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You don’t need an engine to set sail. In France, several companies now offer regular sailing routes powered by the wind rather than diesel: to the islands of Brittany, to Corsica, and even to Sicily. In this guide, we take a look at all the destinations accessible by train and sailboat from France, including the companies, travel times, prices, and insider tips from the HOURRAIL Club! to travel more affordably.
Today, three regions account for the bulk of France's passenger sailing services: Morbihan and Finistère in Brittany, the Mediterranean Sea between the Var and Corsica, and, more indirectly, Southern Italy all the way to Sicily. Here's a comparison guide to help you choose your next crossing.
| Destination | Company | Since | Duration | Starting at |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Groix Island | Bag Hatoup | Lorient / Locmiquélic / Larmor-Plage | 1 hour and 30 minutes | 29 € one-way (round-trip) |
| Belle-Île-en-Mer | The Islanders | Quiberon (Port Maria) | 1 hour and 30 minutes max | €23 (round-trip, low season) |
| Glénan Archipelago | Sailcoop | Concarneau / Beg-Meil | 1 hour and 30 minutes | 35 € (reduced rate) |
| Corsica (Calvi) | Sailcoop | Saint-Raphaël | ~6:00–8:00 p.m. | €265 (round-trip, reduced fare) |
| Corsica (all ports) | Charter with or without a skipper | Marseille, Toulon, Nice | variable | starting at 150 €/day |
| Sicily (Palermo) | Overnight Train + Rail Ferry | Paris (via Milan, Rome) | ~11 p.m. | Trenitalia's variable fare |
Each destination has its own appeal: Brittany offers short, frequent “shuttle-style” crossings; Corsica, long-distance sailing adventures; and Sicily, a train that literally boards a ferry to cross the Strait of Messina.
Southern Brittany is home to three regular sailing routes, all accessible by less than two hours ferry service. They operate like regular shuttles, with several departures a day during the season.
Belle-Île-en-Mer, in Brittany
Bag Hatoup connects Lorient to Groix Island aboard the catamaran The Three Stitches (48 seats), with departures available from Lorient, Locmiquélic, and Larmor-Plage. The crossing takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes and operates from April through October (in 2026: April 11 through October 31, 2026), and rightly so two round trips per day during the season. A one-way ticket costs 29 €, with a sliding-scale family rate for groups of three or more people, including at least one child.
Bag Hatoup catamarans, tested and approved by our team! - © Rosalie Borde
And the good news is that the members of the HOURRAIL Club! get 15% off their crossing with Bag Hatoup!
The residents of Belle-Île operate two catamarans, the Saona and the Isabelle, between Quiberon (Port Maria) and Belle-Île (Le Palais and Sauzon), with up to 8 round trips per day during the high season. The crossing takes a maximum of 1 hour and 30 minutes and reduces CO2 emissions by more than 80% compared to an equivalent motor vessel. Fares range from €23 (children under 13, low season) to €56 (adults, high season) one way.
Les Iliens Catamarans: Tested and Approved by Our Team! - © Rosalie Borde
Here, too, 15% off for members of the HOURRAIL Club!.
Sailcoop connects Concarneau and Beg-Meil to the Glénan Archipelago aboard an 80-seat sailing shuttle, with a 1.5-hour crossing. Departures are on Mondays, Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays, with a guided tour by Bretagne Vivante on Thursdays to explore the local biodiversity. Once on Saint-Nicolas Island, plan to spend 2 to 4 hours there before heading back.
© Rosalie Borde
And once again, you can get 15% off as a member of the HOURRAIL Club!.
Getting to Corsica without flying takes some planning: the train takes you to the Mediterranean coast, and then there are several options for the crossing. We’ve already covered everything in detail in our dedicated articles, so here’s a summary of the essentials.
Calvi
Sailcoop connects Saint-Raphaël to Calvi aboard 15-meter sailboats (8 passengers), with a crossing time of approximately 18 to 20 hours, depending on weather conditions. The 2026 season runs from May 30 to September 15, with one daily departure in each direction.
A one-way ticket costs €265 at the reduced rate (€510 round-trip) and €295 at the full rate. In case of adverse weather (about 5% of crossings), Sailcoop offers a rescheduling or a full refund. And the good news is that you get a 15% discount as a member of the HOURRAIL Club!
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Sailcoop: the alternative to flying to Corsica or crossing the Atlantic
For those who prefer to be independent, chartering a sailboat from Marseille, Toulon, or Nice allows you to sail to Bastia, Calvi, or Bonifacio—with or without a skipper—starting at €150 per day, depending on the season and the boat.
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Going to Corsica by train + sailboat: the complete guide
The Corsican Railway Network (CFC), nicknamed u Trinichellu, then takes over to explore the island by train between Bastia, Ajaccio, and Calvi.
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Trains in Corsica: A Complete Guide to the Corsican Railway (CFC), Routes, Fares, and Tips
In short, there's no need to touch a steering wheel—neither during the trip nor once you arrive!
Yes, even if it’s not “sailing” in the strict sense of the word: Sicily is separated from Calabria by just 3.3 km, and Europe’s last rail-ferry connects the two. In practical terms, The night train boards the ship directly to cross the Strait of Messina without you having to get off the bike. A pretty wild ride—tried and tested by Benjamin!
Palermo
From Paris, the trip takes about 23 hours, including connections in Milan and then Rome, before reaching Palermo via this train-ferry. It’s one of the most unusual routes we know of for reaching an island without flying: you fall asleep on the mainland, and you wake up in Sicily.
Prices vary significantly depending on the distance and duration of the crossing:
In any case, the members of the HOURRAIL Club! Enjoy a 15% discount on Bag Hatoup, Les Iliens, and Sailcoop. That should significantly lower the cost of these crossings.
The HOURRAIL Club!, is a community for people who want to travel differently by train and boat, with benefits negotiated directly with our partners. When it comes to sailing, this means:
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The HOURRAIL Club: the community for low-carbon travel and slow travel
In addition to these discounts, joining the Club also gives you access to the Premium version of the app HOORAY!, events where you can meet other travelers, and other benefits negotiated on train tickets and accommodations.
From Groix to Sicily via Corsica, sailing from France has never been more accessible: you no longer need to know how to sail or own your own boat. All that’s left is to choose the destination that’s right for you, from a 1.5-hour trip around Brittany to a long Mediterranean crossing. So, where are you headed?
Issue du monde de la communication et des médias, Sophie est Responsable éditoriale chez HOURRAIL ! depuis août 2024. Elle est notamment derrière le contenu éditorial du site ainsi que La Locomissive (de l'inspiration voyage bas carbone et des bons plans, un jeudi sur deux, gratuitement dans ta boîte mail !).
Convaincue que les changements d’habitude passent par la transformation de nos imaginaires, elle s’attache à montrer qu’il est possible de voyager autrement, de manière plus consciente, plus lente et plus joyeuse. Son objectif : rendre le slow travel accessible à toutes et tous, à travers des astuces, des décryptages et surtout, de nouveaux récits.
