Of all the European nations, France is the most widely visited by tourists. With a long history and unique culture, France has something for everyone; grand architecture, world famous cuisine, museums and art galleries.

There are numerous ferry ports around the coast line of France. One of the biggest is Calais. This port is located at one of the narrowest sections of the English channel and so this port is perfect for cross channel ferries to Dover in Kent. There are numerous crossings every day by a multitude of operators including P&O, SeaFrance and Hoverspeed. The port town of Boulogne-sur-Mer also provides crossings to Dover; These are provided by Speed Ferries and take about 50 minutes to complete the journey.

In the northwest region of France, Dieppe has ferries departing regularly to Newhaven. The journey will take you about two hours. The town of Dieppe is not simply a transport hub. It is a traditional community that welcomes visitors and offers cultural activities popular in France such as art. The main operator who provides crossings to Newhaven is Transmanche Ferries.

Further down the Normandy coastline lies the port of Caen, which also provides cross channel ferries. These terminate at Portsmouth in England. Both Brittany Ferries and P&O service this route and the service they provide is quite similar. It usually takes about six hours to complete the crossing.

France’s second largest port is Le Havre. This is closer to Paris than any other port in France and is used widely for this reason. This port may also be used to cross the English Channel, with services to Portsmouth three times a day. Travellers should contact P&O Portsmouth for more information.

The south coast of France also has many ports, some of which provide ferry services. Located on the French Riviera, Nice has regular ferries to Corsica. Two companies sale this route; Corsica Ferries and SNCM Ferryterranée. Ferries will arrive at either Calvi or Bastia in Corsica.

Tags: Bastia, Caen, Calais, Calvi, Corsica, Dieppe, Dover, England, Europe, France, Kent, Le Havre, Newhaven, Normandy, P&O, Paris, SeaFrance