One of the easiest ways to travel from the UK to France with your dog is by ferry. There are a wide range of ferries available, from the quick Dover to Calais crossings operated by multiple companies, to the longer ferries including overnight crossings to the west. Find out about the options available for taking your dog on a ferry to France, including whether foot passengers are allowed to bring along pets.
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Can I Take My Dog on a Ferry to France?
Yes, it’s possible to take your dog with you when travelling to France on a ferry. Each of the ferry companies that currently operates ferries to France allows pets onboard each of their routes, including P&O Ferries, Irish Ferries, DFDS Seaways, Brittany Ferries and Condor Ferries.
Note however that the pet facilities on board the ferries vary greatly. While on some ferries the only option is to leave your pet in your vehicle, on other ferries you can book pet-friendly cabins, dog kennels or even access to a pet lounge. Consider this carefully before making a booking.
Additionally, you’ll also need to have your paperwork in order. To travel from the UK to France, your dog will require an EU animal health certificate, unless they already have an EU pet passport issued either in the EU or Northern Ireland. To travel to the EU, they will require a microchip and a valid rabies vaccine before being issued the certificate.
On the return journey to the UK, make sure your dog is administered a worming treatment by a vet, between 24 hours and five days before your arrival in the UK. If your EU pet health certificate was issued less than four months ago, you can use this certificate to return to the UK, with the worming treatment entered on it.
Can Foot Passengers Take Dogs on the Ferry?
Unfortunately, while the majority (but not all) ferries from the UK to France allow foot passengers onboard them these days, it’s generally not possible to take a pet onboard. This applies even if you book a kennel, pet-friendly cabin or pet lounge access. In most cases, only if you bring onboard a vehicle can you also bring pets.
At the moment, the only dog-friendly ferry between England and France that allows foot passengers to transport pets is the DFDS Seaways ferry from Newhaven to Dieppe. See more details about this ferry crossing below, or read my review of my crossing from Dieppe to Newhaven.
When P&O Ferries announced that they were permitting foot passengers onboard their ferries from Dover to Calais and they were opening a pet lounge, I had hoped that foot passengers would also be allowed to bring along their pets. However, I have emailed P&O Ferries and received confirmation that foot passengers are not allowed to bring pets onboard their crossing from Dover to Calais.
Dog-Friendly Ferries to France
There are currently five ferry companies that operate ferry crossings between the UK and France. All of the crossings operate between the southern coast of England and the northern coast of France, from Normandy to Brittany, with a total of 10 different routes.
The ferry companies that currently operate between England and France are P&O Ferries, Irish Ferries, DFDS Seaways, Brittany Ferries and Condor Ferries. Note that Stena Line does not operate any ferries between the UK and France – their only crossing from the UK to Continental Europe is to the Netherlands.
Overall, there are 13 different dog-friendly ferries operated by these countries. I’ve summarised the main details of each ferry below:
| Ferry | Frequency/Duration | Dog Facilities |
|---|---|---|
| P&O Ferries Dover to Calais | Up to 15 times per day 90 minutes | Pet Lounge |
| Irish Ferries Dover to Calais | Up to 15 times per day 90 minutes | None |
| DFDS Seaways Dover to Calais | Up to 15 times per day 90 minutes | None |
| DFDS Seaways Dover to Dunkirk | Up to 12 times per day 2 hours | None |
| DFDS Seaways Newhaven to Dieppe | 2-3 times per day 4 – 5 hours | Kennels for foot passengers |
| Brittany Ferries Portsmouth to Le Havre | 5 times per week 5.5 – 8 hours | None |
| Brittany Ferries Portsmouth to Caen | 2-3 times per day 5.75 – 7 hours | Pet-friendly cabins on one of the two ships |
| Brittany Ferries Portsmouth to Cherbourg (Regular crossings) | 2 times per week 8 hours | Pet-friendly cabins and kennels |
| Brittany Ferries Portsmouth to Cherbourg (High speed crossings) | 3 times per week 3 hours | None |
| Brittany Ferries Portsmouth to St Malo | Daily 9 – 11 hours | Kennels |
| Brittany Ferries Poole to Cherbourg (Regular crossings) | Daily 4.5 – 10.5 hours | None |
| Brittany Ferries Poole to Cherbourg (High speed crossings) | 3 times per week 3 hours | None |
| Brittany Ferries Plymouth to Roscoff | 6 times per week 5.5 – 11 hours | Pet-friendly cabins on one of the two ships |
| Condor Ferries Poole to St Malo | Multiple times per week 6.25 hours | None |
| Condor Ferries Poole to Cherbourg | 1-2 times per week 5.75 hours | None |
Read on to find out more about these dog-friendly ferries to take your dog on a ferry to France from the UK…
P&O Ferries from Dover to Calais
P&O Ferries operates a single but very frequent route between England and France, the short Dover to Calais crossing. Recently, their ferries became more dog-friendly with the introduction of Pet Lounges on board.
