Poole to Cherbourg Ferries

The port towns of Poole and Cherbourg are twinned with each other, so it stands to reason that there should be an excellent ferry service linking them. In fact Poole to Cherbourg is Brittany Ferries shortest crossing and there is even a choice of ferry services. You can either take a cruise ferry with a typical journey time of 4 hours 30 minutes for a daytime sailing (roughly 6 hours 30 minutes overnight), or you can opt for a fastcraft crossing taking just over 2 hours!

Ferries from Poole

Poole has a rich maritime history and is home to the largest natural harbour in Europe. At the peak of its popularity in the 18th century Poole was one of the busiest ports in Britain, and ferries still run from Poole to France and the Channel Islands.

During the Second World War Poole was one of the main ports of departure for the D-Day landings of the Normandy Invasion, serving afterwards as a base for allied forces in Europe. Much of the Old Town area of Poole was destroyed by bombing, but redevelopment began in 1950s and whole tracts of dilapidated buildings were replaced with modern housing and public facilities.

Since the 1970s Poole has seen increasing use as a port of departure for cross channel passenger ferries, with up to seven crossings per day in the summer months. Brittany Ferries run a year-round ferry service from Poole to Cherbourg, while Condor Ferries run a seasonal catamaran ferry service to Saint Malo.

Poole is also a pleasant destination if you have time to spare before your ferry crossing. Away from the ferry terminal visitors will find the original quay lined with traditional pubs, listed building and warehouses converted to modern apartments.

Ferries to Cherbourg

Cherbourg is located on the northern point of the Cotentin Peninsula in Normandy and has been a port since the Vikings first arrived in France. A good selection of ferry services operate from a large modern ferry terminal, with Condor Ferries running a service to Portsmouth, while Brittany Ferries offer crossings to both Portsmouth and Poole.

One of the main benefits of getting a ferry to Cherbourg is shorter journey times compared to ferries to Saint Malo or Le Havre, but unless you're staying on the Cherbourg peninsula you'll need to drive a little further to reach your final destination. Fear not though - the roads linking Cherbourg to the rest of France are excellent and you can quickly be on your way.

It's unfortunate that Cherbourg itself doesn't offer much in the way of tourist attractions, but if you want to explore a little before hitting the road the Cité de la Mer is a maritime museum that draws visitors from surrounding areas. In addition to ferries the port is also used by modern cruise ships, but Cherbourg also has historic ties with the RMS Titanic - it was the first stop of the ill-fated cruise liner on the voyage that ultimately led to it's sinking after a collision with an iceberg.