Joining forces is paying off, according to a port group that calls itself the French Atlantic Ports. The premise, they say, is that a complete itinerary gets more attention than a single port by itself.

Thus, the French Atlantic Ports attribute their cooperation and joint marketing activities to regular year-round cruise calls from a broad range of cruise lines, compared to the previous seasonal repositioning calls only.

Also helping to set the group apart is that each port and destination has been tasked with highlighting its own regional character and specialties.

The port group said that the north and western coasts of France offers a range of itineraries and experiences to choose from and prides themselves on offering not only a genuine “Art de Vivre” but safe facilities for transit calls or turnarounds.

The 11 member ports are Rouen, Le Havre, Cherbourg, Honfleur, Saint-Malo, Brest, Lorient Belle-Ile, Nantes Saint-Nazaire, La Rochelle, Bordeaux and Bayonne.

Last year, they reported 303 calls and 365,000 passengers.