Brittany Marina recommendation

[Bradders]

We have our boat on the east coast of England and want to move her to a berth in Brittany in the next couple of years, can anyone recommend a marina please in Brittany? I understand that there is probably a waiting list so want to get my name down now with a view to moving there in the next 2-3 years … we’ve been on the east coast now for 3 years and before that we were many years in the med, mainly Corfu, although we love the east coat we are really missing the Med

Thanks

 

[Koeketiene]

What is important to you?
- Cruising area? (Channel or Atlantic coast)
- Accessibility?
- Easy travel links to/from the UK?
- Marina with facilities or just a place to park the boat?
- Pontoon berth or swinging mooring?
etc...

I have the boat in Brittany since 2016 and live here permanently since X-Mas 2018.
More than happy to help.
Feel free to contact me by PM.

 

[Laminar Flow]

Pontrieux works for us. It has tidal access at the the navigable head of the Trieux river. This has never been a problem for us and the trip up the river is a pleasurable experience in it's own right. The marina is right next to the quaint train station with easy access to the rest of the world. The town is very pleasant with a supermarket and can provide all the basic needs, for the rest and any specific nautical needs Paimpol is but a short and quite spectacular trip away by train or road.
The Association de Plaisance, a down to earth group of local boaters is very welcoming and we can't say enough nice things about Fred the harbour master, and our boat neighbours who have been exceptionally helpful and supportive in taking care of our boat during Covid. Friends from Belgium who also keep their boat in Pontrieux, assured us it was the cheapest place to keep your boat in Brittany; compared to Holland or the UK that is certainly true.

Brehat is an excellent point of departure for the Bay of St.Malo, the CIs and points further south.

 

[ashtead]

We always like ST Cast as a visitor -easy access,great beach, lovely town, not overlooked by locals when on berth or by noise of scooters etc, a few tourist type restaurants on shore by marina and good showers etc plus bread deliveries and plenty of parking etc. No idea what it’s like for permanent mooring but always seems a lovely place for a weeks stay. I guess a list of your priorities might guide comments from others though.

 

[Lightwave395]

We have our boat on the east coast of England and want to move her to a berth in Brittany in the next couple of years, can anyone recommend a marina please in Brittany? I understand that there is probably a waiting list so want to get my name down now with a view to moving there in the next 2-3 years … we’ve been on the east coast now for 3 years and before that we were many years in the med, mainly Corfu, although we love the east coat we are really missing the Med

Thanks

North or South Brittany ?

 

[Gary Fox]

N or S means a huge difference in the weather. In my limited experience.
I spent a winter in Lorient and it was usually sunny and mild enough to paint the outside of the boat, apart from one crazy storm.
Totally different weather patterns to what you normally get in the channel, more different than you would expect from the slightly lower latitude.

 

[dunedin]

I asssume you have factored in the implications of Brexit into your plans for boat and crew?

If a UK resident and boat has been in the UK for 3+ years, presumably the boat won’t be accepted as EU VAT paid. Hence will need to leave EU waters every 18 months. Easy enough from Brittany to nip across the channel - except if at month 15, when planning to do your exit, you get hit by medica/domestic/work reasons which mean you can’t do this.
And crew likely to be restricted to 90 days in Schengen (including allowance for other trips- eg work, skiing, family weddings/funerals etc).

Ironically could be even more problematic if any owner is (or wants to become?) an EU resident - as EU resident would not be eligible for the 18 month VAT import.

NB. I am not an expert so don’t rely on any of the above - check RYA / Cruising Association websites and get proper advice, not forum chat.

 

[Gary Fox]

I asssume you have factored in the implications of Brexit into your plans for boat and crew?

If a UK resident and boat has been in the UK for 3+ years, presumably the boat won’t be accepted as EU VAT paid. Hence will need to leave EU waters every 18 months. Easy enough from Brittany to nip across the channel - except if at month 15, when planning to do your exit, you get hit by medica/domestic/work reasons which mean you can’t do this.
And crew likely to be restricted to 90 days in Schengen (including allowance for other trips- eg work, skiing, family weddings/funerals etc).