Frequency: Up to 15 sailings take place daily during peak periods, during the day and night.
Duration: This crossing takes a short 90 minutes.
Dog Facilities: Previously, the only option was for pets to remain in your vehicle for the short crossing. However, starting in late 2022, P&O have introduced a Pet Lounge on board, or more specifically a dog lounge. (Cats are not permitted.)
These comfortable lounges have plenty of room to put down your dog’s bed, plus there’s an exercise deck outside. Complimentary hot and cold beverages are also available as part of the lounge experience.
Foot Passengers?: While foot passengers are now permitted on selected sailings on this route, they are not allowed to bring on board pets. The pet lounge is not available to foot passengers.
Pet Fees: A fee of £15 is charged for each pet, if they remain in your vehicle. An additional fee of at least £12 applies to upgrade to the pet lounge.
Irish Ferries from Dover to Calais
Despite their name, Irish Ferries doesn’t just operate sailings to and from Ireland. They also operate a single crossing between England and France, the popular Dover to Calais route.
Frequency: Irish Ferries operates up to 15 sailings daily, with regular departures throughout the night and day.
Duration: This quick crossing takes only 90 minutes.
Dog Facilities: There are no kennels onboard this Irish Ferries route. The only option is for pets to remain in your vehicle throughout the crossing.
Foot Passengers?: When booking as a foot passenger, it initially seems it is possible to bring along a pet, as the combination is able to be selected. However, all of the ferry crossings will be listed as unavailable, with no kennels available. This is due to there being no kennels on this route. Thus, it’s not possible for foot passengers to bring pets.
Pet Fees: A fee of £15 is charged in each direction for pets. Make sure you pre-book your pet.
DFDS Seaways from Dover to Calais
DFDS Seaways operates three different ferry routes in between England and France, including the popular Dover to Calais route.
Frequency: DFDS Seaways operates up to 15 sailings daily on this route in each direction.
Duration: The crossing should take only about 90 minutes.
Dog Facilities: Pets travelling on this route need to remain in your vehicle. They are not allowed in public areas.
Foot Passengers?: Foot passengers are not permitted on the DFDS Seaways ferries departing from Dover.
Pet Fees: A fee of £15 is charged for each pet in your vehicle.
DFDS Seaways from Dover to Dunkirk
In addition to the ferry route to Calais, you can also board a DFDS Seaways ferry to cross to Dunkirk, less than 40km east of Calais and closer to the Belgium border.
Frequency: Slightly fewer sailings take place on this route, about 12 sailings daily in each direction. But that’s still up to 27 sailings operated by DFDS Seaways out of Dover each day!
Duration: This crossing is slightly longer, about two hours in duration.
Dog Facilities: Like on the ferries to Calais, there are no kennels or other pet facilities on board this ferry. Pets need to remain in your vehicle for the entire journey.
Foot Passengers?: Foot passengers are also not permitted on this route departing Dover.
Pet Fees: A fee of £15 is charged for each pet in your vehicle.
DFDS Seaways from Newhaven to Dieppe
DFDS Seaways also operates a third ferry route across the English Channel, in between Newhaven, directly south of London, and Dieppe, less than 200km from Paris. This ferry route is also the only route between England and France where foot passengers can take pets onboard.
Frequency: Three sailings take place daily on this route between May and September, with options in the morning, evening and overnight. During the rest of the year two sailings operate.
Duration: Each crossing takes about four hours, although some night crossings take a slightly longer five hours.
Dog Facilities: For passengers travelling with a motor vehicle, the only option is for pets to remain in your vehicle for the duration of the voyage. Generally no access is available to the vehicle deck, but ask the crew whether you can book a time to check on your pet.
