies serving them.

Brittany Ferries runs from Poole and Portsmouth to Cherbourg and from Portsmouth to Le Havre and Caen.

DFDS runs between Newhaven and Dieppe.

Brittany Ferries to Cherbourg

Portsmouth to Cherbourg runs during the day and night. Because of the tides, departure times can change by up to an hour. The ferry takes from 7 hours 30 minutes to 8 hours depending on which ferry you take.

Portsmouth to Cherbourg Timetable.

The ferry from Poole to Cherbourg takes between 4 hours 15 minutes and 5 hours 30 minutes depending on which ferry you take.

Brittany Ferries. Tel: 0330 159 7000 (reservations and enquiries)

Why choose Cherbourg?

Choose Cherbourg if you want to stay in the pretty Cotentin Peninsula. It has long, sandy, empty beaches. It boasts large and small harbours full of fishing boats like Barfleur where William the Conqueror set out on his conquering mission to England. To the south west Mont Saint-Michel beckons; Utah Beach is the most easterly of the famous D-Day landing beaches with nearby World War II sites to explore.

Brittany Ferries to Caen

Portsmouth to Caen offers day and night sailings. They operate from late January to December. Sailings take between 6 hours and 7 hours 30 minutes.

Brittany Ferries Portsmouth to Caen timetable.

Why choose Caen?

Caen is the preferred stop for exploring the D-Day landing beaches. It’s a lively city, largely rebuilt after World War II but with a delightful old centre. It’s also near Bayeux with its glorious tapestry.

Brittany Ferries to Le Havre

Portsmouth to Le Havre offers a good equivalent with a no frills service (self service restaurant only; basic cabins, etc.) Brittany Ferries has crossings from £83 one way in the off season. Depending on the season, there are 2 daytime crossings and 2 night sailings. There are no winter sailings.

Le Havre, France’s second largest port, is a surprisingly interesting place where Impressionism and contemporary architecture hold equal billing. Don’t miss the concrete interior of St. Joseph’s church.

Brittany Ferries to Le Havre timetable

Why choose Le Havre?

Le Havre has some surprises. It has some excellent contemporary architecture, recognised internationally when the urban complex was made a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Ocean of the Future exhibition is at the La Cité de la Mer museum. The André Malraux Museum of Modern Art – MuMa, has a stunning collection of Impressionist paintings.

DFDS Ferries to Dieppe

DFDS is the only operator to Dieppe. They offer 3 daily sailings in both directions from May to September; 2 daily sailings off season, taking 4 hours. Off season tickets for a car and 4 people start at £95 return.

DFDS ferries to Dieppe timetable.

Why choose Dieppe?

Dieppe itself is delightful with a castle museum, old streets and plenty of good fish restaurants. It’s also near some pretty seaside resorts and rolling countryside.

Fly to Rouen

If you want to fly to Rouen from the UK, it takes time, as you have to change at Paris.

The major airline BA, AirFrance and KLM fly from London; EasyJet and other discount airlines fly from Luton or Gatwick.

Getting to Normandy by train

Let the train take the strain. From the UK take Eurostar to Paris.

From Paris, it’s an easy journey from Paris Gare Saint Lazare, 13 rue Amsterdam, Paris 8. Paris to Rouen takes 1 hr 11  mins.

From Dieppe, it takes from 46 minutes to Rouen.

Getting to Rouen by car

Paris to Rouen is 131 kms (81 miles) taking around 1 hr 32 mins. There are tolls on the autoroutes.

Dieppe to Rouen is 63 kms (39 miles) and takes around 1 hour.

By coach to Rouen

Flixbus runs from London Victoria coach station to Paris (Bercy) where you change for the bus to Rouen. It takes from around 12 hours and costs from £50. From Park (Bercy) to Rouen it takes from 2 hours 15 minutes and costs from £6.99.

BlaBlaCar offers two choices. It operates a car sharing scheme so you go onto the site and type in dates and destinations; cars that are going the same way usually put up their details a few days before.

By coach BlaBla goes from London Victoria to Paris, taking from 9 hours and costs from £35. From Paris to Rouen, the bus departs from Paris Charles de Gaulle, Paris Orly and La Defense only, taking from 1 hour 30 minutes and costs from £6.

Why choose Rouen?

Rouen, capital of Normandy, is a stunning town with a cathedral, old buildings like the Bishop’s Palace, memories of Joan or Arc, and enough good bars and restaurants to satisfy the most demanding.

Getting around Normandy

The best form of transport in Normandy is your own car if you want to travel around the region.

There is a good regional rail network, which connects the major towns but at no stage runs along the coast. The line from Paris to Rouen passes close to Giverny and Monet’s house and garden (nearest stop Vernon), and trains continue to both Dieppe and Le Havre. Trains between Cherbourg and Paris call at Bayeux and Caen.

By bus, the D-Day Line, operated by Nomad lines, runs along the Normandy D-Day Landing coast between Grandcamp-Maisy in the west and Bayeux in the east. Travel on it to visit Sword and Juno beaches and their attractions. Easy to use, it operates daily and regularly between 9.30am and 6pm. And don’t worry about taking photos on your mobile phone; the vehicles have USB charging points, as well as wifi and air-conditioning.
From Bayeux, take coach line 120. 

You can buy tickets on board, though it’s cheaper if you buy in advance. Tickets are available via scanning, or at various tourist offices. A day ticket for an adult is €10 in advance, €12 on the bus.

Visit the Nomad Line site for all information.

What to See in Normandy: World War II and the Day-D Landings

D-Day Landing Beach Sites from Utah to Sword
Hotels near the D-Day Landing Beach Sites
Guide to Courseulles-sur-Mer
Pierre et Vacances Apartment in Courseulles-sur-Mer

The guide book D-Day Landing Beaches Guide Book by Mary Anne Evans and Alastair McKenzie was published by Bradt Guides in March 2024.

More to see in Normandy

Normandy Travel Guide – What to see and Do
Normandy Impressionist Festival 2026
Normandy and Impressionism – A general overall look at the great Impressionist art movement and what to see in Normandy

The post Travel to Normandy from the UK and Paris appeared first on Mary Anne's France.