Ironically could be even more problematic if any owner is (or wants to become?) an EU resident - as EU resident would not be eligible for the 18 month VAT import.

NB. I am not an expert so don’t rely on any of the above - check RYA / Cruising Association websites and get proper advice, not forum chat.

This is not really advice, but: Personally I don't think much checking will be done, and speaking for myself, I fully intend to drive a coach and horses through this petty fascistic EU bureaucracy.

 

[dunedin]

This is not really advice, but: Personally I don't think much checking will be done, and speaking for myself, I fully intend to drive a coach and horses through this petty fascistic EU bureaucracy.

Your call if you want to practice tax evasion, which tends to have fairly hefty penalties.
But please don’t blame the EU for applying their rules which have applied for 3rd party countries for decades, and was & is applied by the UK to yachts arriving from other countries. It was the UK that decided to change the rules restricting us wrt to visiting the EU.

 

[Lightwave395]

My boat was in the EU on Dec 31st, but as of less than 3 months ago is now in the UK. Is it still VAT paid in EU or now VAT paid in the UK, which it originally was ?

I'm tempted to try the French visa route next year, it's worth the 90 odd Euros if that's all it costs and I really would like to get back there.

 

[Gary Fox]

Your call if you want to practice tax evasion, which tends to have fairly hefty penalties.
But please don’t blame the EU for applying their rules which have applied for 3rd party countries for decades, and was & is applied by the UK to yachts arriving from other countries. It was the UK that decided to change the rules restricting us wrt to visiting the EU.

Sorry you feel that way.

 

[Frogmogman]

EU 'rules' , quote unquote, do not apply to me as a patriotic Englishman.

No, but the forum rules do.

Using deliberately inflammatory language on this subject is not particularly helpful.

 

[Gary Fox]

No, but the forum rules do.

Using deliberately inflammatory language on this subject is not particularly helpful.

Redacted, so you can dry your eyes now.

 

[Frogmogman]

Redacted, so you can dry your eyes now.

It’s not about drying my eyes. If I am obliged to bite my tongue on strongly held views from the opposite perspective, I don’t see why you shouldn’t too.

 

[dunedin]

My boat was in the EU on Dec 31st, but as of less than 3 months ago is now in the UK. Is it still VAT paid in EU or now VAT paid in the UK, which it originally was ?

I'm tempted to try the French visa route next year, it's worth the 90 odd Euros if that's all it costs and I really would like to get back there.

AFAIK it is now deemed UK VAT paid. Technically it isn’t still EU VAT paid, but if the same owner returns to the EU with it you should be able to apply for this to be reinstated (via Returned Goods Relief?). Which could effectively be nearly the same In practice.
But Whether this means you need to make such a formal declaration each time you nip across the Channel is an open question, that probably nobody knows the true answer to yet.
As ever, not advice to be relied upon - consult an expert.

 

[dunedin]

Redacted, so you can dry your eyes now.

Mmmmm. - you post above still says “ this petty fascistic EU bureaucracy” (dear moderator - quote of GaryFox words, not mine)

Perhaps gets away with forum rules only due to misspelling, as well as being technically incorrect

 

[Tranona]

As ever, not advice to be relied upon - consult an expert.

Not sure in this case "experts" are any the wiser. Although the Directive is common across the EU, actual laws and implementation are the responsibility of individual states. Already we have seen Greece (no surprise) incorrectly implementing the transition rules on EU VAT status of UK registered boats in the EU on 31/12 until a complaint to the Commission brought them into line.

Will probably be some time before a pattern appears on implementation in each state.

 

[Gary Fox]

???

 

[Gary Fox]

Mmmmm. - you post above still says “ this petty fascistic EU bureaucracy” (dear moderator - quote of GaryFox words, not mine)

Perhaps gets away with forum rules only due to misspelling, as well as being technically incorrect

Mmmmmm...

 

[ashtead]

Should the OP be that concerned about VAT maybe Jersey might prove a solution ?