Foot Passengers?: This is the only ferry crossing between England and France that allows foot passengers to bring along a pet. Foot passengers need to book a kennel, which is located on the vehicle deck, and carry their pet on board in a pet carrier.
Read my review of taking this ferry (plus multiple trains) to travel with my dog between Paris and London in 2017 without a car.
Pet Fees: A fee of £18 is charged each direction for pets in vehicles. If travelling as a foot passenger with a pet, you need to call up to make a booking – the price might be slightly higher for this option. Bookings are possible online if you are travelling with a vehicle.
Brittany Ferries from Portsmouth to Le Havre
Brittany Ferries operates the most ferry routes between England and France of any ferry company, although most sailings are more infrequent. You can choose between six different routes, with four routes operating out of Portsmouth, including to Le Havre, the closest port to Paris.
Frequency: About five sailings take place each week, from Sunday to Thursday, with no crossing on Friday or Saturday. Note that this route ends in early November each year.
Duration: The crossing from Portsmouth to Le Havre is an overnight crossing that takes eight hours. The crossing from Le Havre to Portsmouth is an evening journey that takes a shorter 5 1/2 hours.
Dog Facilities: In 2023, this route operates on the Cotentin. There are no kennels or pet-friendly cabins on this ship – the only option is for pets to remain in your vehicle.
There is limited access to the garage decks during the crossing, with visits only permitted with a member of the crew and a ticket, subject to weather conditions, and no access at all on overnight crossings.
Foot Passengers?: Foot passengers are not permitted on this crossing.
Pet Fees: A fee of £29 is charged in each direction.
Brittany Ferries from Portsmouth to Caen
The most commonly operated Brittany Ferries route out of Portsmouth is to the French city of Caen, with multiple ferries sailing each day. Caen is about 50km west of Le Havre and also close to Paris.
Frequency: On most days, three crossings to Caen are operated, except on Wednesdays when there are only two crossings in each direction. Note that the final crossings occur on 5th November in 2023.
Duration: The daytime crossings takes about 5 hours 45 minutes, while the nighttime crossings take seven hours.
Dog Facilities: This crossing takes place on either the Mont St Michel or the Normandie. Neither ship has any kennels, while only the Normandie has pet-friendly cabins. There are 12 pet-friendly outside cabins on deck 5, along with a pet exercise area on deck 9 that can be reached using the lift.
Alternatively, pets can remain in your vehicle, with this the only option on the Mont St Michel ferry. Note that there is limited access to the vehicle decks – access is only permitted with a member of the crew and a ticket, with no access at all on overnight crossings.
Foot Passengers?: While foot passengers are accepted on this ferry, they are not permitted to bring pets on board – if bringing a pet you must be travelling with a vehicle.
Pet Fees: A fee of £29 is charged each direction on this route.
Brittany Ferries from Portsmouth to Cherbourg
Generally, there are two crossing per week from Portsmouth to Cherbourg. However, in 2023, there are also an additional three high-speed daytime crossings per week, but only from Portsmouth to Cherbourg. (The return journey operates from Cherbourg to Poole.)
Frequency: The number of sailings varies during the year. Generally only two crossings take place, with an overnight crossing departing Portsmouth on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and a return crossing from Cherbourg departing around midday on Thursdays and Fridays. The final crossing of 2023 will be on 2nd November.
Additionally, there are three morning high-speed crossings operating on Friday, Saturday and Sunday from Portsmouth only, from mid-July to early-September in 2023. (There is no corresponding high-speed ferry from Cherbourg to Portsmouth.)
Duration: The regular crossings take about eight hours, while the high-speed crossings take just three hours.
Dog Facilities: The regular crossings between Portsmouth and Cherbourgh operate on the Galicia and Santoña, ships that also operate on the Spanish routes of Brittany Ferries, and provide pet-friendly cabins and kennels on board.
On the Galicia, there are 22 pet-friendly cabins, a mixture of inside and outside cabins on deck 7. There are also 10 small kennels and two large kennels, also on deck 7. Outside there is a pet exercise area. Note that only a single pet is allowed in cabins by default, and cats are not permitted in kennels. Pets cannot remain in vehicles.
The Santoña is a new ship that only launched in 2023. While there are no exact details provided on the Brittany Ferries website, I believe it has the same number of pet-friendly cabins and kennels.
The high-speed crossings take place on the Liberation. There are no pet-friendly cabins or kennels on this ship (in fact, there are no cabins at all). Pets must remain in your vehicle.
