A NEW ferry linking a quirky English seaside town with France is setting sail in just a few weeks.
The crossing will take around eight hours with each sailing limited to 12 passengers.
SailLink has teamed up with award-winning sailor Michel Desjoyeaux, who will personally skipper each journey from Shoreham to Fécamp, Normandy.
Mr Desjoyeaux, the only sailor in history to have won the Vendée Globe, a round-the-world sailing race, twice, built the wind-powered catamran from parts of other race boats that had already sailed round the world.
He hopes to prove that regular, wind–powered crossings can become a practical alternative to traditional cross-Channel ferries.
The pilot project will run from September 8-13 .
Billed as a fishing port and religious pilgrimage site, Fécamp is renowned for its striking chalk cliffs and Benedictine liqueur.
The sailing itself retraces the historic voyage of Charles II, who reached Fécamp from Shoreham in 1651.
Ticket prices start from £220 for a one-way trip, with return journeys starting from £440.
Tom Willis, chief executive at Shoreham Port, said: “We are delighted to see Shoreham Port working with SailLink and the Port of Fécamp to offer this unique cross-Channel crossing experience.
“As global warming challenges the way we travel, wind propulsion offers a compelling alternative.”
Tickets for the pilot project go on sale on August 1.