Devon to Finistère
Plymouth to Roscoff ferry
Sail from Devon straight into Brittany - check the season and the departures for your date before you plan
- Up to two sailings a day in season with Armorique and the flagship Pont-Aven
- Overnight crossings most days, one daytime run of 5 hours 15 on Fridays
- Direct into Finistère - the deepest Brittany arrival from the West Country
- Seasonal route - in winter, Portsmouth takes over
- All details without guarantee
Table of Contents
The crossing at a glance
Plymouth - Roscoff is the route that spares the West Country the drive east: straight from Devon into Finistère, on Brittany Ferries' Armorique and the flagship Pont-Aven. In season there are up to two sailings a day - overnight crossings of eight to eleven hours on most days, plus a Friday daytime run of 5 hours 15. Returns from Roscoff sail in daylight at five to eight hours.
The season is the planning fact on this page: through the winter months the route pauses, and the Portsmouth crossings carry the traffic instead. Check the timetable before you fix dates at either end of the season.
Getting to Plymouth and checking in
The ferries leave from Millbay Docks, practically in Plymouth's city centre - follow the ferry signs from the A38. It is a compact port with none of Dover's scale, but the check-in deadline in your booking confirmation applies as everywhere, and an evening departure in August deserves extra margin. With a pet, plan about 90 minutes of lead time.
On board
The two ships set the tone. The Armorique is a comfortable cross-Channel ferry; the Pont-Aven is the flagship, with restaurants, bars, a pool and cabin categories up to suites - on the overnight run the crossing becomes the first hotel night of the holiday. Book cabins with the ticket for any night sailing. The Friday daytime crossing needs no cabin: lunch, deck, and Brittany by late afternoon. Cards are accepted on board in pounds and euros.
Vehicles, bikes and pets
Cars, motorhomes, caravans, motorbikes and bicycles all travel, and foot passengers are carried on the regular sailings - Roscoff is one of the few western ports where that works without restrictions. Pets cross with the GB-to-France paperwork - microchip, rabies vaccination at least 21 days old, animal health certificate within ten days - and the earlier pet check-in.
Arrival in Roscoff and onward travel
Roscoff is a proper Breton arrival: granite houses around a working fishing harbour, the old Johnnies' onion-selling history, and a seawater spa if the crossing was rough. The roads out are quick for such a small town - Morlaix in half an hour, Brest under an hour, Quimper and the south coast in about ninety minutes. For eastern Brittany, compare arriving here against the St Malo crossing before you book.
Tickets, fares and changes
Fares move with season, ship and cabin category - a Pont-Aven overnight prices differently from the Friday day run - and the binding total appears in the booking step. Change and cancellation terms follow your ticket type. The prices page compares the Channel routes, including what the seasonal window does to summer fares.
Plymouth - Roscoff
The western-most crossing
Plymouth - Roscoff is the West Country's own door to France: Brittany Ferries sails it with the Armorique and the flagship Pont-Aven, up to twice a day in season. Most crossings run overnight at eight to eleven hours; on Fridays a daytime sailing does it in 5 hours 15.
The route is seasonal. Through the winter months it pauses, and Brittany Ferries points travellers to its Portsmouth routes instead - plan a cold-season trip via St Malo or Caen.
- Departure
- Plymouth, Millbay Docks
- Arrival
- Roscoff, Finistère
- Crossing
- Overnight 8-11 h, Friday daytime 5 h 15
- Operator
- Brittany Ferries
Next departures
All details without guarantee. The operator's departure time and your booking confirmation are authoritative. Direct Ferries →
FAQ Plymouth - Roscoff
Frequently asked questions
Questions about the Plymouth - Roscoff crossing.
How long does the crossing take?+
It depends on the sailing. The overnight crossings take eight to eleven hours - board in the evening, sleep in a cabin, wake up in Brittany. The Friday daytime sailing crosses in 5 hours 15, and the return legs from Roscoff run in daylight at five to eight hours.
Does the route run all year?+
No - it is a seasonal route. Sailings run most days from spring to autumn; in the winter months the route pauses and Brittany Ferries recommends its Portsmouth crossings instead. For a winter trip to Brittany, take Portsmouth - St Malo or cross to Caen and drive.
Do I need a cabin?+
On the overnight sailings, yes - eight hours or more at sea span the night, and both ships carry proper cabins. The Pont-Aven is the flagship of the fleet, so a night aboard is closer to a small cruise than a shuttle. On the Friday daytime run, lounges and deck are enough.
Can I take a vehicle, a bike or a pet?+
Yes - the cruise ferries on this route take cars, motorhomes, caravans, motorbikes and bicycles, and they carry foot passengers on regular sailings too. Pets travel with the GB-to-France paperwork and the earlier pet check-in of about 90 minutes; the FAQ has the rules.
What is at the French end?+
Roscoff itself is a granite fishing port worth an hour, and then Finistère is yours: Morlaix and the Monts d'Arrée inland, the north coast west towards the Aber country, Quimper and the Crozon peninsula to the south. Nowhere else on the Channel do you drive off this deep in Brittany.
Ready for the Brittany crossing from Devon?
Check the season and the departures for your date, then continue to the booking step.