This page provides a summary of information regarding checking in and out at Channel ports produced by the Cruising Association (CA). It collates information provided by French Officials, French marinas, CA Volunteers, CA Honorary Local Representatives and CA members.
Additional detailed information is available to CA Members which includes port website links, forms to download, full list of ports or entry and ports operating under the "protocol" along with advice and recommendations from the CA’s HLRs and Volunteers plus the experiences of members. This detailed information is provided on the CA website (https://www.theca.org.uk/france-channel-ports-of-entry) and in its App 'CAptain’s Mate' (https://www.theca.org.uk/ciapp).
See also the disclaimer at the foot of this page.
Update 25 March 2025
EU Regulations require those arriving in France (and other EU/Schengen countries) from outside (e.g. United Kingdom and the Channel Islands) to check in; and then check out when departing. This requires arrival and departure to be at a Port of Entry.
However in 2024 the French government approved a “National Protocol of Cooperation” between the national officials responsible for checking in and out the pleasure boat crews (Police Aux Frontiere and Douane) and the federation of marinas (La Fédération Française des Ports de Plaisance - FFPP). This formalised that local agreements could be negotiated between certain marinas and the officials at ports of entry so that checking in and out could be achieved more conveniently by emailing forms.
Ports of Entry on the French Channel coast are:
Dunkirk, Calais, Boulogne, Dieppe, Le Havre, Honfleur, Caen-Ouistreham, Cherbourg, Carteret, Granville, St Malo, St Brieuc and Roscoff.
Note that Boulogne has no officials based there so it requires all pleasure boat crew to travel to Calais to check in/out.
It is not possible for non-EU passport holders to check in or out of these ports by email. All crew are required to visit local officials for form completion/submission and passport checking and stamping. Some ports of entry require the form to be sent in advance and/or an appointment made.
"National Protocol" Ports
As a result of this "protocol" a much larger number of marinas around France were able to offer a service for checking boat crews in and out using emailed forms.
The forms are usually available from the marina websites and should be downloaded, completed and emailed to the email address or addresses provided by the marina either >24 hours before arrival or for shorter passage as departing the previous port. On arrival the completed form, officially stamped, will be provided to the crew by the marina office. On departure another form must be completed and emailed; the stamped form will then be emailed back.
The list of Channel ports which have currently confirmed to the CA that they can process such forms under the "protocol" in 2025 is as follows:
Dives-sur-Mer, Courselles-sur-Mer, Port-en-Bessin, Grandcamp-Maisy, Isigny, Dielette, Plouer-sur-Rance, St Cast Le Guido, Binic, St Quay Portrieux, Paimpol, Lezardrieux, Pontrieux, Treguier, Perros-Guirec, L’Aber-Wrac’h.
The ports of St Vaast and Carentan appear to have different processes so if planning to use these for arrival or departure we currently recommend direct contact in advance of a passage.
These forms should be kept by the crew and with their passports. If you check in via a port of entry you must also check out that way; and if you check in via a “protocol” port you must also check out via a “protocol” port. In both cases the port does not need to be the same one. Note also that this local arrangement whereby your passport is not stamped may not be seen as legitimate by other EU countries, so if you plan to sail onwards from France to another EU country you should check in first at a port of entry.
In extreme situations such as stress of weather or other force majeure, these requirements may be overridden and any port entered with permission from the harbourmaster.
History
The following provides a summary of past developments on this topic.
Summary of Updates from the Cruising Association published in 2024
French officials have announced a new ‘protocol’ for small boats to enter France from outside of the EU. The new 'protocol' will apply from 1 June 2024 and grants some 53 marinas (which are not Ports of Entry (PPFs) the rights to negotiate with local Officials to handle boats arriving from or departing to outside of the EU/Schengen area.
Summary of Updates from the Cruising Association published in 2023
A number of additional ports on the North Brittany coast have been granted special derogation to process entry and exit papers for pleasure vessels for the summer period and under certain processes and conditions. These are added to those in North Brittany and Normandy granted this derogation in 2022.
Summary of Updates from the Cruising Association published in 2022
A number of ports on the North Brittany and Normandy coast have, over the summer, been granted special derogation to process entry and exit papers for pleasure vessels for the summer period and under certain processes and conditions.
25 March 2025
Disclaimer: Any advice has been prepared voluntarily by the Cruising Association, its members and others and they and it have tried to ensure that the contents are accurate. However, the Cruising Association, its employees, contributors and relevant members shall not be liable for any loss, damage or inconvenience of any kind howsoever arising in connection with the use of and/or reliance on such advice, save to the extent required by applicable law.