Audierne

[LadyInBed]

Camaret . . . the shower block is abysmal unless you want a 1/2 mile hike.

I assume you are talking about the outer marina. The inner marina shower block was refurbished about three years back and is now fairly good.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

Camaret has a second set of showers?

I loved Camaret - as an anchorage it seems very sheltered and dinghying in was always easy and comfortable. The code for the showers can be obtained by asking nicely of those berthed in the marina.

Disagree with a previous comment that the supermarket is a long walk - it's short by my standards, and larger and better-stocked than some.

After seeing that two-thirds of the chandlery's floor space is given over to clothes, bottles of Brittany alcohol and other touristic souvenirs, I was surprised to find that the remaining third is tightly and comprehensively packed with good chandlery. Consulting fuelfilter-crossreference.com I was able to find a fuel filter for my Nanni - ? it was barely more expensive than Peachment ? but I was nevertheless well glad at being saved a journey further afield. The ladies on the staff know nothing about boating or the chandlery stock but by approaching another scruffy-looking customer I was able to obtain directions to a good fabricator (he is east of Crozon and, unless your bike has electric assist for the hills, I recommend the bus).

Two sets, the dungeon and then the modern block near the capitanerie by the town.

 

[KompetentKrew]

Two sets, the dungeon and then the modern block near the capitanerie by the town.

I thought the little hut before the dungeon was the capitanerie, but I have only stayed in the marina there as crew, just over 2 years ago.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

I thought the little hut before the dungeon was the capitanerie, but I have only stayed in the marina there as crew, just over 2 years ago.

It is for the outer harbour Port de ........ forget the name but if you walk into town you will pass the main shower block along the front.

 

[KompetentKrew]

Cheers. Will remember that for next time.

 

[alexincornwall]

We have just returned from 6 weeks of cruising the French Atlantic coast in our Bowman 40 and spent time in all of the towns/marinas discussed in this thread.

My two cents worth...

Concarneau -

Pros: Trans Europe/Passport Escales member (so good for us), very interesting town with lots to see and do, incredible fish market, marina very close to town centre, excellent facilities although no launderette on site.

Cons: It has a wave breaker which seemed largely ineffective during our stay - there was a lot of swell getting into the marina, seemed incredibly expensive compared to other towns we visited, we couldn't find a large supermarket close by but there was a reasonable Carrefour in the town and the market makes up for it.

Loctudy -

Pros: Also Trans Europe, excellent onsite facilities, nice bar at the marina, well stocked chandlers, decent supermarket around 0.7 miles away (the marina will lend bikes if required, nice beaches and coastal walks

Cons: Also suffered from a fair amount of swell getting in, requires a bit of planning as the tides run fast in the approach and in the marina (we observed another boat plough into around four others as he hadn't considered the tide, finger pontoons a tad short for a 40 footer, the town is nice but sleepy.. our kids were a bit bored there.

Audierne -

Pros: Lovely little town with a very relaxed atmosphere, very friendly harbour staff, relatively cheap at 33 euros per night (most others 40-45), very friendly liveaboards in the harbour, very sheltered during our stay and there was a lot of swell running in the bay, great beaches on the other side of the river, I enjoyed what must have been the best burger I've ever had there!

Cons: Pilotage will need to be right on. We had spring tides and we entered a bit early on the flood, it took some serious concentration, Couldn't see a decent sized supermarket although we didn't look that hard, facilities are a fair walk and not great in comparison to other places, it's a small harbour and I would imagine being turned away a reasonable possibility, the harbour office appears not to answer the telephone.

Camaret-

Pros: Easy pilotage, fairly sheltered although still a fair amount of swell getting past the wave breaker, nice town, great restaurants and a well stocked supermarket, great beach and coastal paths.

Cons: Facilities were poor, it's a fair walk from the marina to the town and there aren't any bars/restaurants at the marina

Have you considered Brest? We didn't make it there but I would have liked to.

 

[oldmanofthehills]

We have just returned from 6 weeks of cruising the French Atlantic coast in our Bowman 40 and spent time in all of the towns/marinas discussed in this thread.

My two cents worth...

Concarneau -

Pros: Trans Europe/Passport Escales member (so good for us), very interesting town with lots to see and do, incredible fish market, marina very close to town centre, excellent facilities although no launderette on site.

Cons: It has a wave breaker which seemed largely ineffective during our stay - there was a lot of swell getting into the marina, seemed incredibly expensive compared to other towns we visited, we couldn't find a large supermarket close by but there was a reasonable Carrefour in the town and the market makes up for it.

Loctudy -

Pros: Also Trans Europe, excellent onsite facilities, nice bar at the marina, well stocked chandlers, decent supermarket around 0.7 miles away (the marina will lend bikes if required, nice beaches and coastal walks

Cons: Also suffered from a fair amount of swell getting in, requires a bit of planning as the tides run fast in the approach and in the marina (we observed another boat plough into around four others as he hadn't considered the tide, finger pontoons a tad short for a 40 footer, the town is nice but sleepy.. our kids were a bit bored there.

Audierne -

Pros: Lovely little town with a very relaxed atmosphere, very friendly harbour staff, relatively cheap at 33 euros per night (most others 40-45), very friendly liveaboards in the harbour, very sheltered during our stay and there was a lot of swell running in the bay, great beaches on the other side of the river, I enjoyed what must have been the best burger I've ever had there!

Cons: Pilotage will need to be right on. We had spring tides and we entered a bit early on the flood, it took some serious concentration, Couldn't see a decent sized supermarket although we didn't look that hard, facilities are a fair walk and not great in comparison to other places, it's a small harbour and I would imagine being turned away a reasonable possibility, the harbour office appears not to answer the telephone.

Camaret-

Pros: Easy pilotage, fairly sheltered although still a fair amount of swell getting past the wave breaker, nice town, great restaurants and a well stocked supermarket, great beach and coastal paths.

Cons: Facilities were poor, it's a fair walk from the marina to the town and there aren't any bars/restaurants at the marina

Have you considered Brest? We didn't make it there but I would have liked to.

Camaret has nice bars right by the inner marina and we rather like the place. Never went to Audierne or Concarneau as a bit of a pointless detour but can reccommend Guilvenic for its fishmarket. The Navigator also like Loctudy

There are dozens of places to stop and Belle ile is worth visiting in its own right. The British used to rule it but swopped it back for Minorca.

I have to say that after 35 years cruising the Bristol Channel I never noticed the cross tides as an issue under power entering port, and thought the C d Four and Rad d S unfussy on a clear day. An impressive 13kt over the ground in a 4kt boat though less than 14kt we once did through the much shorter and worryingly narrower Jack Sound.

 

[franksingleton]

Over the years, we have “done” all the Atlantic coast from Honfleur to Gibraltar. Just about everywhere has its pros and cons. Often, it is a case of what you want at the time. We all have personal preferences. There are few that we would not go back to - and have done so to many. Since 2013, we have restricted ourselves to as far south as Rochefort. There are few places that we avoid from choice.

 

[Koeketiene]

Camaret has nice bars right by the inner marina and we rather like the place. Never went to Audierne or Concarneau as a bit of a pointless detour but can reccommend Guilvenic for its fishmarket. The Navigator also like Loctudy

The time to be in Le Guilvinec is Friday morning (early morning 6-7 am) and buy your fish straight of the boat.
Last time I was there, bought 7kg of filleted cod for €65.