Ferry to Dunkirk

Dunkirk

Dunkirk once belonged to England. After Cromwell's troops fought alongside the French at the Battle of the Dunes in June 1658, the town was handed to the English, who held it until Charles II sold it to Louis XIV in 1662, partly because he needed the money. The name is better known to British visitors today for the evacuation of 1940, and the wide beaches east of the town carry memorials that are well worth a stop. In the old docks, the Duchesse Anne, a three-masted sailing ship built in 1901, is moored beside the Port Museum. The town itself is flat, windswept and Flemish in origin, and its belfry and seafront are easily explored on foot between sailings.

The ferry port at Dunkirk

Where the ferries leave from: DFDS ferries to Dover leave from the western docks (Port Ouest), outside the town centre.

Border controls: As at Calais, passengers travelling from Dunkirk to Dover go through French exit checks and UK passport or identity checks before boarding, with UK customs checks on arrival.

Crossing: The crossing to Dover takes about two hours.