This page is should help with Channel crossing options: i.e the ferries, tunnel, planes- plus the roads in France

St Malo is just over an hours drive away, Caen is just over two hours and Cherbourg, Roscoff and Le Havre are all under three hours drive away via generally deserted, motorways. These run as far as the local town of `Guer` (ten minutes away) and are toll free. Calais is about five hours drive and the tolls add up to about twenty pounds. Most (but not all) French toll booths take credit cards.

Mileages as supplied by the RAC Route Finder are as follows: St Malo- 76 miles, Roscoff- 169 miles, Caen- 149 miles, Cherbourg- 169 Miles, Le Havre- 203 miles and Calais 357 miles.

Please see the map below for the main motorways (shown in blue and black) . Please use this as a guide only and refer to a more detailed road map before setting out. We will send you written directions to the house by e mail two months before you are due to arrive.

Please note all crossing times given below are taken from the websites of each company but are subject to change.
The crossings quoted are for day crossings.

You need to book your crossing direct with the ferry, tunnel, plane yourself.

Brittany Ferries
Portsmouth-St Malo. Crossing time 9 hours
Porstsmouth-Caen. Ferry crossing time 6 hours
Porstmouth-Caen. Fast cat crossing time 3 hours 45 mins
Poole-Cherbourg. Crossing time 4 hours 30 mins
Plymouth-Roscoff. Crossing time 6 hours
Cork-Roscoff. Crossing time 14 hours

SAVE TWENTY PERCENT ON BRITTANY FERRIES PRICES
Get twenty percent discount on your travel with Brittany Ferries who cross from Portsmouth, Poole, Plymouth and Cork to St Malo, Caen, Roscoff, and Cherbourg. Ask us for our discounted travel number

The closest airport is Rennes (forty minutes) where you can travel Flybee from Southampton or Exeter.

Dinard airport is an hour away where you can travel with Ryanair from East Midlands, Stanstead, Bristol and Birmingham

Money saving hints.....

1. Book well in advance. The price often rises nearer the crossing time

2. The cheapest days to travel are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday
(we can often accommodate these changeover days in the low season)

3. St Malo is the most expensive crossing but is the port closest to us.

4. Daytime crossings are cheaper than overnights

5. Roof racks/ trailers are extra

Useful travel information

DOCUMENTATION
You need to bring your Vehicle Registration, Insurance, MOT and Driving Licence. It is also advisable to take out European breakdown cover. As of 2008 you also need spare car bulbs, a warning triangle and a yellow jacket (that you can reach without getting out of your seat). Note: Regulations seem to change all the time so please check before you travel.

SPEED CAMERAS
Although there are not many fixed cameras they do exist particularly on the motorways. You will see large white signs with black pictures of different vehicles followed by radar lines. Hand held speed traps are also used and normally an on the spot fine will be given of 90€. The speed limit on a Brittany motorway is 110Km/h. In towns and villages it is usually 50Km/h but can be as low as 30Km/h.

PRIORITY TO THE RIGHT
A yellow diamond shaped sign with a white border indicates that drivers on main roads have the right of way and don’t need to give way to the right. (Often seen when entering motorways). When the sign reappears with a diagonal black line through it, then this changes back so you do have to give way to the right. (Often applied when in small village squares and on country roads where cars can pull out from junctions on the right in front of you on the main road.) Unless you see `give way` markings on the road at the junction or a `give way` sign be careful.

PETROL STATIONS
Motorway and dual carriageway stations are normally manned 24 hours. Supermarket and local stations are normally manned from 0900-1200hrs and 1400-1900hrs. Automated 24hour card pumps normally only take French bank cards and those UK cards that have a PIN number with them.

CHANGING MONEY
You can use UK credit /debit cards in most cash machines in France to obtain your Euros.

All the above travel information is advisory only. If you would like more details then please speak to the French embassy in the UK. We carry no responsibility for the accuracy of this information. Please note French road regulations are subject to change at any time.