Listen back to BBC Radio Solent's Breakfast in Dorset show as Brittany Ferries' Barfleur sails out of Poole for the final time
The operator has blamed high costs and falling passenger numbers for the decision to end the 34-year route to Cherbourg and sell the vessel
People gathered on the shoreline and on small boats to say farewell
The ferry cast off its moorings at Poole's ferry terminal a few minutes after its 08:30 BST scheduled departure time
Written by Stephen Stafford and edited by Michael Stoddard
As Barfleur sails across the Channel towards Cherbourg, that is the end of our coverage of its final journey from Poole.
With passenger and freight numbers falling, Brittany Ferries said the route was no longer financially viable.
It was a grey and wet morning, but dozens of people still turned out to say farewell to the much-loved vessel which has been part of the daily scenery in Poole for more than 30 years.
Listen back to BBC Radio Solent's coverage of the departure and read all about it here.
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Bye bye Barfleur
Briony Leyland
BBC South Today
Among those watching Barfleur's departure was former mayor of Poole Pete Miles. He had presented a medal for services to Poole to the ship during his time in office.
Now a Poole People's Party councillor on BCP Council, he said it was a "big loss" for the area.
"I think it's sad for the port really. We've lost that link to France which I think is so important.
"When you're talking about fuel and burning fuel to get across the Channel, is still the shortest crossing [in the western Channel].
"Poole hasn't got the road links but we've got the storage space. Things have changed – Brexit's changed things, Covid changed things, but you know there's a future there."
BBC Radio Solent's Steve Harris took his Breakfast in Dorset show to Poole this morning to bring you history in the making.
Skip to one hour and 40 minutes for the departure.
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1990 – Brittany Ferries orders the construction of Barfleur at the Kvaerner Masa-Yards in Finland
1992 – The ship enters service under the Truckliner Ferries brand
1997 – Barfleur begins operations as a traditional passenger ferry service in Brittany Ferries' passenger fleet colours
2010 – Withdrawn from service due to economic pressures
2011 – Reinstated for "trial period" between March and October before being withdrawn again
2013 – After a period leased to DFDS on the Dover-Calais route, it is reinstated once again for Poole-Cherbourg crossings in March
2020 – Taken out of service when the Covid pandemic struck
2022 – Returns to service
2026 – Brittany Ferries announces the closure of the route and the sale of Barfleur in June, with the final crossing brought forward to 12 OctoberBriony Leyland
BBC South Today
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Crowds gathered at Sandbanks to see Barfleur sail past on its final sailing to Cherbourg
Jean and Janice were among those on Poole Quay watching Barfleur's final departure.
"We were there with our family on the day she came in [in 1992] with the kids – they are now in their 40s," said Jean
"She's been part of the history here, we see her going out and coming in each day. That's been part of our routine and we're going to miss her – it's a poignant moment.
"The weather is rotten, it's really sad but it's really special to see her leave," Janice said.
Sylvain Pierre was a university student living near Cherbourg in 1995 when he got a job as a cleaner on board Barfleur "as a way of improving my English".
"It was a new big ferry – it was great news for Cherbourg at the time. It looked modern, big and a great link between our two countries," he said.
He was so struck with it that he went on to build a model of the vessel from plywood, fibreglass and plastic.
The 1.5m-long 1:100 scale model has "many working mechanisms inside" and took him a year-and-a-half to complete.
Read more about Barfleur's superfans.
Among those watching the departure of Barfleur was Dan Jarvis who skippers the ferry taking passengers to and from John Lewis' staff property on Brownsea Island.
"It's very, very sad, she’ll be really missed," he says.
"We all squeeze to the side – she takes up the whole channel. We talk on the radio all the time, we get on really well – it’s like a community and a big part of it is disappearing forever.
"It's really iconic for Poole Harbour. Everyone who works here and is connected to the area will miss her, and the service, enormously.
