Routes

En 1976, following the completion of the Ferries Terminal in both Saint-Malo and Portsmouth, Brittany Ferries opened its popular Saint-Malo - Portsmouth route. It is believed that it was the chartered Bonanza which opened the route. Once repaired, Armorique has operated the route until 1978, when she was transferred to the Cork and Santander services, and replaced in Saint-Malo by Prince of Brittany. The route soon become very popular and it has been essential to back Brittany Ferries' growth. Former Director of Operations Christian Michielini explained in 2003 that “I was coming from a respectable Swiss company, and I was not expecting to do  port occupation. We blocked the harbour. We did a true maritime war. I've well adapted myself to Gourvennec's methods – I used to be in the commando units. Sometimes, the end justify the means, we should not confuse ourselves : it was essential. We would be dead if we hadn't go in Saint-Malo."

In 1980, Brittany Ferries chartered Goelo to operate the Saint-Malo service using two ships. She was replaced in 1982 by Armorique. In 1989, Prince of Brittany was replaced by Duchesse Anne whilst Armorique was moved in 1992 on a new Poole - Saint-Malo service, leaving Duchesse Anne alone on the Saint-Malo - Portsmouth service.

Since 1993, Bretagne has been operating alone the service, apart from 2004 when she was operated alongside Val de Loire and apart from 2005, when she was replaced by Val de Loire on this service.

At winter, when Bretagne is drydocked or laid-up, she is often replaced with Pont Aven, and sometimes by the less popular Armorique (2). Bretagne is likely to be replaced by 2019 by either a new built or Pont Aven on this service, providing works have been carried out in the harbour.

The Portsmouth - Cherbourg-en-Cotentin service has originally been created by P&O European Ferries in 1989, using their Pride of Cherbourg (three ships that has beard the same name have successively operated the service). They introduced Express on the route in 2004. However, P&O European Ferries decided to scrap the route in late-2004.

For Summer 2004, Brittany Ferries decided to provide its own Cherbourg-en-Cotentin - Portsmouth services, using both Bretagne and Val de Loire at week days and Barfleur at week ends. However, the service proved not to be successful, and was reviewed the following year with only Barfleur operating services on the route (a service that has been scrapped in 2006). Moreover, a summer-only service has been operated using Normandie Express has been operated since 2005.

In 2010, freshly-purchased Cap Finistere operated 3 weekly crossings on this route, a service that ended in 2011.

The Cherbourg-en-Cotentin - Portsmouth has also been operated several times using Brittany Ferries' other ships at winter to reposition them, or by Mont-Saint-Michel and Normandie when Ouistreham was not available.

Following their purchase of Truckline Ferries, Brittany Ferries wanted to create its own service from Normandy to Portsmouth. In late 1985, a deep-water ferries terminal was therefore built in Ouistreham to establish a new route to Portsmouth.

In January 1986, Cornouailles launched a freight-only service between Normandy and Portsmouth, before being replaced in May by Armorique. Purpose-purchased Duc de Normandie eventually established the passenger service on 5th June 1986. A seasonal service has also been operated from Poole to Ouistreham at summers by Truckline Ferries from 1986 until the introduction of Normandie. The route proved to be very popular and as soon as 1988, a second ship was chartered to operate the service: Gotland. In 1989, Truckline Ferries' Normandie Shipper has operated the service alongside with Duc de Normandie and Reine Mathilde (the former Prince of Brittany which replaced Gotland).

In order to cope with the growing demand, Brittany Ferries ordered in 1989 a new purpose-built to replace the old Reine Mathilde: Normandie, which was introduced on the route in May 1992. Then, Mont Saint Michel was ordered in 1999 to replace the tiny Duc de Normandie, and has been eventually delivered behind schedule in December 2002. However, Duc de Normandie shifted her routes with Quiberon in summer 2002, with Purbeck providing additional freight capacity until the delivery of Mont Saint Michel. Mont Saint Michel is larger than Normandie, however her accommodation decks have been designed to a similar layout to Normandie's.

