Ferry to France with a motorhome: costs, routes & what you need

A return ferry for a 7 m long, 2.5 m high motorhome plus two adults in seats runs roughly £119 to £658, depending on the date, time, ports and ferry company you choose. The quickest crossing is Dover to Calais (about 1h 30m); longer overnight routes such as Portsmouth to St Malo take up to 11 hours. Book as far ahead as you can — prices climb the closer you get to departure. To drive in France you'll need a full UK driving licence, a valid passport, vehicle and insurance documents, a UK identifier on the plate, headlight deflectors, a warning triangle and hi-vis vest, and a Crit'Air clean-air sticker for low-emission city zones.

France is a brilliant motorhome destination, and getting there is more straightforward than it looks. Camplify owners note the ferry often works out cheaper than the Eurotunnel, but the gap closes fast as the date approaches — so the earlier you book, the better. Below we cover the costs, the crossing times by route, the documents you need post-Brexit, and how the Eurotunnel compares.

What does the price of taking a ferry to France with a motorhome depend on?

The price of the ticket depends on:

• Length of time between booking and departure date: trips booked closer to the latter will cost more

• Seasonal demand: high season will obviously be more expensive

• The departure and arrival ports

• The ferry company

• The number of people travelling and their age.

• Whether pets are accompanying the trip

• The length and height of the motorhome

• If you decide to travel in a seat or in a cabin.

How long does the ferry take to get to France?

Ferry crossings between the UK and France take between 1h 30m and 12 hours, depending on ferry company and destination/arrival ports. For example, Direct Ferries’ journey times for a 9am departure include:

Departing from Dover

• Dover to Calais: 1h 30m

• Dover to Dunkirk: 2h 00m

Departing from Portsmouth

• Portsmouth to Cherbourg: 7h 45m

• Portsmouth to St. Malo: 11h

• From Portsmouth to Caen: 5h 45m

If you’re starting near the south coast, you can also hire a campervan in Portsmouth and pick it up close to the ferry terminal.

Departing from Poole

• Poole to St. Malo: 6h 45m

• Poole to Cherbourg: 6h 50m

Departing from Newhaven

• Newhaven to Dieppe: 4h

Folkestone, by contrast, is the Eurotunnel terminal rather than a ferry port — the crossing there takes about 35 minutes (see the alternatives below).

Where to book a ferry to take a motorhome to France

The price comparison site Direct Ferries is a comprehensive option for checking and booking ferries from different companies, as it lists prices from these for the same route. All the main operators are listed, including P&O, Brittany Ferries and DFDS.

As with flights, prices are likely to increase in busy/popular times (summer; school half-terms) or the closer the departure date is to the time of booking. Booking as far in advance as possible is often the best way to get the cheapest prices.

Which ferry companies operate between the UK and France?

Several companies operate between the mainland and the UK and France, so always make sure you check the ins and outs of each company before making plans.

The main companies with regular ferries between the UK and France are:

• Brittany Ferries

• P&O Ferries

• DFDS

Permits and documentation needed for ferry travel between the UK and France

Since Brexit the requirements have changed, so check the current rules on the GOV.UK France entry requirements page before you travel. Pack the following:

• Printed booking confirmation

• Vehicle registration (V5C) and motorhome insurance documents

• A full, valid UK driving licence for everyone who will drive

• A valid passport. Since Brexit your passport must have been issued less than 10 years before the day you arrive, and have at least 3 months left after the day you plan to leave the EU. See the UK government official page about visas and immigration for more information.

• If you’re travelling with children with different surnames, bring all the necessary documentation and the right permissions to take a child abroad.

• A GHIC or EHIC health insurance card

For the vehicle itself, France requires a few extras you should sort before you leave:

• A UK identifier on the number plate or a UK sticker (the old GB sticker is no longer valid)

• Headlight deflectors, so your beams don’t dazzle drivers on the right

• A warning triangle and a reflective hi-vis vest carried inside the cab

• A Crit'Air clean-air sticker if you’ll drive into a low-emission zone (every French city of 150,000-plus now has one). Order it from the official French scheme in advance, as it can take a few weeks to arrive.

One question Camplify hirers often ask is whether they can take a hire van to France at all. You can — but always check that the motorhome’s insurance and breakdown cover extend to Europe before you drive over. Camplify hires cover European travel, so confirm the details for your booking.

Alternatives to taking your motorhome to France

Of course, you can take your motorhome to France without even getting on a ferry at all, by taking the Eurotunnel. As the journey time is only 35 minutes, this option may seem like a no-brainer, but there are a few factors to take into account re Eurotunnel versus ferry crossings to France.

For example, the Eurotunnel journey may only take 35 minutes, but you’ll need to take travelling time to Folkestone (Strait of Dover) into account.

You should also consider whether traffic to the Eurotunnel is very busy (check live updates on the National Highways website), or if the waiting time for the tunnel is very long due to high demand (check it on the Eurotunnel page).

This doesn’t happen too often as there are 4 departures every hour (62 crossings per day), but it’s always worth checking, as the total waiting time plus the journey to Folkestone may not be worth it compared to a ferry.

If France is just one leg of a bigger trip, the same booking principles apply further afield — see our guides to taking a ferry to Spain with a motorhome and planning an England to Italy road trip. Prefer a shorter hop first? Our ferry to the Isle of Wight with a motorhome guide covers a far simpler crossing.

Start planning your van holiday today

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At Camplify we offer thousands of campervans and motorhomes for hire to get the most out of your holidays — just take a look at our search page and specify the type of van you want.

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By hiring at Camplify, you are also helping local families who share their van on our platform and supporting many local companies across the UK in addition to ours. So we are very grateful to you.

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