How many gas bottles am I allowed to carry on the ferry?

The rule of thumb on virtually every North Sea, Channel and Irish Sea route is: a maximum of 3 bottles with a combined weight of up to 47 kg. That is literally how Stena Line, Brittany Ferries, DFDS, Irish Ferries and Smyril Line word it. P&O Ferries differs: on the North Sea and Channel routes only the 47 kg of gas per vehicle limit applies, but on the Irish Sea routes it is a maximum of 3 bottles of no more than 11.2 kg each. LeShuttle (Eurotunnel) applies 47 kg per bottle or tank, which must also be filled to less than 80%. Two standard 11 kg bottles therefore stay comfortably within the margin everywhere.

Does the gas valve have to be shut off during the crossing?

Yes, without exception. Every ferry operator requires the main valve of your gas system to be closed the moment you drive onto the ship, and to stay closed until you drive off. Color Line checks this as you board, TT-Line explicitly prohibits the use of a gas fridge on board, and Smyril Line requires all gas appliances to be switched off and the bottles to stay in the vehicle. So switch your fridge over to 12V in good time, or accept that it will be off for a few hours: a properly pre-cooled fridge will handle a crossing of 6 to 8 hours without any trouble.

Can I travel with an LPG system or a fixed gas tank?

Draw a distinction between gas as a fuel and gas for cooking and heating. LeShuttle (Eurotunnel) carries no vehicle that runs on LPG, not even as a second fuel; other dual-fuel combinations such as petrol-electric are fine. On the ferry it is different: Irish Ferries and Brittany Ferries carry LPG, LNG and CNG-powered vehicles without any fuss, provided it is a factory-fitted system and the valve is shut off. A refillable gas tank or refillable bottle (Gaslow, Alugas, Safefill) counts as domestic gas and may also go through the tunnel: up to 47 kg, filled to less than 80%, and you must be able to demonstrate that at the gas check.

Can my dog stay in the motorhome during the crossing?

That varies by ferry operator and route, and it is the single biggest pitfall. On the short Channel crossings it is allowed: P&O and DFDS Calais/Dunkirk-Dover (around 15 to 19 euros per animal), Stena Line Hook of Holland-Harwich (around 19 euros) and Color Line Denmark-Norway (9 euros). It is explicitly not allowed on DFDS IJmuiden-Newcastle, Brittany Ferries to Spain, TT-Line, Finnlines, Smyril Line and Go Nordic Cruiseline: there the vehicle deck is locked and your dog has to go into a kennel on board or a pet-friendly cabin. In the Eurotunnel your dog simply stays with you in the motorhome, which is what makes that route so popular with dog owners (around 25 euros per animal).

How do I book a pet-friendly cabin, and why do they sell out so fast?

Ships only have a handful of them: Irish Ferries has 5 pet-friendly cabins on the James Joyce (Dublin-Holyhead), P&O has 6 dog cabins per ship on Hull-Rotterdam, and Brittany Ferries has a limited number on the Spain ships Galicia, Salamanca and Santona. You select them while booking, but for DFDS IJmuiden-Newcastle you even have to phone. For summer sailings and the Spain and Ireland routes they are often gone months in advance, so book the cabin before you plan the rest of your trip. Budget around 35 to 50 euros or pounds per animal each way, on top of the cabin fare.

What paperwork and treatments does my dog need for England and Ireland?

Your dog must be microchipped before the rabies vaccination, and you may only travel 21 full days after that vaccination. On top of that, a tapeworm treatment (echinococcus) administered by a vet is compulsory: a minimum of 24 and a maximum of 120 hours (5 days) before arrival in Great Britain, and the same requirement applies to Ireland. The vet has to sign that off in your EU pet passport, which is accepted without question on entry to the UK. Schedule that worming treatment tightly into your itinerary: too early is just as wrong as too late, and the ferry operator is entitled to refuse your dog at check-in.

Mediterranean

Toulon / Nice – Corsica (Ajaccio / Bastia)

Toulon (FR) → Ajaccio (FR)

Year-round
Overnight ferry

Key facts

Ferry operators

Corsica Ferries (Toulon–Ajaccio ±9x/week, Toulon–Bastia daily, Nice–Bastia ±6.5 hrs, Nice–Île-Rousse ±5 hrs)

Crossing time

9 hrs

Frequency

daily to several per day in summer; 7-11 hrs (daytime and overnight ferries)

Season

year-round (Nice mainly Apr–Oct)

Price indication

motorhome + 2 adults high season approx. €250–450 one-way (indication); Corsica Ferries is the budget choice, cabin not mandatory

Pets

allowed (muzzle/lead on deck, approx. €15-30, a few pet cabins)

Reachable only by ferry

Overland alternative: Corsica has no overland route

For the Dutch, Toulon is usually the cheapest and fastest departure port (±1,230 km from Utrecht)

Ferry or drive on? Do the maths

Departure port & check-in

With a vehicle you have to be there 1 hr 30 before departure, without one 1 hr. Motorhome travellers advise 1 hr 30 to 2 hrs, because motorhomes are handled in a separate queue and boarding takes longer. The exact boarding time is on your ticket. Turn up late and the operator can refuse you, and the ticket is usually non-refundable.

