Weight and size
What can board
One rule decides almost everything on this line: the 3.5 tonne limit. Below it, ordinary vehicles are carried; above it, boarding is refused, at any price.
Since July 2021 the crossing has been limited to 3.5 tonnes. The number that matters is the gross vehicle weight on your registration document, not what the vehicle weighs loaded on the day. The check happens as you board, which means an over-weight vehicle is turned away after queueing.
| Vehicle | Carried | Fare |
|---|---|---|
| Foot passenger | Yes | €6 |
| Bicycle | Yes | €3 |
| Motorcycle, scooter, quad | Yes | €15 |
| Car | Yes | €25 |
| Camper van under 3.5 t | Yes | €40 |
| Motorhome under 3.5 t | Yes | €40 |
| Car and caravan, combined under 3.5 t | Yes | By category |
| Motorhome over 3.5 t | No | – |
| Lorry | No | – |
| Coach | No | – |
Motorhomes and the 3.5 t limit
There are three shapes. A van conversion is a converted panel van. Alow-profile keeps the original cab with the living body behind it. AnA-class replaces the whole front with the body, so there is one large windscreen and no original cab. A six metre van conversion or low-profile is almost always plated at 3.5 t and boards without difficulty. A seven metre A-class, or a low-profile whose weight has been uprated to 4 t for extra payload, is refused. Two vehicles that look alike can be treated differently, and only the registration document settles it.
If you are over, you have two options. Around Bordeaux, 84 km and about 1 hr 35 min. Or the Royan to Le Verdon ferry further downstream, which carries lorries and coaches up to 4.45 m high and 4 m wide. That second option only makes sense if your route passes the estuary mouth anyway. Comparing the two lines.
Caravans and trailers
For a towed combination it is the total that counts. A 1.8 t saloon with a small 1.2 t caravan stays under. The same car with a twin-axle van often does not. Add the two figures together before you join the queue.
Bicycles and two wheels
A bicycle costs €3 on top of the foot fare for the rider, so €9 for an adult with a bike. Motorcycles and quads pay €15, again with the rider charged separately. This is the only direct crossing between the two banks by bike; the alternative runs 84 km through Bordeaux on roads without a cycle path.
Check before you join the queue
The check happens at boarding, after the wait. A vehicle over the limit is refused and has to take another route, so check the figure on your registration document before you set off. See the timetable.
Questions about vehicles
Can a motorhome use the Blaye-Lamarque ferry?
Yes, as long as it stays under 3.5 t gross vehicle weight. The fare is €40, driver charged on top. Above 3.5 t boarding is refused and you need Royan or the drive around Bordeaux.
Where do I find my vehicle's weight?
On the registration document, as gross vehicle weight or maximum authorised mass. That is the figure that counts, not what the vehicle weighs on the day. Many recent motorhomes are plated at exactly 3.5 t, which is fine, while longer models are often 4 t or more.
What about a caravan or a trailer?
The whole combination counts. A 1.8 t car with a 1.3 t caravan comes to 3.1 t and boards. The same car with a twin-axle caravan usually goes over the limit.
Are lorries and coaches allowed?
Not on this line. They are carried on Royan to Le Verdon, up to 4.45 m high and 4 m wide, and they can even reserve a crossing there.
Sources
Updated: September 2026