Ferry from Southampton to France?

[yojimbo]

After our QM2 crossing to Southampton, we want to travel to Normandy to see the WWII sites.

 

Are there ferries from Southampton to France that would work for us?

 

Any advice would be appreciated.

[sailsalot]

Hello!

 

Check out http://www.ferryclever.co.uk, which may give you the info you're looking for. A quick check of it seemed to show that a ferry from Southampton does not go to France, but one from Plymouth would. Hope this helps!

[iceman666]

There are regular ferries from Portsmouth to Le Havre, Caen and Cherbourg. Portsmouth is 12 miles from Southampton and can be reached by train or taxi.

 

Both Cherbourg and Caen are in the Normandy Landings area of France. Plymouth used to only run to Roscoff which is in the west of Normandy and no where near the sites.

 

Check the Britanny Ferries web site fro Caen and Cherbourg or the P&O Ferries to Le Havre.

 

From memory the ferries take about 6 hours to go one way across the channel.

[Mickb]

There are now fast craft ( wavepiercer type) that leave Portsmouth for Caen and Cherbourg. The crossing time is 2-3 hours. Alternatively there are conventional car ferries on the same routes. Check http://www.brittanyferries.com which operates both routes. There is also a shorter crossing from Poole (about 30 miles west od Southampton easily reachable by train) which goes to Cherbourg. This also uses fast craft or conventional ferries. All accept foot passengers and have shuttles to the train stations. Bon Voyage!