Flying is a practical alternative to taking the ferry accross the channel. It can offer a good value solution for couples and smaller families by using the low cost budget airlines. You can arrive at either Nantes or La Rochelle airports. Car hire is available at both of these.
Don't forget to get your travel insurance...
It's a little-known fact that you need to have personal liability cover whilst in France and that a holiday property owner can ask for proof of your insurance cover.
Travelling to the Vendee by car | Ferry crossings to France.
The Vendee has the advantage of being very easy to get to by car, making it an ideal choice for families with children, yet far enough south to enjoy a warmer climate.
Travelling to the Vendee by car
You can use the usual Michelin or Mappy websites for planning your trip to the Vendee and getting to your holiday cottage, or rely on your GPS/Sat-Nav when in France, but beware of errors and omissions. Postcodes in France relate to a large area, often several villages or a vast area around a town so you can't just use the postcode to pinpoint a holiday property on a map website or with a Sat-Nav. Some hamlets or small groups of houses ("lieu-dit" in French) may not even be listed.
We recommend that once your are in the general area you make use of the detailed arrival instructions that will be provided with your holiday accommodation paperwork, as these will be based on real local knowledge. Choosing your channel crossing
If you are planning a sea crossing, the following chart of distances from the ferry ports will help you in deciding on your holiday travel arrangements.
The shortest sea crossings from the UK to France are Calais and Cherbourg,
For the Vendee, the shortest drive in France is from St Malo (only 3 hours to central Vendee).
Distances from the ferry ports to the Vendee.
Distances are calculated to the town of Lucon which is roughly central in the south Vendee, by the usual road route. Your holiday property may vary from this depending on its exact location.
Ferry
Port
Km
Miles
A
Roscoff
424
265
B
St
Malo
296
185
C
Cherbourg
416
260
D
Caen
358
224
E
Le
Havre
461
288
F
Calais
715
447
DISCOUNT DEALS ON FERRY CROSSINGS TO FRANCE
We have selected this company which offers a wide selection of ferry crossings and usually provides great value. You can click this link for a quote for your chosen ferry crossing.
List of the cross channel ferry routes to France.
See below for links to the ferry companies.
Travel tips for getting to the Vendee, by car and ferry, by plane, by train. Ferry crossings to France. Distances from the ferry ports to the Vendee, west coast of France. Cross channel ferry companies. Calais, Cherbourg, Boulogne, Caen, Le Havre, St Malo, Roscoff.
Coming soon on this site:
Comprehensive tourist information for holidays in Vendee. Things to do in the Vendee. Places to visit in the Vendee. Holiday activities.
Find your ideal holiday accommodation - self-catering holiday homes, gites, cottages and villas. Bed and breakfast for a night or a longer stay. Search for holiday rentals by theme - lots of space, games for the children, low-carbon rentals, villas on the coast, bird watching nearby, multiple accommodation for large family gatherings, golf courses nearby, riverside fishing, etc.
Hints for getting the best out of your Vendee holiday. Restaurant recommendations. Wine recommendations.
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Local events in the Vendee. Nearby visits - La Rochelle, Nantes, Loire Valley, Cognac, Poitiers-Futuroscope, Green Genice, Puy du Fou.
