Portsmouth to Le Havre was an historic route for P&O, having in commenced originally from Southampton in 1967 under a trading name of Normandy Ferries. Originally a rival operation to that of Scandiavian operator Thoresen Car Ferries who had commenced operations between Southamption and Le Havre in 1964.

The following year in 1968 Thoresen Car Ferries merged with Townsend Car Ferries of Dover to become the following year Townsend Thoresen. The first cross channel ferry from Portsmouth to Le Havre was in 1984 by Townsend Thoresen. They would operate in this fashion until 1985 when P&O Ferries sold the Portsmouth to Le Havre route and vessels to Townsend Thoresen (they also sold their Dover to Boulogne service at the same time).

At this point P&O had officially withdrawn from cross channel ferries, but not for long. Following the mv Herald of Free Enterprise Disaster in 1987 P&O re-entered the scene and purchased Townsend Thoresen. The route then continued to go from strength to strength and saw the introduction of two 5 star passenger ferries in the mid-90's. Sadly 11 years after their introduction they were to close the route and the service following a business review by P&O.

So nearly 40 years after the P&O flag was hoisted in Le Havre, late afternoon on a cold miserable 30th September 2005 saw the flag come down as the mv Pride of Portsmouth sailed into history and sailed for Portsmouth on the last commercial sailing.