“It puts Poole on the map and connects us to Europe and the rest of the world – it feels like we’re a bit more isolated.”
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The sound of Barfleur's horn has been heard for the last time in Poole Harbour as it departed on its final journey to Cherbourg.
Speaking on BBC Radio Solent, Brittany Ferries' Nigel Wonnacott has explained more about the decision to sell Barfleur and end the Poole-Cherbourg route.
The company has seen passenger numbers drop from its heyday of 547,000 in 2002 to 165,000 in 2025, a fall of some 70%.
Freight has also fallen by 94% over the same timeframe.
"The reality is a ferry company doesn’t run on emotion. It runs on profit and loss and commercial necessity," Wonnacott said.
"Today is a sad day, it's a day we wish hasn’t happened. But the reality is we’re a business, we’re not a charity.
“It is brutally, a hard-nosed business decision. Not enough passengers, not enough freight, not financially viable."
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Brittany Ferries' Barfleur ferry sailed out of Poole on a grey, wet morning, with dozens of people gathered at Sandbanks to watch its final pass.
Barfleur first entered service with the Truckline Ferries freight line
In 1999 it started to operate as a traditional passenger ferry service in Brittany Ferries' passenger fleet colours
The route took passengers on board along the Purbeck coast on their way in and out of Poole Harbour
The ship was out of action during the Covid Pandemic but returned to service in 2022Briony Leyland
BBC South Today
Dozens of people braved the rain to line the quayside at Sandbanks by the chain ferry to say their final goodbye to Barfleur.
As they awaited her departure with hoods and umbrellas up, they shared stories of holidays they have enjoyed.
Many local people say they will hugely miss the Barfleur’s presence in the harbour going out every morning at 08:30.
The ferry sounded its horn as it passed by and the crowd waved – one woman told me it was both “exciting and sad” at the same time.
Barfleur is now approaching the entrance to Poole Harbour at Sandbanks where it passes en route to the English Channel and its final crossing to Cherbourg.
Captain Nicholas Bohn manoeuvres the vessel away from its moorings at Poole Ferry Terminal.
He sounds the ship's horn as it prepares to cross Poole Harbour, towards the chain ferry at Sandbanks and the English Channel.
Sandbanks residents Chris Green and Kevin Thomas are among a small crowd who have gathered on the shore in the rain waiting for the final sight of Barfleur which they have seen many times over the years.
"Nothing lasts forever, so we've come to say farewell.
"It just comes by, the people on board wave at us and we wave at them and they’re off on their journeys,” said Chris.
Brittany Ferries' Barfleur has slipped its moorings at Poole's ferry terminal, bound for Cherbourg, for the last time.
Barfleur has been a regular sight sailing across Poole Harbour towards the Sandbanks chain ferry, before passing Old Harry Rocks and Swanage on the Purbeck coast bound for Normandy.Some of the places to watch the final departure from 08:30 BST include:
Passengers have been checking in at Poole's ferry terminal ahead of Barfleur's final departure due at 08:30 BST.
Simon Groves, traveling with friends Lucy Swan and Barbara Livingstone, said: “I am disappointed.
"We see it every day from Swanage where we live when we walk the dog.
"We see it and we think about going on holiday.”
Brittany Ferries chief executive Christophe Mathieu
Brittany Ferries announced in June that it planned to close routes and sell ships as it battled with financial challenges.
The company said it faced a bill of €27m, which it blamed on rising taxes, Covid loan repayments, fewer travellers and what it described as "unfair competition" in the eastern Channel.
It said that although it has repaid half of its Covid support loan, significant debt remained, alongside new costs from the European Union Emissions Trading System.
It said it would run a daily service from Portsmouth to Cherbourg in place of the Poole journey.
Chief executive Christophe Mathieu said at the time: "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.
“But we have to be realistic. We need adapt and that means a plan to secure a future that will continue to bring opportunities for all those who live and work in the regions we serve."
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