Armorique (2) replaces at winters either Normandie or Mont Saint Michel since 2011. Normandie is to be replaced by 2020-2021 by a new bigger ferry, provided works have been undertaken in Ouistreham to enable bigger ships to berth.

In 2009, Brittany Ferries decided to establish a new Portsmouth - Santander service using Pont Aven, cutting the Plymouth - Santander service to one weekly sailing.

The service proved to be very popular and in 2010, Brittany Ferries introduced on this route Cap Finistère, operating 3 weekly crossings. However, this number was decreased to one weekly crossing in 2011, due to Cap Finistère being transferred to the new Bilbao - Portsmouth service.

In 2014, Étretat was introduced on this service with one crossing at week ends mainly aimed at freight. She was replaced in 2016 by Baie de Seine.

In late-2010, P&O European Ferries decided to scrap its Portsmouth - Bilbao route it had been operating since 1994, claiming that the 36 hours-sailings were unprofitable.

Therefore, Brittany Ferries decided to establish its own services on this route, introducing the fast Cap Finistère on it. Baie de Seine was introduced on the route in 2015 to bring up to three the number of weekly crossings.

The Le Havre - Portsmouth route was established in 1989 by P&O European Ferries, using their original Pride of Portsmouth and Pride of Le Havre. Both ships were replaced in 1994 by two ships that took the same names, that were Val de Loire's sisterships. In 2004, P&O European Ferries closed the routes, and wanted Brittany Ferries to take over the service, with their former ships. However, the Competition Supervivors prevented Brittany Ferries from doing so and therefore LD Lines took over the service, using their Norman Spirit and later their Norman Voyager.

In 2013, Brittany Ferries introduced a summer-only service on this route, using Normandie Express. This service has been successful, with 50,000 passengers carried instead of the 40,000 hoped and therefore, as soon as the following summer, Brittany Ferries chartered Étretat to provide alongside Normandie Express a year-round conventional service on the route. In 2015, Brittany Ferries introduced the chartered Baie de Seine on the route, enabling it to propose daily conventional sailings through the year.

In the late-1960, Alexis Gourvennec, a farmer set up in Northern Finistère which was the superintendent of a collective of farmers, wanted to establish a ferry service to export the collective's vegetables to Great Britain. They achieved convincing the government funding a deep water port in Roscoff, however no operator was interested in in establishing the service they were looking for. Therefore, they decided to establish their own company, established in 1972: Bretagne Angleterre Irlande SA.

The first crossing, operated with Kerisnel, took place 2nd January 1973, marking the beginning of the company. Bretagne Angleterre Irlande SA soon ordered a new ship for this route to establish a passenger service, and therefore was delivered of Penn Ar Bed in 1974.

The beginning of the company, soon renamed Brittany Ferries, has been successful and it chartered in Prince de Bretagne in 1975 to cope with the growing passenger traffic. Interested in the design of that ship, Brittany Ferries ordered a ship with her similar design nonetheless with greater passenger accommodations that was delivered in 1977: Cornouailles. It is believed that Penn Ar Bed was therefore transferred to the Saint-Malo - Plymouth service. Cornouailles has been assisted from 1978 with a daily crossing operated at summer with Armorique (1) and later with Quiberon to cope with the even bigger traffic whilst repositioning them for their weekly Roscoff - Cork service.

Cornouailles soon became too small for service on this route, and thus Brittany Ferries chartered in 1984 Benodet, before replacing her by the even larger Tregastel in 1985. In 1989, Tregastel was replaced by the once again even larger Quiberon on the Plymouth - Roscoff service. Since 1989, Bretagne has operated a daily crossing on the Roscoff - Plymouth service at summer, before being replaced by Val de Loire in 1993.

In 2004, Pont Aven was introduced on the Plymouth - Roscoff, Plymouth - Santander and Cork - Roscoff routes, replacing Val de Loire. Meanwhile, Quiberon was replaced by Duc de Normandie during this year. In 2005, Bretagne operated the daily crossings alongside Pont Aven's weekly crossing.

