Paris City Guide - Getting There By Water

The most convenient ports to Paris from Britain all lie on France's northern seaboard and include St-Malo, Cherbourg, Caen, Le Havre and Dieppe.

Ferry services: The following companies run regular cross-channel ferries. Brittany Ferries (tel: (0825) 828 828 or (08703) 665 3333 (UK number); website: www.brittany-ferries.com) operates services from Plymouth to Roscoff, from Poole to Cherbourg and from Portsmouth to St-Malo and Caen. Condor Ferries (tel: (0825) 160 300 or (02) 9920 0300 or (0845) 345 2000 (UK number); website: www.condorferries.co.uk) operates from Poole, Weymouth, Jersey and Guernsey to St-Malo and from Portsmouth to Cherbourg. P&O Ferries (tel: (0825) 120 156 (France) or (08705) 202 020 (UK); website: www.poferries.com) sail from Dover to Calais and from Portsmouth to Cherbourg and Le Havre. Hoverspeed (tel: (00800) 1211 1211 or (0870) 240 8070 (UK number); website: www.hoverspeed.com) offers fast hovercraft services from Dover to Calais and from Newhaven to Dieppe.

Transport to the city: The best way for travellers to reach Paris from the ferry ports is by car or by rail.