Bretagne was built in 1989 to spearhead a campaign by Brittany Ferries to offer heightened levels of luxury and service to passengers travelling from Plymouth to France and Spain. She was constructed at the French Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard at St Nazaire which has a long and illustrious heritage of building luxurious passenger ships, including legendary transatlantic liners such as France and Normandie.
For many Brittany Ferries passengers and staff, Bretagne has become something of a legend herself. Back in 1989, her levels of comfort and range of facilities were a revelation on the Channel, with comfortable cabins, a range of dining options including a full-service French à la carte restaurant, plus a wide selection of cafés, bars, lounges and shops. Her décor was stylish, and different from what had gone before, with elegant carpets and furnishings, whilst her bulkheads were adorned with a distinctive collection of vibrant artworks created by Scottish painter Alexander Goudie depicting the beauty, folklore, and charm of Brittany and its people.
With all these new and innovative design elements the ship became a trendsetter, leading the way for Brittany Ferries’ future fleet designs, including 1993 arrival Val de Loire which replaced Bretagne on the routes from Plymouth. Bretagne then moved west along the Channel, operating from Portsmouth. However, over the years she has still made regular seasonal appearances in Plymouth and has retained a popular following in the West Country with many hundreds of thousands of residents having enjoyed beginning and ending their continental holidays onboard.
Brittany Ferries’ Head of Marketing Richard Price said, “Bretagne was and remains a landmark ship for our company, and it’s always a pleasure to welcome her back to Plymouth both for our passengers, and our staff. And even though she may no longer be the youngest member of our fleet, when you step aboard you really wouldn’t know it – over the years we’ve invested many millions of pounds to keep her looking fresh and operating smoothly. But despite all that, she definitely does have a classic charm about her.”
Passengers wishing to travel on Bretagne from Plymouth during her four-week stay can choose from two enticing escapes to Brittany:
- A two-night minicruise to Roscoff, departing on Friday evenings, with prices from £23 per person.
- A three-night cruise and stay break to St Malo, departing overnight on Monday evenings and returning on Thursday evenings – with 2 nights’ B&B at a choice of hotels in this bustling town. Prices start from £112 per person.
For more information or to book, visit www.brittanyferries.com/bretagne or call 0871 244 1400
