Normandy is the part of France you can reach straight from the south coast, and there are only a few crossings that land you in it. DFDS runs Newhaven to Dieppe, and Brittany Ferries runs Portsmouth to Caen and, on a few nights a week, Portsmouth to Cherbourg.
I've put the crossings side by side below, using the operators' own pages as they were when I checked on 13 November 2026. After that come the D-Day beaches, Mont-Saint-Michel and Bayeux, taken from Normandy's official tourist board and the bodies that run the sites. Ferryu earns a commission on DFDS bookings but not on Brittany Ferries, which I list so you have the full picture.
Which ferries go to Normandy?
DFDS says it "runs daily direct ferry crossings to Normandy on our Newhaven to Dieppe route". Brittany Ferries points to Portsmouth to Caen and Portsmouth to Cherbourg as its Normandy routes.
| Route | Operator | Crossing time | Sailings | Foot passengers | "From" fare shown |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newhaven to Dieppe | DFDS | Around 4 hours (5 on some overnight sailings) | Up to 6 a day, depending on the season | Yes | £73 per car + 4 people, one way |
| Portsmouth to Caen | Brittany Ferries | Around 6 hours by day, 7 to 8 overnight | Morning, afternoon and overnight, daily | Yes | From £78 (basis not stated) |
| Portsmouth to Cherbourg | Brittany Ferries | Around 7 hours 45 minutes overnight (its crossings page says around 8) | Up to twice a week | Yes | No fare shown on the route page |
The fares are the lead-in prices shown when I checked, and they change with the date and availability. Treat them as a starting point.
For a wider look at what else sails to France, see my Ferry to France guide and the France ferry routes page.
DFDS says it "runs daily direct ferry crossings to Normandy on our Newhaven to Dieppe route".
Newhaven to Dieppe with DFDS
This is the one I'd lead with, as it's the DFDS route. DFDS says "Daily crossings from Newhaven to Dieppe take around 4 hours and 5 hours on certain overnight ferries to France", and that the route "operates up to 6 daily sailings between England and France depending on the season".
The headline fare was "£73 per car + 4 people one way", for "a standard car carrying 4 (2 adults + 2 children) passengers". The FAQ on the same page says crossings "currently start from £117" for a standard car with 4 passengers, so don't be surprised if the price you're offered is higher.
DFDS's FAQ says "On our Newhaven – Dieppe route you are allowed to travel as a foot passenger." DFDS also offers 20% off for passengers with a disability, students aged 18 to 27, young people aged 18 to 25 and seniors over 60, booked by phone or at the terminal.
I've written a separate guide to the town: Dieppe by ferry covers the terminal, the market and the old harbour. For driving rules such as the Crit'Air sticker and tolls, see Ferry to Paris, which sets them out in full.
Brittany Ferries to Caen and Cherbourg
Ferryu doesn't earn on Brittany Ferries, but its crossings land you right on the D-Day coast, so they belong here.
Brittany Ferries calls Portsmouth to Caen its "most popular route". Its page says "daytime sailings from Portsmouth to Caen take around 6 hours. Choose an overnight sailing for a more relaxed pace — which takes an average of 7 to 8 hours." Cabins are "available for overnight sailings". The ferries named on the route are Mont St Michel and Guillaume de Normandie. Foot passengers can travel, and the page says "Foot passenger fares to France start from as little as £30 on average", a figure for France generally, not Caen. On its France page Brittany Ferries lists Caen "from £78" without saying what that covers.
Brittany Ferries gives the distance between "Portsmouth and Caen (Ouistreham)" as about 112 miles as the crow flies, or 97 nautical miles.
Portsmouth to Cherbourg is much less frequent. Brittany Ferries says it offers "sailings from Portsmouth to Cherbourg up to twice a week, sailing overnight". The route page puts an overnight sailing at "around 7 hours 45 minutes", while its crossings page says "around 8 hrs", so allow for the longer figure. Coming back, the crossings page lists afternoon sailings of "average 5-6 hrs". Foot passengers can travel on this route too.
Routes that have gone
Brittany Ferries' own pages say two other Normandy routes have ended. Portsmouth to Le Havre says: "We are no longer operating this route." Poole to Cherbourg says the same. Brittany Ferries points people to Portsmouth to Caen and Portsmouth to Cherbourg instead.
