Any advice on navigating Arzal Lock on the Vilaine?

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So it’s time to plan our first encounter with what sounds like the mayhem of the Arzal lock to reach our new permanent berth at Folleux.

Answers to a couple of specific questions could help settle our nerves a bit. Of course they might do the opposite. Here’s hoping…

1. The PassportEcluse website invites us to register our intention to use a particular lock time. Am I right to understand that this is not an actual booking - it will still be a scrum, and in mid-August it is likely that not all boats that would like to go through will get in? You then… what? Mill around for another hour or three to try again? Then keep doing this until you finally have no courtesy or care left for your own or others’ boats and just take a run at it at 8 1/2kts and bash your way in?

2. Alternatively, is there enough water on the downstream waiting pontoon to sit out a whole tide cycle regardless of coefficient?

3. The columns in the lock openings information tables which I assume relate to the number of declared intentions are headed Montante and Avalante. Google offers no clarity - “Amount” and “Swallowing”, apparently. I presume that they actually mean “Up” and “Down” respectively?

4. Having observed with wonder and admiration many French sailors’ relaxed attitude to pre-planning of minor details like ropes and fenders when it comes to docking, can I safely assume that even if my interpretation of the column headings above is correct, the numbers therein will be a complete fiction?

5. Anyone offering pilotage services… 🤪
 
Montante is lock sea--to river; Avalante is a lock river to sea. You are right the Passport Ecluse is not a booking; I asked the personnel there and they reckon the number of boats actually locking is about 2x or 3x the number shown on the 'declarations'. Early afternoon during weekdays is a lot better.
Saturday morning and Sunday evening locks are a nightmare, there is a good number of boats which are left out and have to wait for the next one, declaration or not. VHF Ch11, they say "big sailboats first" to enter, it's rush hour for everyone, first in first served. Put all you fenders out, be prepared to either moor with looping ropes to the vertical chains (they are numbered), or raft to someone else, the lock keepers will tell you how\where and there is no possible discussion, they will also help if needed.
On the web site there is a (quite optimistic) video about the lock passage procedure.
 
It can be quite intimidating the first few times. If you see any more that 5 or 6 boats booked in for a lock, expect 20. Most of the French don't book on the app. It's not actually a booking, it's just giving your intention. When you arrive it's first come first served, and it can be a bit of a scrum, but everyone seems to get in eventually. You all need to wear lifejackets (or the lock keeper will shout at you). Set your radio to ch11 (not that it will do you much good if you don't speak French). Use ALL of your fenders, wall height both sides, and have fore and aft lines set up both sides. The waiting pontoon is all-tide but can get quite busy.

Be aware that all of the locks on the ecluse app are not running at the moment because of the lack of rain; some days there are only a couple of locks.

When you enter, the lock keeper will tell you which side and will give you a chain number for your aft rope. Stop the boat by it and get the aft rope round the chain first, then do the bow rope. If you try to do anything else, the lock keeper will shout at you (are you getting the idea yet?).

There is always a big audience watching from above, so try not to cock it up. Oh yes, and don't be tempted to put your lines around the bollards, or the lock keeper will shout at you.

Good luck, enjoy.
 
Plenty of fenders and a sense of humour!

When not pressed for time I used to overnight on one of the visitor buoys off Trehiguier and go through the lock first thing in the morning when it was quiet. I got used to timing my arrival at the lock when the gate was open so I did not have to bother with the waiting pontoon.
 
As said, the app is usually wildly out on the number actually pushing their way into the lock, off-peak as Poignard says above is good advice, forget any polite British queuing habits you may have just go for it French style, best towards the middle rather than close to the gates and I found their is some value in rafting as opposed to hanging off the concrete walls, especially if its windy. The damage to my ludicrously exoensive Awlgrip respray from out of control solo French sailors bears witness to the chaos...
Arzal / Camoel Marina is very peaceful once you're in the river though
 
Thanks all for the advice, which is invigorating, if not exactly reassuring. After a very good lunch in Vannes, and now watching the rain falling at the Oval midway through another bottle of the excellent Pouilly Fume which accompanied it, I think I have rediscovered the solution to most of my sailing anxieties. Toodle pip for now. Hic!
 
Say hi to my boat on your way past. It's the Bavaria on your left just before the bridge at LRB.
 
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