It's perfectly possible to travel to the Balearic Islands without a plane! In fact, it's a pretty easy trip to make from France, as it doesn't require many changes of transport or stopovers. So you can enjoy a slower, more conscious trip, perfect for slow tourism, while reducing your carbon footprint.
step 1: take the train to Barcelona
The first step to the Balearic Islands without a plane is to take a train to Barcelona. The capital of Catalonia is in fact a destination that can be reached without flying from France, since it's possible to get there by direct train from several French cities. These include
- Paris: 6 h 45 direct from Gare de Lyon.
- Montpellier: 3 h 15 direct from Montpellier Saint-Roch or Montpellier Sud de France station.
- Lyon: 5 hr direct from Lyon Part-Dieu station, operated by Renfe (booking required on the Spanish company's website).
- Marseille: 5 h direct from Marseille Saint-Charles station, operated by Renfe.
Of course, it's also possible to start the journey from other French cities, but you'll usually need to change trains at least once. For example, if you start from Bordeaux, you'll need to make a stopover in Narbonne , where you'll take a direct train to Barcelona, and the total journey will then take 5 hrs 50 min. Before booking your tickets, read our article on how to pay less for train tickets.
Travelling by train also offers the advantage of enjoying the journey as a real part of the trip. As you travel through the south of France and Catalonia, you'll be able to admire a variety of landscapes: Languedoc vineyards, the Mediterranean coast, the Catalan plains... It's a great way to start your vacation right from the start. The comfort of high-speed trains is also a plus: power sockets, Wi-Fi in some trains, on-board catering and spacious seats make the journey much more relaxing than a plane trip. Finally, arriving right in the center of Barcelona saves time compared to the airport, which is often far away. You might also consider taking advantage of your stopover to make a stopover in Barcelona. To do so, take a look at our article on Barcelona's must-sees or our 3-day itinerary in Barcelona.
The article to read: organize other trips without flying by consulting our selection of the best night trains in Europe.
step 2: Ferry to the Balearic Islands
Ferries run from Barcelona to the Balearic Islands every day. Several routes exist and several companies operate them. These include Balearia, GNV and Trasmed. The simplest and most common route is to Mallorca, or more precisely to the port of Palma de Mallorca. It's also generally the cheapest option. In this case, the crossing generally takes 7 hours. Some companies also offer express crossings lasting just 4 hours, but these are generally more expensive. You can also choose to take a ferry to Ibiza. In this case, the crossing takes 8 hours 30 minutes. For a crossing to Menorca, you'll need to allow for 9 hours of sea transport. As these destinations are less common, tickets are generally more expensive, especially to Menorca.
The ferry also has a practical side that is often underestimated: you can take on board much more luggage than by plane. If you're traveling with the family or want to bring back local produce, this is a real freedom. Some travelers also choose to take their car or van on board, so they're totally autonomous once they arrive. The price goes up, but this solution can be interesting for a longer stay or to visit several remote corners of the island. Another point to note: most overnight ferries have comfortable cabins with beds, showers and toilets. A good way to combine transport and accommodation.
Other options
It's also possible to reach Barcelona not by train, but by bus. This option is generally longer and less comfortable, but less expensive. This is an option to consider if you're on a tight budget and don't want to fly to the Balearics. Flixbus offers a wide range of routes. For example, it offers a 15-hour direct bus journey from Paris to Barcelona. Alternatively, count on 4 h 30 from Montpellier, 9 h from Lyon, 7 h from Marseille or 9 h 30 from Bordeaux.
The article to read: plan other soft-transport holidays by reading our article on the best destinations to spend 10 days without flying.
For the ferry crossing, note that it is also possible to do so from Valencia and from Dénia. However, these two destinations are a little less easy to reach from France or the rest of Europe, and ferries departing from them are often a little more expensive than those from Barcelona. Some companies, mainly Corsica Ferries, also offer crossings to the Balearic Islands directly from France. Departure ports are Toulon, Sète and Marseille. However, departures are much less frequent and more expensive, so we recommend you go via Barcelona instead. Also, if you want to reduce your carbon footprint, this is not a good option, as the ferry crossing is much longer and your trip will be more polluting.
The Balearics without a plane in a nutshell
The route to the Balearics without a plane via Barcelona is by far the simplest of the options we've presented. Here's a summary:
- 5 h to 6 h 45 from France to Barcelona by train operated by SNCF or Renfe.
- 7 h ferry crossing from Barcelona to Majorca.
- For a total of 12 to 13 h 45 for the whole trip, not including the time spent in Barcelona.
What is the approximate budget?
Estimating the budget for a flight to the Balearic Islands is tricky, as there are so many variables to take into account. Depending on the season you're traveling in, how far in advance you book your trip, the services you choose on board each mode of transport (such as a single seat or cabin on ferries, or whether you wish to take your own vehicle), and many other factors, the price could vary considerably. To minimize your budget, Le Petit Futé advises you not to wait until the last minute to make your reservation, to choose off-peak tickets, to travel outside school vacations and, if possible, to subscribe to loyalty programs offered by transport companies.
To get a precise idea of your budget, we advise you to go directly to the websites of the companies concerned, and simulate a booking to obtain the fare associated with the desired date and service. However, here's an estimate of the budget you can expect:
- Train from France to Barcelona: from €50 to €150, depending on departure station and booking date.
- Ferry from Barcelona to Majorca: €20 to €150 for a single pedestrian.
- For a total of €70 to €300 for the entire trip from France.
What is the carbon footprint of such a trip?
To estimate the carbon footprint of a plane-free trip to the Balearics, we used the ADEME website. It's the ferry part that will weigh most heavily in the balance, the train part being generally minimal in comparison. Here are our estimates:
- Travellingby train to Barcelona: between 1 and 3.2 kg ofCO2 emitted, depending on the departure station.
- Ferry from Barcelona to Majorca: 47 kg ofCO2 emissions.
In total, flying to the Balearics would produce around 50 kg ofCO2. By comparison, flying from Paris to Majorca would produce almost 200 kg ofCO2. So, while the ferry remains a polluting means of transport, the total journey is still four times less polluting than by plane.
