Step by step
How boarding works
Six steps, from checking the timetable to driving off the other side. One rule governs the rest: this crossing cannot be booked by anyone, at any price.
You arrive 30 minutes before departure, join the queue, board in order of arrival and pay on board. There is no desk to clear, no booking to show and no priority lane.
Check the timetable for your date
The timetable changes six times a year and weekends have fewer sailings than weekdays. Look up the sailing you want before you set off.
Arrive 30 min early
That half hour is how long the queue takes to form and load. The department gives 30 min for everyone, on foot and by bike included.
Join the queue
Allées Marines at Blaye, Le Port at Lamarque. Order of arrival is order of boarding, and there is no priority lane.
Board and switch off
The crew direct vehicles onto the deck. Space is limited; if the sailing is full you wait for the next one.
Pay on board
A crew member comes round during the crossing. Bank cards, cash and chèques-vacances are accepted, and an online ticket is simply shown.
Cross
20 minutes on average. You can leave the car and go up to the top deck, which looks out over the estuary.
The two ramps
Blaye, Allées Marines, 33390 Blaye. At the foot of the ramparts, below the citadel. The town centre is a few minutes' walk, which makes crossing on foot realistic for half a day.
Lamarque, Le Port, 33460 Lamarque. On the estuary side of the village. Leaving the ramp puts you straight onto the D2, the Route des Châteaux.
The ferry and its capacity
The Sébastien Vauban is a double-ended ferry: it docks in both directions without turning round, which keeps the turnaround short despite the current.
The times when the queue exceeds capacity are predictable: July and August weekends, Sunday evenings, and public holidays. The rest of the year, arriving 30 minutes early is comfortably enough.
Paying
Payment is taken on board during the crossing, by bank card, cash or chèques-vacances. A car with one person on board is €31 in high season. Full fare table.
Check your vehicle's weight before you join the queue
Weight is checked at the ramp, not when you join the queue. A vehicle over 3.5 t is turned away after waiting. Weight and size limits.
Questions about boarding
Do I need to book?
No, and you cannot. There is no reservation system on this line. You turn up at the ramp and board in order of arrival.
How early should I arrive?
30 min before the posted departure, with a vehicle or on foot. In summer and on Sunday evenings, earlier is wise: that is when sailings fill.
Can I stay in my car during the crossing?
You can. The crossing lasts 20 min and the top deck looks out over the whole estuary, with the citadel of Blaye on one side and the Médoc on the other.
Where exactly are the ramps?
At Blaye, Allées Marines, 33390 Blaye, below the citadel and a few minutes' walk from the centre. At Lamarque, Le Port, 33460 Lamarque, on the estuary side of the village.
Sources
Updated: September 2026