★ Due to a pilot shortage, we are currently only running on weekends. 6am - 5:30pm Friday & Saturday, 9am - 5:30pm Sunday
Est. 1798
The French Connection
Ste. Genevieve – Modoc Ferry
Cross the
Great River.
Ste. Genevieve, MIssouri → Modoc, Illinois
Cross the
Great River.
Ste. Genevieve, Missouri → Modoc, Illinois
⚓
Operating Since 1798
One of the last remaining ferries on the Mississippi River, connecting two states for over two centuries.
🗺️
The Only Crossing
The only Mississippi crossing between Chester and Columbia, IL. Save miles — and time.
🗺️
The Only Crossing
The only Mississippi crossing between Chester and Columbia, IL. Save miles — and time.
🚲
All Are Welcome
Cars, trucks, ATVs, motorcycles, bicycles, horses, and pedestrians. Official crossing of the Great River Road.
⸻ Explore Both sides ⸻
Plan Your Crossing
The Route ⸻
A Quick Connection
Across the Mississippi
The French Connection lives up to its name. Drive — or ride, or walk — to Little Rock Landing in Ste. Genevieve, board the deck, and in about 10 to 15 minutes you're on the other shore. It's the only Mississippi crossing between Chester to the south and the St. Louis metro to the north, a gap of roughly 60 miles. Without the ferry, that same trip means a 45-minute-or-more detour to the nearest bridge.
The ferry welcomes everyone — cars, trucks, ATVs, motorcycles, bicycles, horses, and pedestrians. For locals and truckers it's an everyday shortcut. For cyclists on the Great River Road or the Mississippi River Bicycle Trail, it's the official crossing point and a highlight of the ride. And for anyone making the trip on foot or two wheels, stepping onto the deck and watching the wide current of the Mississippi pass beneath you is an experience worth the trip on its own.
The French Connection ⸻
A Living Link to
French Colonial History
Locally known as The French Connection, the Ste. Genevieve–Modoc Ferry is far more than a river crossing — it's a passage through time. On the Missouri side lies Sainte Genevieve, the state's oldest city, founded by French colonists in the early 1700s.
Cross to Illinois and you'll find Fort de Chartres, the Pierre Menard Home, and Fort Kaskaskia State Historic Park — remnants of a French colonial empire that once stretched across the continent.
The ferry has served travelers, traders, farmers, and adventurers across this stretch of the Mississippi since at least 1798. It is one of the last of its kind on the great river.
Over two centuries ⸻
A History as Wide as the River
The Ferry's story stretches back to at least 1798 — through French colonial traders, railroad barons, colorful local characters, and the slow rhythms of life along the great Mississippi.
Fares ⸻
Rate Schedule
Effective May 1, 2025. Round-trip discounts available.
★ Maximum vehicle length for ferry crossings is 65′. Vehicles over 65′ are prohibited from using the ferry due to safety regulations.
Seasonal Schedule ⸻
Operating Hours
★ Due to a pilot shortage, we are currently only running on weekends. 6am - 5:30pm Friday & Saturday, 9am - 5:30pm Sunday
The ferry operates on a 10–15 minute crossing time, typically running every 15–20 minutes.
Come Ride The French Connection.
Questions about your crossing? Arranging a school group or special trip? Get in touch with the Ste. Genevieve Welcome Center — they'll have the current status and any information you need.
Welcome Center
573-880-6970
Missouri Landing
8205 Little Rock Rd, Ste. Genevieve, MO 63670
Illinois Landing
3482 Levee Rd, Modoc, IL 62261
© Ste. Genevieve – Modoc Ferry 2026