Facilities at the terminal

Fresh water

Not known
Chemical toilet

Not known
Showers

Not known
Fuel

Petrol stations along the A50 and A57 around Toulon.
Gas & LPG

GPL is widely available in France (French Dish adapter).
Groceries

Supermarkets in Toulon; groceries are dearer on Corsica.

Where to spend the night before departure

Mayol Parking, Toulon
Car park

Distance to terminal

±0.3 km

Price per night

€100 for 12 days booked online; €15 per day without a booking

Overnight: check in advance

A three-minute walk from the terminal. Intended for long-stay parking of vehicles left behind; check multi-storey height restrictions before taking a motorhome in.
Port Marchand Parking, Toulon
Car park

Distance to terminal

±2 km

Price per night

€2 per hour by day; €2.50 for 3 hrs at night; open 24/7 with 15 min grace

Overnight: check in advance

A cheaper alternative, but not set up as a motorhome aire.
Campsites around Toulon (including Campasun and Camping Artaudois in the Var)
Campsite

Distance to terminal

Not known

Price per night

Not known

Overnight stays allowed

Several campsites in the Var present themselves explicitly as a stopover before the crossing to Corsica or Sardinia; specific rates and distances could not be verified.

Practical tip

Parking inside the terminal is prohibited for safety reasons. Corsica Ferries charges a motorhome fare from €96 per crossing for one person plus a motorhome up to 7 metres, but with hard limits: a maximum of 7 m long, 2.40 m high and 2 m wide. Camping on board is not possible on this route and there is no electricity for motorhomes. Gas bottles may be carried provided they are shut off during the crossing. The garage is not accessible while under way - take out everything you need. Before you leave your motorhome: engine off, first gear, handbrake on, mirrors folded in. General advice for Corsica crossings: fill the tank no more than three-quarters full and switch off all appliances. Book 3 to 6 months ahead for the summer, because the number of motorhome spaces on board is limited.

Arrival & first stop

First motorhome stop after arrival

Service points (aires de services) on Corsica, including at Santa Severa and Saint-Florent in the north and Porto-Vecchio in the south
Motorhome aire

Distance to terminal

Not known

Price per night

€5-15 for topping up water, emptying grey water and emptying the toilet

Overnight: check in advance

Corsica has a network of service points, but they are not always meant for overnight stays. Booking ahead in July and August is strongly recommended.
Campsites on Corsica
Campsite

Distance to terminal

Not known

Price per night

€35-65 per night depending on the season

Overnight: check in advance

July and August carry the highest rate and you need to book well ahead.

Fuel, gas & LPG

GPL is harder to find on Corsica than on the French mainland; top up in Toulon or Nice if you can.

Watch out on arrival

Corsica is strict with motorhomes. Sleeping in your motorhome in public car parks is prohibited: the vehicle must be empty of people overnight, and continuous parking is limited to a maximum of seven days. Beaches and shorelines are entirely off limits, as are protected woodlands. You may not park within 500 metres of heritage sites, and a 200-metre zone applies around drinking water sources. Wild camping is prohibited across the whole island. In practice: the east coast from Bastia to Solenzara is the most motorhome-friendly; in the Balagne (Calvi, L'Île-Rousse) heavy restrictions apply and village centres are often unreachable for long vehicles in high season; Porto-Vecchio has beautiful beaches but very strict rules and parking problems in July and August. The mountain roads are narrow and winding - have your motorhome checked over beforehand.

Practical tip

Plan your route around the service points and make sure you have enough autonomy in water and power, because wild camping is not an option.

Border, documents & rules

A domestic French route: no border control or customs, but an identity check on boarding. Pets under French rules.

Motorhome tips

Yellow boats = free choice of seat; overnight ferry + reclining seat is perfectly doable; combine with Bonifacio–Santa Teresa for a Corsica+Sardinia round trip

Frequently asked questions

Sources:corsica-ferries.fr directferries.nl alloferry.com corsica-ferries.co.uk portsradetoulon.com merendella.com hissez-o.fr

Toulon / Nice – Corsica (Ajaccio / Bastia)

9 hrsmotorhome + 2 adults high season approx. €250–450 one-way (indication); Corsica Ferries is the budget choice, cabin not mandatory

Toulon / Nice – Corsica (Ajaccio / Bastia)

Key facts

Departure port & check-in

Facilities at the terminal

Where to spend the night before departure

Mayol Parking, Toulon

Port Marchand Parking, Toulon

Campsites around Toulon (including Campasun and Camping Artaudois in the Var)

Arrival & first stop

First motorhome stop after arrival

Service points (aires de services) on Corsica, including at Santa Severa and Saint-Florent in the north and Porto-Vecchio in the south

Campsites on Corsica

Border, documents & rules

Motorhome tips

Frequently asked questions

How many gas bottles am I allowed to carry on the ferry?

Does the gas valve have to be shut off during the crossing?

Can I travel with an LPG system or a fixed gas tank?

Can my dog stay in the motorhome during the crossing?

How do I book a pet-friendly cabin, and why do they sell out so fast?

What paperwork and treatments does my dog need for England and Ireland?

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