One page per crossing, written for visitors: the sailings for the current period, what a ticket costs in euros and exactly which pier or slipway the boat leaves from.
Boat crossings in France are run by very different people, and that shapes how you travel. On the Seine below Rouen, the river ferries operated by the Seine-Maritime département are free for walkers, cyclists and cars alike. Some city shuttle boats are simply part of the local bus and tram network and take the same tickets. Island services are run by shipping companies, sometimes on behalf of a regional authority, with their own fares and often a booking system.
The detail that matters most when you plan is the kind of boat. A river ferry or a car ferry takes vehicles; a passenger boat or shuttle does not, and bikes go on board only under conditions. If you have a hire car, check the boat type at the top of each page before you drive to the quay.
Timetables change with the seasons and with French school holidays. Every table shows the dates it is valid for, and where the next timetable has not been published yet the page says so rather than guessing.
Pins mark the piers and slipways; a dashed line runs between the two ends of each crossing. Select a pin to see the operator, the boat type and a few figures, with a link through to the full page.
November sailings around the Port-Tudy slipway works
Rouen's nearest Seine crossing, Monday to Saturday
winter sailing dates set by the tide
a free Seine crossing that runs every day but 1 May
fast boat in 30 minutes or the car ferry in 70
a city-ticket river crossing, free at weekends
the winter timetable from La Tour Fondue
a 20-minute hop to the Old Port
the 18M water-bus across the harbour
Time on board, number of sailings and the company behind each crossing, lined up for comparison. A dash means the operator gives no figure for it.
| Crossing | Region | Boat | Time on board | Sailings | Operator |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lorient to Groix ferry | Brittany | Car ferry | 50 min | 4 or 5 each way a day | BreizhGo Océane |
| Dieppedalle – Grand-Quevilly ferry | Normandy | River ferry | not published | Monday to Saturday | Seine-Maritime department |
| Granville to the Chausey Islands by boat | Normandy | Island boat | 1 h | 1 return per published date | Vedettes Jolie France |
| Sahurs – La Bouille ferry | Normandy | River ferry | not published | Daily except 1 May | Seine-Maritime department |
| Fromentine to the Île d'Yeu | Pays de la Loire | Car ferry | 30–70 min | 2–4 a day each way | Yeu Continent |
| Nantes Navibus N1 to Trentemoult | Pays de la Loire | Shuttle boat | 8 min | 65 a day on weekdays | Naolib |
| Hyères to Porquerolles by boat | Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur | Island boat | – | up to 8 a day in winter | TLV-TVM |
| Sainte-Maxime to Saint-Tropez boat | Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur | Shuttle boat | 20 min | 10 each way on weekdays (Nov–Dec) | Les Bateaux Verts |
| Toulon to Les Sablettes by boat | Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur | Shuttle boat | 20–25 min | 30 each way on weekdays | Réseau Mistral |
| Lorient to Groix ferry: November sailings around the Port-Tudy slipway works | Car ferry | 4 |
| Dieppedalle – Grand-Quevilly ferry: Rouen's nearest Seine crossing, Monday to Saturday | River ferry | Monday to Saturday |
| Granville to the Chausey Islands by boat: winter sailing dates set by the tide | Island boat | about 1 hour |
| Sahurs – La Bouille ferry: a free Seine crossing that runs every day but 1 May | River ferry | Free (Normandy tourist board) |
| Fromentine to the Île d'Yeu: fast boat in 30 minutes or the car ferry in 70 | Car ferry | 30 min |
| Nantes Navibus N1 to Trentemoult: a city-ticket river crossing, free at weekends | Shuttle boat | 8 min |
| Hyères to Porquerolles by boat: the winter timetable from La Tour Fondue | Island boat | €17.70 |
| Sainte-Maxime to Saint-Tropez boat: a 20-minute hop to the Old Port | Shuttle boat | 20 min |
| Toulon to Les Sablettes by boat: the 18M water-bus across the harbour | Shuttle boat | €2.00 |
Whether you can take a car, whether you pay and whether you need to book all depend on the boat. Here are the same crossings grouped by what sails on them.
| Dieppedalle – Grand-Quevilly ferry: Rouen's nearest Seine crossing, Monday to Saturday | River ferry | Monday to Saturday |
| Sahurs – La Bouille ferry: a free Seine crossing that runs every day but 1 May | River ferry | Free (Normandy tourist board) |
| Fromentine to the Île d'Yeu: fast boat in 30 minutes or the car ferry in 70 | Car ferry | 30 min |
| Lorient to Groix ferry: November sailings around the Port-Tudy slipway works | Car ferry | 4 |
| Granville to the Chausey Islands by boat: winter sailing dates set by the tide | Island boat | about 1 hour |
| Hyères to Porquerolles by boat: the winter timetable from La Tour Fondue | Island boat | €17.70 |
Not on the ferries run by the Seine-Maritime département: the crossing is free for pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles. If you are driving a motorhome, ask the crew before you board.
Only on crossings that use a boat able to carry vehicles, and then usually with a booking and a vehicle fare on top of the passenger fare. Many island boats take foot passengers only. The boat type is shown at the top of every page.
Often, but with conditions attached: space on board, the crew's agreement or a supplement, depending on the crossing. Each page sets out the rules in its practical section.
From the operator or the authority responsible for the crossing, usually its website, leaflet or PDF timetable. We keep a dated copy and print the date beside each table. If two official sources disagree, we leave the figure out and say why.
Operators can change or cancel a departure for weather or technical reasons, and the Seine river ferries post their live status on the Inforoute 76 website. On the day, the operator's own information overrides the tables here.
Yes. Every crossing also has a French page with the same figures and the same date checked, written for local readers.