Ferry timetable

The ferry leaves Blaye at the times below and departs Lamarque 30 minutes later, which is how long it takes to cross, unload and load again. The timetable changes six times a year: there are more sailings in July and August and noticeably fewer from November to March.

There is no reservation. The timetable tells you when the ferry leaves, not whether you will be on it. That depends on how many vehicles are ahead of you and how much room is left on board.

Departure times and arrival at the ramp

These are departure times, not arrival-at-the-port times. With a vehicle you are asked to be there 30 minutes beforehand, which is the time it takes to buy a ticket. An 11:00 sailing therefore means arriving at 10:30. On foot or by bike boarding is quicker, but the advice is the same.

The crossing itself averages 20 minutes. From joining the queue at Blaye to driving away in the Médoc, allow 50 to 60 minutes: loading and unloading take time too.

If the sailing is full

Space on board is limited. On summer weekends, and Sunday evenings in particular, the queue can exceed that. You wait for the next sailing.

Season is what decides how much that hurts. In July the next sailing is 90 minutes away. In winter, with five departures a day, the wait can run to several hours. When the timing is tight, driving becomes reasonable: the ferry compared with the road, with the numbers.

Disruption and maintenance

The line runs all year, but the Sébastien Vauban is taken out of service for periodic inspection and the crossing is suspended for several days at a time. Sailings can also be cancelled when conditions on the estuary do not allow them. The department's maritime transport service announces these periods in advance.