Brittany - advice for a base for 2020 cruise

[Fr J Hackett]

Indeed - plan is to get to Scillies and then to west of Brittany. First stop somewhere in the Brest area. I did this many years ago (30+) and our first stop was Camaret.

A week should get you to Lorient and a week could get you back with little time for delays or rest. From there you should be able to catch a train or bus to whichever local airport is convenient for the time of week and where you need to get to but expect further travelling in the UK. It may even be better to take an internal flight from one of the local airports to CdG and then a plane or even the shuttle back to the UK. I still think you are pushing the delivery and return a bit.

I have Done La Rochelle from Plymouth in 4 days solid sailing on several occasions and then sailed back up the coast taking anything from 2 weeks to 4 including back to Plymouth so you should given the weather be able to make La Rochelle in a week but it is probably too far. And the best sailing for a short time would be in the Lorient area with the islands as has been mentioned.

 

[Charlie P]

Pondering a similar expedition but from Strangford Lough. Propose long weekend to SE Ireland (Dunmore East) to get the boat positioned for long trip. From there its 240 miles (36 hours in a 40 footer?) to Brittany - (120 miles to Scilly Isles) - so depending on crew/weather straight to cruising grounds for 3/4 weeks. For crew swaps, Belfast has daily Easyjet flights to Paris and we would need a 4 hour train to Brittany (Saint-Nazaire). Alternatively Brest-Birmingham-Belfast but that is weekly Flybe and they are so unreliable.

 

[dunedin]

As an alternative to French harbours, could somewhere like Falmouth be an option? Delivery leg to Falmouth, then home. Cruise to France from Falmouth to Falmouth. Then another delivery home.
Possibly slightly easier travel, though U.K. rail not cheap.

 

[West Coast]

As an alternative to French harbours, could somewhere like Falmouth be an option? Delivery leg to Falmouth, then home. Cruise to France from Falmouth to Falmouth. Then another delivery home.
Possibly slightly easier travel, though U.K. rail not cheap.

Interesting idea, although most places in Devon and Cornwall are probably not dissimilar to get to as France. I know from experience as my company head office is Plymouth and simplest and most reliable travel there from Glasgow is via Bristol.

 

[doug748]

As an alternative to French harbours, could somewhere like Falmouth be an option? Delivery leg to Falmouth, then home. Cruise to France from Falmouth to Falmouth. Then another delivery home.
Possibly slightly easier travel, though U.K. rail not cheap.

Genius. I think this is a good plan.
Plymouth, or Falmouth, can be got to, and from, at leisure and the holiday starts there. An overnight trip to France and you could be in Ile Glenan in three interesting days - depending on the disposition of the enemy.
Plymouth perhaps for accessibility, choice of moorings and the ferry, should you need it.

 

[dunedin]

Interesting idea, although most places in Devon and Cornwall are probably not dissimilar to get to as France. I know from experience as my company head office is Plymouth and simplest and most reliable travel there from Glasgow is via Bristol.

I feel an important business meeting at the Plymouth HQ needs to be scheduled, perhaps for late May or early June 2020? :encouragement:

 

[Fr J Hackett]

I feel an important business meeting at the Plymouth HQ needs to be scheduled, perhaps for late May or early June 2020? :encouragement:

It's amazing how many Friday morning meetings I had in the SW when I kept my boat in Plymouth, they often coincided with Monday afternoon ones as well.:encouragement:

 

[peter gibbs]

Just come back from Brittany - lovely. But you sound as though you're trying to pack in too many miles by aiming so far south. with time constraints. With bad weather you could be impaled in Brest for some time.

Consider N Brittany coast, reached via Cherbourg and Jersey. St Malo is attractive, the marinas are not. Along the coast St Cast and St Quay are good all tide bases; most others are tide restricted except for the rivers which are packed in high summer. Anchoring almost out of the question.

Most French marinas offer safe storage during trips home, all reasonably priced by UK standards. Local bus services are terrible. Trains ok but be sure of train times - intervals can be long. Buy Tom Cunliffe's Shell Channel guide - first rate.

Intermediate stopover, Jersey, very good with excellent air connections.

Bon Voyage!

PWG

 

[Sybarite]

As from Nov 1st all treaties will cease to apply in the absence of a travel agreement.

Therefore all the air links that exist today may not apply next year.

Just a word of caution.

Clyde to SW Brittany and back in 4 weeks depends a lot on the weather. I have sailed twice to Strangford Lough and back (to Lorient) and each time wanted to include a bit of the Scottish Isles. Just not enough time.

PS Just back from Brittany today. On the last two days of sailing in glorious sunshine (Concarneau - Glénan - Lorient) we were visited 6 times by dolphins.

 

[West Coast]

As from Nov 1st all treaties will cease to apply in the absence of a travel agreement.

Therefore all the air links that exist today may not apply next year.

Just a word of caution.

Clyde to SW Brittany and back in 4 weeks depends a lot on the weather. I have sailed twice to Strangford Lough and back (to Lorient) and each time wanted to include a bit of the Scottish Isles. Just not enough time.

PS Just back from Brittany today. On the last two days of sailing in glorious sunshine (Concarneau - Glénan - Lorient) we were visited 6 times by dolphins.

Thanks, aware Brexit could cause a lot of headaches, not just travel but, for example, will the french harden their position with regards to red diesel. Will have to cross bridges as we get to them.

My last 2 experiences sailing to Brittany were in 1984 and 1987, both trips from strangford. We stopped off at the Scillies and then made camaret for first french port. Great memories, but so much will have changed since then, hence asking for the advice as to best places to base ourselves.

