Ferries from Roscoff

Roscoff was built in the early 1970s as a deep-water port so that Brittany could ship its vegetables to Britain without going through Saint-Malo. Half a century later the international ferries are still here — and the busiest thing that leaves this harbour is a fifteen-minute boat to an island a mile offshore, running forty-five times a day.

What the numbers actually say

• Île de Batz — about 15 minutes, 45 sailings in each direction. By some distance the busiest route at this port.
• Plymouth — 7 sailings out and 6 back, roughly 6 to 8 hours with Brittany Ferries.
• Cork — 2 sailings, about 15 hours.
• Rosslare — in the network at around 16 hours; we hold no current sailings.

A cross-Channel port whose real traffic is a village shuttle is an unusual thing, and it is the honest shape of this place.

The Irish route exists because of Brexit

Roscoff to Cork links Ireland with the Continent without transiting the United Kingdom, which turned from a convenience into a selling point after 2020 — particularly for anyone travelling with a vehicle who would otherwise face two sets of formalities on the landbridge.

It is a long crossing and a thin timetable, but it is the reason this port matters beyond Brittany.

Where the terminal is

Ferries use Port du Bloscon, on the headland east of the town. Roscoff's centre is about 1.4 km away — a fifteen-minute walk — which is close enough to do on foot and far enough that people with luggage regularly misjudge it.

The Île de Batz boats leave from the old harbour in the town itself rather than from Bloscon, so the two services are not in the same place. Check which quay your ticket names.

⚠ A governance change you may notice in the paperwork

Since 1 January 2026 the site has been managed by BrestPort, with Roscoff Bloscon's three activities — commerce, fishing and leisure — brought together under the name RoscoffPort.

Nothing about sailing changes, but signage, contact details and official references are in transition, so older guides and newer documents may name different bodies for the same quay.

Season

The Plymouth route carries the bulk of the international traffic and thickens through summer; the Cork sailing is thin and seasonal. The Île de Batz shuttle runs year round because people live on the island.

If you are planning around the Irish crossing, check specific dates early — two sailings in our timetable is not a service you can turn up for.