Brest 2004

[pugwash]

The traditional boat fest at Brest next summer (2,500 vessels) sounds fantastic but what's it like to attend in your own boat? Can you get a berth or anchorage? Is it well run and fun, or a chaotic traffic jam? I'd be interested to get info from anybody who did it last time. Thanks

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[jeanne]

Brest is GREAT! If you are accepted, the moorings are OK, but crowded and can be uncomfortable when everyone is dashing in and out during daylight hours, so you may want to spend at least some of your time out in the Rade or at anchor in a quieter spot for a change of scene. If you are not a participant, no problem there either. Considering how many boats there are in the area, the anchorages remain OK. The other side of the Rade, Le Fret, Roscanvel, L'Aubelac'h etc are still quiet anchorages and if the wind is in the west, Le Fret means you can get the ferry over to Brest. One year we had friends in the festival moorings and went over and rafted with them for a night to look over the activities ashore. The very best bit is when everyone leaves to sail out of the Goulet for Douarnenez - you can't put a pin between the sails. Everything from the largest square riggers to the smallest dayboats...

If you are staying on in the area, going up the L'Aulne to Chateaulin is a must - a pretty river and nice town when you get there (try Hotel Christmas for the best meals) - also a good place to be if there are gales around. Have a great time!

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[krimar]

We missed Brest 2000 due to the prevailing weather conditions. Brest 1992 was good. The organisers had arranged reduced or no mooring fees at French ports on the way down: we were a show boat so were moored alongside and could get ashore (just) albeit by climbing tractor type tyres in lieu of steps or ladders. The trip round to Douarnenez was fun: jazz bands and champagne cork battles between French and Brit square riggers added to kind weather and slight but fair winds for a memorable spectacle.

Brest 2000 was notable from the splendid reception given (free) to all participating crews at L'Aberach. Three course meal with aperitif and wine at the town village hall. entertainment by locals including a rather good trad jazz band etc. And they turned out to see us leave on a cold and wet morning at 4am.

Brest itself was curate eggish. Traditional sail past was terrific. Ferry to shore haphazard. Crowds ashore, horrendous. You had to go into town by taxi for provisions. Worst of all on the third day a TV camera crew parked their helicoptor three hundred feet above our boat: noise and fumes totally unnacceptable and not remedied despite calls to the harbour master. "But monsieur all France is watching, we cannot tell them to leave". So we did, into a NE force 7-8 up the Chanal du Four.

We are still thinking about 2004. Depends on weather for us crumblies. But do go, its an experience worth doing if only for the splendid sailing along the Normandy and Brittany coasts. Get their courtesy flags and watch the tides: they are big with potentially big, big swells from the Atlantic.

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