Eurotunnel Le Shuttle is the most straightforward way to bring a pet into France by land from the UK, mainly because the pet never has to leave the vehicle. Dogs, cats and ferrets travelling under the pet travel scheme need the documents covered elsewhere in this guide — microchip, rabies vaccination, and a valid travel document (an EU pet passport if you have one, or a UK Animal Health Certificate if you don't).
Add your pet when you book your own Le Shuttle ticket, and build in extra time at the terminal: all pets check in at the dedicated Pet Reception centre, which runs 24 hours a day at both the Folkestone and Calais terminals, with an exercise area attached. Eurotunnel recommends arriving at least 90 minutes before your booked departure to allow time for this check-in.
The crossing itself takes roughly 35 minutes, with your pet staying with you in the car the entire way — no carrier hold, no separate check-in area at the other end. It's a genuinely low-stress way to arrive in France compared with flying, which is a large part of why it's the default route for owners driving in from the UK.