Yeu Continent Schedules 2026

Yeu Continent is the Pays de la Loire region's own shipping company, created by the Vendée departmental council in 1949 and part of the regional Aléop transport network since 2018. It runs the crossing between Fromentine on the mainland and Port-Joinville on the Île d'Yeu — more than 2,500 sailings a year, carrying 481,579 passengers in 2025.

A public service, not just a ferry

The company states its obligations plainly: it runs the school transport for the island's children, arranges the return home of islanders discharged from hospital on the mainland, and supports local businesses and events. It is also the only operator carrying freight and vehicles to the island.

Three ships

Le Pont d'Yeu and Le Châtelet, both in service since 2006, are catamarans carrying 430 passengers on four engines of 1,900 hp each. They have roll stabilisers and an anti-pitching system, three panoramic air-conditioned saloons, fifteen video screens, overhead cabin baggage racks, a nursery area and dedicated wheelchair spaces. The crossing takes 35 minutes.

Insula Oya III joined on 1 May 2023. Built for freight and vehicles, she also takes 390 passengers, with power sockets, wifi, a quiet lounge, a baby-changing area and a large outdoor saloon. Her crossing takes 60 minutes.

The timetable changes every day

Sailing times are published as a year-long calendar rather than a weekly pattern, and they genuinely differ from one day to the next — departures from Fromentine range from before dawn to late evening depending on tide and season. Four times recur on almost every day of the high season — 09:30, 10:30, 19:00 and 20:00 from Fromentine, and 08:00, 09:00, 17:30 and 18:30 from the island — but everything else moves. Check the published calendar for your exact date.

Book your bike more than a month ahead

Cycle and vehicle fares have two tiers — booked more than a month in advance, or less — and the gap is real. A bicycle accompanying a passenger is €29.80 against €32.40; an electric bike €46.40 against €49.00; a motorcycle over 250cc €169.00 against €174.20. Folding bikes, scooters, skateboards and children's balance bikes all travel for €9.30 if booked early.

Taking a car is deliberately expensive

Return vehicle fares climb steeply with length: €288.30 under 3 metres, €581.20 from 3 to 4 metres, €688.30 up to 4.50 m, and €804.90 above that. Vehicle passage must be booked by telephone. The island is small and the pricing reflects a policy of keeping cars off it.

Surfboards depend on which ship

A board or kitesurf under 1.30 m and an inflatable paddle in a bag cost €9.30 and travel on the fast craft. Anything larger — a board over 1.30 m at €30, a windsurfer, canoe or kayak at €52.80 — can only be carried on Insula Oya III, the cargo ship. That constrains which sailing you can take.

Passenger fares and passes

Return fares for island relatives and season-card holders run from €28.80 for an adult, €23.00 for over-61s, €20.20 for 13–25s and large families, €15.80 for 4–12s and €14.40 with a Mobi 50 or Mobi 75 card. Under-4s travel free. The annual continental season card is €52.20 for adults, €31.35 at concession rates — it is issued in your name with a photograph and must be applied for in advance.

An Escapade fare cuts 30% on selected departures from Easter onward, but only for same-day return excursions, and those tickets are neither changeable nor refundable.

Dogs

A leashed dog costs €15.30 return — category 1 and 2 dogs must be muzzled. Small animals travelling on a lap or in a basket go free.

Before the boat

There is a free car park about fifteen minutes' walk from the Fromentine terminal, a staffed baggage container service, eight wheelchair spaces and two infirmaries across the fleet. The ships are inspected continuously by Bureau Veritas and the French maritime authority, and the company holds ISM Code certification.

The crossing has a long history

Fromentine to Port-Joinville was first worked by sailing chaloupes from a wooden jetty. Steam followed: La Vendée (1870–1886) had a 20-horsepower engine and took 1 hour 55 minutes. The Président Auguste Durand (1961–1982) managed 13 knots. Today's catamarans do it in 35 minutes.