The D-Day landing beaches
Normandy's official tourist board describes the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944 as "the largest amphibious and airborne operation in history". The five beaches are Utah, Omaha, Gold, Juno and Sword, and it says they "were inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2026".
You can see a lot without a car. The tourist board says that from the train stations in Caen, Bayeux or Carentan, "you can explore several key D-Day sites without the need for a car". From Caen, "a bus connects Caen to Ouistreham, crossing Pegasus Bridge", where the Pegasus Memorial Museum now stands, and the regional NOMAD bus reaches the Juno Beach Centre at Courseulles-sur-Mer.
It also notes that the Vélomaritime cycle route "winds its way past all five iconic D-Day Landing Beaches".
Normandy American Cemetery
The American Battle Monuments Commission, which runs the cemetery, says it is at Colleville-sur-Mer and "contains the graves of almost 9,400 of our military dead, most of whom lost their lives in the D-Day landings and ensuing operations". Almost 1,600 names are inscribed on the Walls of the Missing. It says the cemetery receives "more than one million visitors each year", and that the path from the cemetery to the beach was closed in 2016, though "public beach access is available nearby".
Bayeux War Cemetery
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission says Bayeux War Cemetery is "the largest Commonwealth cemetery of the Second World War in France". It contains 4,144 Commonwealth burials, 338 of them unidentified, and the Bayeux Memorial opposite names more than 1,800 men with no known grave. The CWGC says "The cemetery is permanently open", and that "It is not possible to park in front of the cemetery"; it points to a car park at the Musée de la Bataille de Normandie, about 300 metres away.
Bayeux and the Tapestry
If the Tapestry is the reason for a trip, check before you go. The Bayeux Museum's own site says: "The Bayeux Tapestry Museum is closed for renovation work until Autumn 2027." DFDS's Normandy guide says the same, with reopening in October 2027.
Mont-Saint-Michel
The Mont-Saint-Michel tourist office says the island "is accessible via a walkway bridge, all year round". You park in the visitor car parks and take a free shuttle, "Le Passeur". The FAQ puts the car park 2.5 km from the entrance, with the shuttle running "approximately every 15 minutes", while the car-and-motorbike page gives 2.7 km. I'd allow for the longer one.
The car park price "includes the shuttle bus and the Tourist Information Centre services", and the ticket "is renewed every 24 hours". The shuttle runs on a seasonal timetable: from November to February, outside school holidays, the regular daytime service is 8.30am to 10pm. Overnight, shuttles run on demand by phone.
The tide matters. The tourist office says "During high tides, the esplanade at the entrance of the Mount is covered with water", so the Mount becomes an island for about an hour. It also warns that quicksand "can be very dangerous" for anyone who goes into the bay without a guide.
From Paris, the tourist office gives the drive as 337 km by the A13 and A84. DFDS's Dieppe route doesn't give a drive time to the Mount, so check a route planner.
Getting started: entry rules
GOV.UK says you can travel to France without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, as a tourist. Your passport must have a date of issue "less than 10 years before the date you arrive" and an expiry date at least 3 months after you plan to leave the Schengen area. Check GOV.UK's France travel advice before you book.
Questions about the ferry to Normandy
Which ferry goes to Normandy from the UK?
DFDS sails from Newhaven to Dieppe, and Brittany Ferries sails from Portsmouth to Caen and Cherbourg. DFDS says it "runs daily direct ferry crossings to Normandy" from Newhaven to Dieppe.
How long is the ferry from Portsmouth to Caen?
Brittany Ferries says daytime sailings take around 6 hours and overnight sailings an average of 7 to 8 hours.
Can I go to Normandy by ferry without a car?
Yes. DFDS allows foot passengers on Newhaven to Dieppe, and Brittany Ferries says foot passengers can travel on both Caen and Cherbourg. The tourist board says you can reach several D-Day sites by train and bus from Caen, Bayeux or Carentan.
Does Brittany Ferries still sail to Le Havre or from Poole?
No. Its own pages say it is "no longer operating" Portsmouth to Le Havre or Poole to Cherbourg.
Can I see the Bayeux Tapestry now?
Not at the moment. The Bayeux Museum says its Tapestry museum is closed for renovation until autumn 2027.
Do I need a visa for Normandy?
GOV.UK says British passport holders can travel to France without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period for tourism, and sets passport validity rules to check before you go.
