best pilot- french mediterranean

[Spankerwrap]

can someone let me know, in their opinion, which is the best pilot book for the French Mediterranean.

I see that that Rod Heikell has one published and I have used his in the Greek Islands to good effect, but I am sure there must be others.

cheers


Steve

P.S. a spanker is a square fore and aft sail on the old sailing ships that would often get wrapped round the mast, hence spankerwrap. Mind you, I have been getting some very strange E mails lately, perhaps it was not such a good idea after all!

 

[tcm]

i'm afraid i wd never recommend mr heikell's foreign "pilot" books - once published, the phone numbers and then the rest of the information falls gently out of date. They also cost a blinking fortune. 35 freaking quid for half the french coast. Mind you, i spose someones gotta pay for his new deck...

It is a legal requirement for all french registered boats to carry an official almanac and the only one you ever see is the Bloc Marine /livre de Bord. Loads of decent info, lots of separate bits in english, plenty of diagrams, plus the med version does a fair bit of spain and italy too. 20 euros buys the 2005 version i think.

 

[ccscott49]

I agree with TCM, the livre de bord is the best. I have the Rod one and it's well out of date! It was TCM who advised me to buy livre de bord and I'm very glad he did.

 

[charles_reed]

Votre Livre en Bord, Mediterranée.

far more up to date than the Rod Heikell, more informative and less expensive.

Buy it in France, Imrays who are supposed to be the UK agents, understandably as it competes head-on with others of their range, don't seem to bother to bring it in

 

[Anchorite]

Re: (Second) best pilot- french mediterranean

There is another one published by Guides CHAGNON, title "Escales Méditerranée"
covers the same area, more info, prettier chartlets, cheaper (18 Euros)... BUT... it is all in French ( /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif)

 

[DavidJ]

Agree Bloc Marine /livre de Bord is the one. It won't tell you where the local supermarket is but navigation and marina layout is right up to date. Most chandlers in France will have stacks of them. It's good for Spain also.
David

 

[LadyInBed]

I thought to myself 'Bloc' would do a job, glad others are of the same opinion. The new colour, loads of English format is great.

PS have they moved their website http://www.blocmarine.com/fr_som.htm as it always times out for me in recent times.

 

[Sybarite]

My favourites are the Pilot books sponsored by Bénéteau (previously Pen Duick).

John.

 

[mpprh]

Hi

Every French cruiser has a Bloc Marine aboard.

The English is sometimes rather quaint, but it has masses of crucial information.

Worth every cent (or should that be centime ?)

Peter

 

[jerryat]

Actually euro - unfortunately!!

 

[Spankerwrap]

This is exactly what these forums(fora?) are useful for, to guide people along the right path.

Thank you to all the people who made the effort to reply. Bloc marine it is

Regards

Steve Howard

 

[Deleted User YDKXO]

Agree with that. Just bought the 2005 Bloc Marine book yesterday. Much more useful than Heikell although Heikell is a better read for choosing destinations