Foot Passengers?: While foot passengers are permitted on both the regular and high-speed crossings, they are not allowed to bring aboard pets.
Pet Fees: A fee of £29 is charged each direction, both on regular and high-speed crossings.
Brittany Ferries from Portsmouth to St Malo
The final ferry route operated by Brittany Ferries out of Portsmouth is to St Malo in Brittany, not far from the famous Mont-Saint-Michel.
Frequency: Generally this route operates daily, with an overnight crossing departing Portsmouth and a return ferry trip departing St Malo mid-morning. However, from early September, the crossing from St Malo on Tuesdays is an overnight crossing and there are no crossings on Wednesday.
Duration: The overnight crossing takes about 11 hours, while the daytime crossings are shorter – about nine hours.
Dog Facilities: During 2023, this crossing will take place on the Bretagne cruise ferry. There are two options available when travelling with a pet – either they can stay in your vehicle or you can book a kennel.
There are 24 small and 12 large kennels located on deck 5, with a small pet exercise area outside the kennels. It’s generally possible to visit your pet twice on daytime sailings and once on overnight sailings, subject to conditions.
Foot Passengers?: While foot passengers are allowed on this sailing, they are not permitted to travel with pets.
Pet Fees: A fee of £29 is also charged on this route.
Brittany Ferries from Poole to Cherbourg
In addition to the ferry crossing from Portsmouth to Cherbourg, it’s also possible to cross from Poole to Cherbourg. In addition to the regular crossings up until early November, there are also high-speed crossings from Cherbourg back to Poole from mid-July to early-September.
Frequency: The regular crossings from Poole to Cherbourg take place daily, departing Poole in the early morning and returning from Cherbourg in the evening. Alternatively, the return crossings on Tuesdays and Wednesdays until late June and from early September are overnight crossings.
Additionally, from mid-July to early-September there will also be a high-speed crossing operating in the middle of the day on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
Duration: The regular daytime crossings take about 4 1/2 hours, while overnight crossings take 10 1/2 hours. The high-speed crossings take under three hours.
Dog Facilities: The regular crossings take place on the Barfleur, while the high-speed crossings take place on the Liberation. On both ships there are no pet-friendly cabins or kennels – pets must remain in your vehicle. Note that it is not possible to visit the garage decks on overnight crossings.
Foot Passengers?: While foot passengers can book onto this crossing, they cannot take pets onboard, as pets need to remain in your vehicle.
Pet Fees: A fee of £29 is charged on each crossing, both on regular and high-speed crossings.
Brittany Ferries from Plymouth to Roscoff
The final ferry route from England to France operated by Brittany Ferries is between the port city of Plymouth and Roscoff, in western Brittany.
Frequency: About six sailings take place between these two cities each week. Departing from Plymouth there are five overnight crossings, on Thursday to Monday, plus an additional day-time crossing on Fridays – making for two Friday departures.
From Roscoff, the Thursday to Monday crossings are in the evening, while there is an extra morning departure on Sundays – making for two Sunday departures.
Additionally, from mid-July to early-September an extra crossing operates each week – an overnight crossing departing from Plymouth on Tuesdays, plus a morning crossing departing from Roscoff on Wednesdays.
Duration: Daytime sailings generally take around 5 1/2 hours, while the longer nighttime crossings take up to 11 hours.
Dog Facilities: The majority of the sailings are on the Armorique, along with some sailings on the Pont-Aven. There are no pet-friendly cabins or kennels on the Armorique – pets need to stay in your vehicle.
However, the Pont-Aven also offers pet-friendly cabins. There are 28 inside and outside pet-friendly cabins on deck 6, with a pet exercise area outside. Note that the kennels on the Pont-Aven are not available on crossings between England and France – the only alternative is for pets to remain in your vehicle.
Foot Passengers?: While foot passengers are permitted on this route, they cannot bring pets onboard the ferry.
Pet Fees: A fee of £29 per pet is charged in each direction.
Condor Ferries from Poole to St Malo
Condor Ferries principally operates ferry crossings to the islands of Guernsey and Jersey. In addition, they operate two ferry crossings from Poole to France. Their main route is to St Malo.
Frequency: This crossing operates multiple times per week, although some crossings involve a change of ferry in either Guernsey or Jersey. Generally there are only direct ferries during the peak period, up until the end of September, while there are indirect ferries until the end of October.