 

[Tin Tin]

Planning ahead for summer 2020 as if this is to work I need to begin negotiations well ahead for some extended leave from work

I am based in the Clyde, usually cruise Scotland west coast but plan to cruise to Brittany in summer 2020. Boat is 44' Jeanneau, 2.3m draft. Focus area is SW Brittany. I am weighing up whether to negotiate extended leave (3 - 4 weeks) to allow trip south, 2 weeks there and trip home. However, if I cannot take such an extended break in one go, alternative is trip south, base the boat there for a month or two, flying out for 2 weeks (other family members may use the boat in the interim) then sail the boat home. There seem to be flights to Rennes, then an approx 2 - 3 hour journey to the Brittany coast.

So - what would the suggestions be for a good location to keep the boat if I break the cruise in this way? Would want to keep the cost reasonable, but access to-fro airport would be important also.

Thanks........

Lots of options already offered, but one that hasn't been (unless I have missed it) is Benodet/Sainte Marine in S Finistere.
Depends of when you're planning to travel, but in from late May to early September there are direct BA flights from London City to Quimper airport - less than 15km from Benodet/Sainte Marine.

Just my £0.02

 

[Lightwave395]

Lots of options already offered, but one that hasn't been (unless I have missed it) is Benodet/Sainte Marine in S Finistere.
Depends of when you're planning to travel, but in from late May to early September there are direct BA flights from London City to Quimper airport - less than 15km from Benodet/Sainte Marine.

Just my £0.02

Lovely place, not much public transport between Quimper and Benodet, just a couple of buses a day and none on Saturday afternoon (ask me how I know) alternative was bus to Pont-L'abbe and an 8km walk to Sainte Marine

 

[Fr J Hackett]

Lovely place, not much public transport between Quimper and Benodet, just a couple of buses a day and none on Saturday afternoon (ask me how I know) alternative was bus to Pont-L'abbe and an 8km walk to Sainte Marine

As a temporary base Lorient would be much better.

 

[doug748]

Lovely place, not much public transport between Quimper and Benodet, just a couple of buses a day and none on Saturday afternoon (ask me how I know) alternative was bus to Pont-L'abbe and an 8km walk to Sainte Marine

I looked at this for this season but did not do it in the end. However there is, allegedly, a number 56c which goes between Quimper (train station) and Lesconil passing through Pont l Abbe and Loctudy on the way.

 

[Tin Tin]

As a temporary base Lorient would be much better.

Maybe, but AFAIK there are no longer direct flights (still the fastest mode of travel) from the UK to Lorient.

And surely a taxi from Quimper airport to Benodet (17km) won't break the bank?

Last time we cruised S Brittany we found the Quimper/Benodet combination worked well for us when we had friends/family visiting from Britain.

 

[Fr J Hackett]

Maybe, but AFAIK there are no longer direct flights (still the fastest mode of travel) from the UK to Lorient.

And surely a taxi from Quimper airport to Benodet (17km) won't break the bank?

Last time we cruised S Brittany we found the Quimper/Benodet combination worked well for us when we had friends/family visiting from Britain.

Wherever you base the boat you will still waste a day in travelling so it is academic really, and the OP is pushing the envelope with a week delivery two weeks cruise and a week return in any case.

 

[West Coast]

Wherever you base the boat you will still waste a day in travelling so it is academic really, and the OP is pushing the envelope with a week delivery two weeks cruise and a week return in any case.

Seeing this is the case - 5 weeks is more like it. Will need to see what reaction is to requesting this time from work.

 

[[3889]]

Or
Ask someone to deliver it to say benodet etc? There’s quite a few wanting to get their mileage in. Then go from there?

I don't think I would want my boat delivered by someone ' wanting to get their mileage in". I'd hope they had done that beforehand.
As stated above, not an impossible schedule but not relaxing. For comparison, I bought my boat in Swansea and it took me 8 days averaging 60 miles per day to get to Golf du Morbihan. And I was blessed with N N Westerlies all the time.

 

[dslittle]

Lovely place, not much public transport between Quimper and Benodet, just a couple of buses a day and none on Saturday afternoon (ask me how I know) alternative was bus to Pont-L'abbe and an 8km walk to Sainte Marine

My son arrived in Quimper at about 1900 then had to stay in a hotel overnight because the public transport to Benodet had stopped for the day and his previous experience of French taxis was the €50 from Caen to Ouistreham. France is great but the public transport in the sticks can be challenging...

 

[Lightwave395]

My son arrived in Quimper at about 1900 then had to stay in a hotel overnight because the public transport to Benodet had stopped for the day and his previous experience of French taxis was the €50 from Caen to Ouistreham. France is great but the public transport in the sticks can be challenging...

That's how I know... it pays to read the timetable very carefully, especially the very small print. We were in St Marine a couple of years ago and on the saturday thought a bus trip to Concarneau sounded good. We got the morning bus from Benodet to Quimper then another bus onwards to Concarneau, where we had a nice day wandering around. Got the bus back to Quimper (most terminate at the SNCF) to discover (when it didn't turn up) that the late afternoon bus to Benodet only runs on school days (yes, the info was in the micro print at the very bottom) After confirmation with another bus driver we boarded his bus to Pont L'abbe and he showed us where to get off ( very helpful - stopped his bus across the road from the lane we had to take) and we walked the 8kms back to St Marine.
We were quoted "around" 50 to 60 Euros for a taxi - it might not have broken the bank but it would have dented the dining out budget.
I too was also quoted a similar figure from Caen to Ouistreham but luckily found the 2 euro bus direct to Brittany ferries...