any tips for places to visit en route from St Malo towards Cherbourg peninsular...?

Phildorset

Phildorset

Well-Known Member
Joined
10 Nov 2005
Messages
313
Location
Poole
Visit site
Hi, we will be heading from Jersey to St Malo early next week and then intend to take 10 days or so to get back home to Poole, we will probably do so via Sark and Alderney, but there must be a host of great places along the French coast that will be worth visiting? Any top tips greatly appreciated. Sheltered anchoring is just fine, but walk ashore berthing is always very nice too.
 
Not many anchorages on that stretch of the French coast, because it is exposed to the prevailing wind. But the ports are great: Granville, Carteret and Dielette being the main ones.
 
Last edited:
I should add that, once you have "turned the corner" past Cap de la Hague, then anchoring becomes more viable. Omonville la Rogue, for example.
 
Angele's list is good but remember that other than Dielette they are tidal. Dielette is accessible on all but spring lows but the marina is closed at the moment I think.
 
thanks peeps - I'll check those out, and yes, I once took our little old sail boat over to St Vaast and remember liking it, if we have time then I'd happily visit again.
Will make an effort to take a few pics to post here post trip, not that I've got a good record for doing such - we've just been Weymouth, Alderney, Guernsey, Jersey and barely a pic on my phone! Must try harder :)
 
Keith-i said:
Angele's list is good but remember that other than Dielette they are tidal. Dielette is accessible on all but spring lows but the marina is closed at the moment I think.
Click to expand...

Dielette has a temporary coffer dam at marina entrance, 5.5m CD. But there are walk-ashore waiting pontoons in the middle harbour so no real problem.
 
If you have 10 days after leaving St Malo, and you have already done Alderney, Guernsey and Jersey, then I would be tempted to go first to Iles Chausey. (If you don't fancy staying there overnight, you could just make it a lunch stop).

Then onto Granville. Markets in Granville on Wednesday and Saturday, I think. Spend a day or two there.

From there to Carteret. Main market is on Thursday, but I think there are also ones on Saturday and Sunday in July and August. (Plus an evening market in Barneville, but I don't recall which day). As Keith-I says, Carteret is tidal. But only marginally more restrictive than Jersey's marinas (HW +/- 2.5ish hrs). Beware the strong flood on springs if entering around HW-2. You must take the marina gate perpendicularly, so stem the cross tide before attempting entry. Careteret itself is a small place (if you don't include Barneville), but has a number of good restaurants.

Dielette, as Keith-I notes, is accessible on all but LW springs into the Commercial Harbour, where you can stay H24. The cofferdam, mentioned by Guernseyman, in place of the marina gate does limit access to the marina. But you can still get in/out for a couple of hours either side of HW. I was there last month and posted this in the Scuttlebutt forum. There isn't much in Dielette itself, but there is a free bus service from the harbour that you can use to get provisions (from either Flamanville or Les Pieux). But, do go to the "Bouche a L'Oreille" restaurant. It is excellent.
 
Last edited:
thanks Angele, very useful info - above and on your previous, much appreciated, esp the info re the cill/dam & depths over.
 
St Cast about 10 miles west of St Malo is lovely, where we are now.Well worth the minor deviation.

Granville is a nice town with history and worth a couple of days.

Carteret is a cracker a lovely spot the main market is in Barneville a 20 minute walk and it's on Saturday morning. If you are in Carteret on a Tuesday you can goo the market in Portbail by train from Carteret. Don't take your boat to portbail unless it has legs as the marina dries out.
 
Ah..wrong pontoon of course..!
Actually, West of St Malo is more interesting than heading up back through Alderney. First, I'd pay a lot of attention to 5 day forecasts on Passage Weather wave forecasts, or Windyty and forget any plans...!
North of Granville the marinas get pretty basic in terms of what to do, unless you like walking (we do). I would go West from St Malo to St Cast, unless the weather is dire in which case pop into La Rance...
St Quay like St Cast is all tide access,but laves the charm of St Cast. Yachties, I think, love Lezardrieux and environs but we prefer Treguier, especially if you catch market day (Thurs?)
Then I would head for Trebeurden then back via Guernsey...
Not sure when you are in the marina but we are only a few mins away so PM me or we can pop down for a chat and a beer before you go.
The western marinas are curious,fun,challenging or spartan depending on what you were expecting. One, for example only sells fuel on Saturdays , last time we were there ! Another, the baker was 4 km away ...
 
I would agree St Cast, St Quay-Portrieux Both 24 hours,
Dahouet, Binic, Paimpol, Treguier
Trebeurden & Roscoff both very nice but quite a hike
Diesel from the tanker in St Sampsons in Guernsey, the Carteret and back.
still in St Cast this weekend.
 
Thanks to all for the info and ideas, this isn't meant to be a cruise report but as people were kind enough to respond with great ideas as to where we might head to I thought a quick little summary might be in order. We had a great two weeks away and mostly had excellent weather. Typically we ran out of time before running out of places to visit :) but our trip went; Poole, Alderney, Guernsey, Jersey, Iles Chausey (afternoon stop only though - we're going to stay longer next time, what an amazing place!), St Malo, Paimpol, then Jersey, Alderney and back to Poole (via Lymington on Friday to pick up some friends for the air show yesterday)... so mostly not very adventurous, but all great fun and lovely places, anchored for a few nights (St Catherines, Jersey and Alderney Harbour) but mostly marinas and harbours, Paimpol was the destination that was most daunting during planning - but proved so simple once there, boat ran beautifully - though house batteries x4 got replaced whilst in France (very helpful and fair priced chandlery in Paimpol), in all a great time... and we're already looking forward to including some of the other suggestions in our next trip that way.
Thanks again for the replies and info.
P
 
Hah..yes, first time to Paimpol I was glad to follow some local boat in! In truth though, if the tide is well in there is plenty of water. Great fishmongers...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Top