With the sale of Val de Loire in late-2005, Bretagne reverted to the Saint-Malo route, and chartered Pont l'Abbé took her place on the Roscoff service, until the delivery of a purpose-built in early-2009, Armorique (2).

Following Brittany Ferries competitiveness plan enforced since late-2012, winter crossings have however been reduced, before being scrapped at some months on the Roscoff - Plymouth route, being found unprofitable.

In 1975, in order to secure its future operations from the freshly-built Saint-Malo harbour by preventing other operators (as TT-Line) from establishing there a service, Brittany Ferries launched a Saint-Malo - Plymouth service using Penn Ar Bed, whilst she was replaced by Prince de Bretagne on the Roscoff - Plymouth route.

It is not clear whereas the Saint-Malo - Plymouth route has been operated through Summer 1976, however it is likely that Penn Ar Bed have been replaced by Armorique (1) and Bonanza on the Roscoff - Plymouth service, eanbling her to serve the Saint-Malo - Plymouth service. It is however to be confirmed.

It is believed that Penn Ar Bed has also operated this route between 1977 and 1984, once she has been replaced in Roscoff by Cornouailles. It is also to be confirmed, since there is little informations on this route.

Since 1984, it is known that this route has not been operated as a regular service, only used at winters to reposition one ship that operates both the Saint-Malo - Portsmouth and Roscoff - Plymouth routes at winters. The route is advertised in Brittany Ferries' timetables, however with only a few crossings each year, and only at winter time.

In 1978, Brittany Ferries decided to compete with other ferries operators on the Great Britain - Spain market. Therefore, Brittany Ferries decided to establish a summer only service that would link Plymouth and Santander in less than 24 hours, whereas its competitors that were leaving from Southampton or Portsmouth need 36 hours to perform a crossing.

The route has been established by Armorique (1) on 17th April 1978, after a rough crossing. It is believed that winter services were operated from Portsmouth with Prince of Brittany. Armorique (1) was to operate two weekly sailings each way, operating at week ends a Roscoff - Cork round trip.

In 1982, Armorique (1) was replaced by Quiberon on this route. Quiberon served the route (still as a summer-only one) until the delivery of Bretagne in July 1989.

Val de Loire took over the route in 1993, until early-2004 when she was replaced by Pont Aven.

In 2009, Brittany Ferries decided to reduce the number of weekly crossing from the two between March and late-October that have been proposed since the establishment of the route to one, in favour of one newly created Portsmouth - Santander service.

Truckline Ferries was established in 1973, to operate a freight-only ferry service between Cherbourg-en-Cotentin and Poole, the world second larger harbour. To establish its service, Truckline Ferries ordered a purpose-built, christened as Poole Antelope. She was joined in 1974 by Cotentin (1), and then in 1975 by Ulster Sportsman (later renamed Dorset). Poole Antelope was replaced in 1977 by Suffolk.

Cotentin (1), Ulster and Suffolk have been replaced in 1978 by two new purpose-built, Coutances and Purbeck. Between 1982 and 1984, Truckline Ferries has also chartered Tourlaville.

In 1985, Truckline Ferries was purchased by Brittany Ferries and therefore became one of Brittany Ferries's subsidiaries. Brittany Ferries soon wanted to establish a passenger service on this route, and therefore Truckline Ferries introduced on their route Cornouailles in 1986. The aim was to provide no-frills services, cheaper than those operated by Brittany Ferries from Roscoff, Saint-Malo and Ouistreham. Cornouailles was replaced by Corbière in 1988, which last until 1991. Corbière was joined by Tregastel on the route in 1989, in order to cope with the growing traffics. At the same time, Normandie Shipper also joined the fleet, where she remained until 1994. It was then already decide to built a larger purpose-built ferry to replace Corbière, Purbeck and Tregastel at the same time. However, the order of this ship, which was to be a sister of Brittany Ferries' Normandie was no bed of rose. Eventually, Truckline Ferries was delivered Barfleur in 1992 which replaced the three ships mentionned above.

