I found my new favourite way to travel from France to England! This is Saillink, a wind-powered ferry that travels from Boulogne-sur-Mer to Dover.
It’s essentially a catamaran with sails that uses wind to travel between the two countries. It’s currently the only way you can travel across the sea without going on a large ferry or having access to your own/ a friend’s boat or boat rental!
I’ll be detailing the costs and how to take it in this post, based on my trip on the ferry in early July 2026.
What is Saillink?
Saillink is a scheduled ferry service using a catamaran called Echoes. “Apart from the fact we don’t take cars or lorries, we’re a ferry just like P&O are”, Andrew, the captain of Echoes, told me.
Previously, the only options used to be to go on one of these P&O ferries, have your own boat, private charter a boat or take some kind of novelty channel-crossing experience. But now there’s Saillink!
Why choose Saillink?
When I spoke with Andrew, he told me that he thought there was a real need for proper pedestrian/ cycle crossing over the channel. “The other options didn’t quite match up”, he told me. I’ve tried to travel to and from France on P&O ferries multiple times and struggled with the fact that they barely have any crossings that pedestrians are allowed on, so I understood what he meant!
The other huge benefit is its sustainability. In 2025, 70% of crossings used wind power only (apart from coming into and out of the marinas). On stiller days, the engine is needed. Andrew and I decided it was surely the most sustainable way to cross the channel – as even swimmers need a support boat with an engine!
While it is the sole wind-powered ferry crossing between England and France currently, interestingly it started exactly 200 years since the last sailing packet service. Steam packets took over after, but as there’s more of a focus on sustainable travel in modern years, the demand is there!
What to bring for your Saillink crossing
I’d recommend bringing warm clothes no matter what the time of year! I took the crossing in one of the European heatwaves of summer 2026, but it was still chilly on board the deck. I ended up layering up to keep myself a bit warmer.
I’d also advise plenty of water (although tea was provided), plus any snacks or meals that you might want.
I ended up chatting to most of the people on the boat; you could perhaps bring some cards too!
What to know about the Saillink crossing
Once you board, you’ll need to don a life jacket with clips to attach yourself to ropes on the side of the boat.
There are outdoor seating areas – you can sit on the side of the boat and watch the waves go past – along with a covered outdoor area and an indoor area (although I wouldn’t recommend spending too long here when you’re out at sea – I was very wary of motion sickness!).
The inside area had a toilet and seating area. There is a kitchen and I was offered tea a couple of times, but I think it’s generally for private use.
I’ve never experienced such an easy passport control process; I climbed on board and the immigration agents arrived 10 minutes later. They checked our passports quickly, according to EES standards, while we sat comfortably on the boat – it took no time at all at both ends!
Saillink ferries only run during the spring/ summer season (for obvious reasons).
The crossing
As we departed the marina, we were invited to join in the sail-raising. It’s perfect for anyone who wants to get some sailing experience; it’s much cheaper than a course or lessons! I’m not much of a sailor (I have dyspraxia, which doesn’t lend well to fumbling around with sails!), but I loved watching the sails go up as we departed Bolougne-sur-Mer harbour.
We had a calm start in the marina, but it got a bit choppier mid-crossing. We didn’t see any wildlife, but I was told that dolphins were fairly frequently spotted in the channel.
The Channel is the world’s busiest shipping lane, and when we spotted a cargo ship crossing, our boat had to slow down so we could sail around it effecitvely. And, of course, we ended up seeing the White Cliffs of Dover as we sailed into England. It was a really epic way to enter the country!
How to book
You can book tickets on the Saillink website. See their calendar here.
The future of Sailink
There’s lots of hope that there will be new Saillink routes in the future. One that Andrew is particuarly interested in is Newhaven to Dieppe, which is on the London to Paris cycle route. It would be a longer crossing, so they may need to consider a bigger boat with catering or larger spaces.
There’s also talk of electirc backup engines which will hopefully be charged by solar power or regenaritve propellers!
Who’s it good for?
I absolutely adored travelling by Saillink; but I understand it’s not for everyone! Here’s who it’s good for, and who it might not be so good for.
| Who should do Saillink | Who it’s not ideal for |
| People travelling without a car, perhaps travelling with an Interrail pass at the other end or staying in the Boulogne area. | People travelling with a car who want to road trip in France or Europe. |
| Sustainably concious travellers who want to cross the chanenl in the most eco-friendly way possible. | People who want to get to France or Euroep in the speediest way possible. |
| Anhyone wanting to travel differently, interested in crossing the Channel in an unqiue way and who see the journey as a big part of the trip. | Those who are prone to seasickness; it wasn’t bad outside when I did it but I know some people might struggle! |
| People going for a weekend trip to Boulogne-sur-Mer. | People who wnat to travel in winter. It’s a seasonal ferry! |
If you’d like to learn more about Saillink, you can see my full YouTube video here.
Or, head to their website to book your trip!
