Brittany Ferries has closed its iconic Poole to Cherbourg route, with the final crossing departing on Monday, October 12, three weeks earlier than scheduled. The historic service, which operated for over 40 years, was scrapped as part of a company restructure.
Route history and early closure
The route first launched in 1973 as a freight-only service by Truckline Ferries, and was acquired by Brittany Ferries in 1985 to expand its passenger and vehicle operations. The final crossing, served by the Barfleur vessel since 1992, departed early due to fleet disruptions and a severe gearbox failure on its backup vessel, Commodore Clipper.
The Barfleur is now temporarily covering the Rosslare to Cherbourg route for a short period in October before being sold as part of the company restructure.
Reasons for the closure
According to Brittany Ferries CEO Christophe Mathieu, the closure is due to a combination of Brexit, COVID, and significant debts. In June, the company said it faced a bill of €27 million (£22.8 million) in 2026, citing rising taxes, COVID loan repayments, unfair competition, and weakened bookings.
Mathieu explained that post-Brexit, the Rosslare-Cherbourg route has become strategically significant, carrying almost 25% of all freight traffic. He also noted that the Poole-Cherbourg service was suspended in 2020 during the COVID pandemic.
While Brittany Ferries has repaid half of its COVID support loan, Mathieu said: 'We overcame COVID when borders were shut, we continue to wrestle with the consequences of Brexit, and we are taking steps to make a holiday in France or Spain as reasonable as possible.' He added that the company 'has to be realistic' and 'needs to adapt' to secure a future for those in the regions they serve.
Impact on travellers
Brittany Ferries has apologised to affected travellers and offered alternative travel from Portsmouth or a full refund. Mathieu said: 'I know there will be disappointment with this operational change, and I apologise to all those travelling from Poole in the latter half of October. It has been a privilege to serve the Poole-Cherbourg route since 1986.'
Despite the closure, the CEO stressed that Brittany Ferries still sails to Guernsey and France from Poole in its fast craft.