In 1999, Brittany Ferries decided to rebrand the Poole - Cherbourg-en-Cotentin under its own trademark. Therefore, both Barfleur and Coutances were repainted to Brittany Ferries' livery (although the RoRo Coutances kept a "Truckline" mention on her hull until 2004). Between 2004 and 2005, Barfleur ceased operating two daily sailings a week on the Cherbourg-en-Cotentin - Poole service, operating instead a Cherbourg-en-Cotentin - Portsmouth service.

In 2001, Brittany Ferries introduced a joint summer service with Condor Ferries using Normandie Vitesse. In 2007, Cotentin (2) was introduced on the Cherbourg-en-Cotentin. Ordered in 2005, it has however been announced only in 2007 that Cotentin (2) would replace Coutances on the Poole - Cherbourg-en-Cotentin service.

Due to lack of profitability for 5 years, Brittany Ferries announced in early-2010 that the Poole - Cherbourg-en-Cotentin conventional service operated by Barfleur would be discountinued through summer 2010. Barfleur was therefore immediatly laid up in Caen, with Armorique (2) operating the last planned sailings. Barfleur was reintroduced on the route for Summer 2011 with limited passenger capacity and passenger accommodations, but once again the service was discontinued the following summer, with Barfleur chartered out to DFDS Seaways. Barfleur eventually resumed service for summer 2013, however Brittany Ferries announced the end of the high speed service operated with Normandie Vitesse and the end of Cotentin's schedule beginning November 2013. This enabled the route to become profitable again, and it has never been scrapped again. The route proved also to be popular through summer 2015, with an important increase of its freight traffics.

In order to accommodate the growing freight traffics on their Spanish service, Brittany Ferries decided to establish in 2007 with the latest addition to their fleet, Cotentin (2) a new weekly Poole - Santander service. The service was later upgraded to two weekly crossings, before being reviewed to one weekly crossing.

The service was scrapped in 2013 with the charter of Cotentin (2) to Stena Line.

In early-2016, noticing the important increase of the freight traffic, especially of unacommpagnied trailers, on the Great Britain - Spain service, Brittany Ferries decided to introduce a new freight-only service, mostly aimed at unaccompagnied trailers due to limited accommodations for drivers on the ship that has been chartered for this service, MN Pelican.

This service enables Brittany Ferries offering more spaces for cars in the crowded garages of Baie de Seine and Cap Finistere, that are shipping most of th freight traffic on Brittany Ferries' routes between Great Britain and Spain.

MN Pelican has been chartered for this service for one year, until February 2017.

In 1978, Brittany Ferries decided to establish a summer-only service to Ireland (remember its official name since 1972 has included Ireland inside), operated by Armorique (1) with one weekly crossing. The service proved to be very successful and as soon as 1980, a weekly crossing with RoRo Breizh Izel has also been operated to free Armorique (1)'s crowded garage for passengers.

In 1982, Armorique (1) was replaced by Quiberon on the Cork - Roscoff service. Meanwhile, the Ferries Terminal was moved from Tivoli to Ringaskiddy on the same year. Quiberon lasted on this route until 1989, when she was replaced by the newly introduced and larger Bretagne.

In 1993, larger Val de Loire replaced Bretagne on the Cork - Roscoff service, always with one weekly crossing in both directions.

Brittany Ferries was delivered Pont Aven in 2004, which replaced Val de Loire on the Irish service.

In 1993, Brittany Ferries decided to provide additionnal capacity on their Cork service at peak periods. Therefore, the company decided to use Duchesse Anne on this service, which has been freed from the Saint-Malo - Portsmouth with the introduction of Bretagne on that route.

Therefore, Duchesse Anne established a new service between Saint-Malo and Cork at summer, whilst also operating some Roscoff - Cork crossings.

However, the service operated by Duchesse Anne proved to be unsuccessful and was scrapped at the end of summer 1994.