Duration: Direct ferry crossings take between Poole and St Malo take six hours 15 minutes.
Dog Facilities: Pets are permitted on the Condor Ferries crossing from Poole to St Malo, but they must remain in your vehicle. It’s generally possible to visit the vehicle deck to check on your pet, accompanied by a member of the crew, subject to weather conditions.
Foot Passengers?: While foot passengers can bring onboard pets on the crossings to the Channel Islands, this is not permitted on ferries to France.
Pet Fees: A fee of £20 is charged in either direction.
Condor Ferries from Poole to Cherbourg
Condor Ferries also operates an additional direct ferry route from Poole to Cherbourg, which is slightly shorter.
Frequency: There are either one or two direct crossing per week, up until the end of September. It’s not possible to travel to Cherbourg via the Channel Islands.
Duration: The crossing takes five hours 40 minutes.
Dog Facilities: Pets are permitted on the Condor Ferries crossing from Poole to Cherbourg, but they must remain in your vehicle, they are not allowed in passenger lounges. Generally it’s possible to visit the vehicle deck to check on your pet, accompanied by a member of the crew, subject to conditions.
Foot Passengers?: Foot passengers are not permitted to bring pets on this crossing, as pets can only travel in a motor vehicle.
Pet Fees: A fee of £20 is charged from England to France, and vice versa.
Tips for Taking a Ferry to France with Your Dog
Before making a booking to take a ferry to France with your dog, carefully consider the different routes available and their different pet facilities – what is best for your pet, both in terms of comfort and safety?
For instance, if your pet needs to stay in your vehicle for the crossing, it’s generally better to book a quicker ferry, such as a ferry between Dover and Calais, particularly during the warmer months of the year. Alternatively, an overnight ferry can avoid the daytime heat.
The introduction of the Pet Lounges by P&O is a great development in pet-friendliness. As well as crossing to France in just 90 minutes, you can also keep your pet by your side – as long as they are a dog, for just a short extra fee.
If looking to book a pet-friendly cabin or kennel onboard one of the ferries to France, be aware that they tend to book out very quickly. Because of their low-availability, Brittany Ferries supplies a handy listing of their availability on upcoming crossings on this page, for cabins and kennels.
Note that a muzzle is required for all dogs onboard Brittany Ferries, both when transferring your dog from your car to your cabin or the kennels, plus when visiting the pet exercise areas. I have heard reports this is enforced.
On other ferry crossings, make sure your dog is comfortable, with their own bed, a water bowl and access to food. Check out the recommendations of the ferry company, and make sure all your paperwork is in order well in advance.
Other Options to Travel from the UK to France with a Dog
Other than taking a ferry from the UK to France with your dog, the main alternative for crossing the channel if you are travelling with a car is the Eurotunnel, also known as LeShuttle.
The LeShuttle car shuttle train crosses between Folkestone in the UK and Calais. Taking just 35 minutes, your pet stays in your car along with you. An additional charge of £22 per pet applies in each direction, plus your pet will need to be checked in at the Pet Reception Centre at either end – see the full details.
Note however that foot passengers are not allowed on the Eurotunnel. Additionally, pets are not allowed on the Eurostar trains to London. There are limited options for travelling to France with a dog without a motor vehicle.
In addition to the DFDS Seaways ferry from Newhaven to Dieppe, see above, the main alternative are the multiple ferries from the UK to the Netherlands that allow foot passengers to bring along pets. Probably the most popular is the Stena Line ferry from Harwich to Hook of Holland, which offers both pet-friendly cabins and kennels. Read my review of taking this ferry.
Alternatively, there are two ferries departing northern England: the P&O ferry from Hull to Rotterdam and the DFDS Seaways ferry from Newcastle to Amsterdam. There is also the option to fly out of the UK with a dog in the cabin on a limited number of airlines, including Air France, although the reverse flight is not possible – pets need to fly as cargo on flights into the UK.
Check out my full guide to travelling between the UK and Europe with a dog for more details on each of these options.
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Shandos Cleaver is the founder of Travelnuity: Dog-Friendly Travel. She has travelled extensively with her Miniature Dachshund, Schnitzel, including to 33 countries across Europe, every state and territory of Australia except Tasmania, and 10 of the United States. She’s passionate about providing inspiration and information to others wanting to travel with their dogs, whether close to home or internationally.