Camaret?

Worth a visit. You can anchor inshore of the fish cages, between Pointe Sainte Barbe and the moorings outside the harbour and dinghy a few strokes onto the beach from where it's a short walk into the town. I found the holding to be good but setting the pick a little hit and miss in order to avoid the patches of thick kelp. Although in the right conditions you can see where these are and pick your spot between them.

Despite a thick fog delaying our departure for a few hours the morning after this was taken, it was really quite beautiful the last time we were there too...

 
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There are two marinas, one on the far side of the bay from the town and the other smaller one, close to town.
Both marina facilities aren't great, token in slot showers. I think that the outer marina , where the fuel berth is, is worse than the inner one, so I always head for the inner or anchor in the bay.
The inner has visitors fingers and a row of along side rafting (2 or 3 deep depending on size) pontoons.
I have some pics on my website.
 
scotty123 said:
Wassit like?
Are there visitors moorings close to the town?
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Not a lot there to be honest. Visited in 2012. Many summer only mooring buoys available. Not sure if they are gratis but we spent 4 nights there & no one came to collect fees.
 
Have a care if you are heading for the visitor berths or the the long rafting-up pontoon of marina near the town (Port du Notic) and leave the not very conspicuous PHM perch to port.

Although I have no personal expereience (for once :ambivalence:) of bouncing off the rock ledge it marks, I have seen others do it.
 
Woodlouse said:
It's a pleasant town and the walk up to the old fortifications on the hill is great. It's always my first stop before and after crossing the channel.
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Agreed, very pleasant. For good company and to get a feel for the young, proud and thriving Breton culture, have a beer with the landlord Manu in the little Bar Notic (on the corner, halfway down the main drag), the crew of the old gaffer Belle Etoile are jolly folk as well if you get a chance for a chat with them. Enjoy Camaret, I've been galed in there two or three times and it's not as dull as it seems at first.
 
Nice church (chapel) on the breakwater and picturesque, beached fishing boats. +1 for cliff top walk, interesting geology, too, if that takes your fancy.
 
Camaret was always our first stop arriving direct from the UK. there used to be buoys off the outer marina and opposite, some for permanent some kept for visitors and they did collect a fee. we always found space to anchor by choice, in good holding ( even with a CQR or Delta!), by the fish farm and out of the channel taken by the Brest passenger fast ferry. Take the dinghy ashore to a slip by the quay or to the inner marina, but if the slip which is close to the supermarket it is best to time arrival/departure to straddle LW or HW so as not to be faced with water and dink being well separated using the outer marina has fuel and water on the outside still I assume which made it convenient for us to top off everything before heading farther south. Good full service butchery counter in the Huit a Huit store on the quay front road, if still there. Chandlery stuff available from Acastillage Diffusion and cooperative Marine stores on south side of harbour and they will send stuff over by the ferry from their store in Brest if not in stock. Short cut through the rocks from Camaret to Le Raz and points south is best taken in daylight as it isn't lit but we did it in reverse direction once in thick fog with radar and plotter and tested/trusted waypoints. I liked Camaret. .


Editedto add: Very nice pic in Oldbilbos thread re Tas de Pois, of the shortcut I mentioned above
 
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In the outer marina it's often easier to use your dinghy to cross to the town if you want to go shopping. Otherwise it's a lengthy walk.
 
If you've a few days to spare take a trip up the River Aulne to Port Launay, (takes 2-3 hours from memory), go through lock and park up (used to be free) from there you can go as far as Chateaulin (sp?) - nice scenic stop over in summer - damp and miserable in winter.

I think there is a video showing someone's trip up the Aulne - try the search function.
 
Great place.

Token showers now replaced with a code on the door of the shower blocks that you get when you pay your fees.

Good free wifi. Free leccy. Free water.

The walk to town from the Vauban marina takes 10 mins max.

There is a good holding anchorage just off the Vauban marina.

Vauban also has a load of new finger pontoons to cater for the English fear of rafting. There is always room if you don't mind rafting.

There are also vistor buoys charged at 50% of marina rate.

Month marina rate for 10m bateaux is 11euros per day incl the taxe de sejours for 2 adults.

Nice beaches nearby.

Great food with plenty of good establishments which keeps prices keen.

Choice of two supermarkets.

2euros for bus journey from Camaret to Brest or Roscoff with a well run on time bus service with helpful drivers.

Boat's there at the moment and heading back there next wk.

All in all a great place.
 
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That bus service to Brest from Camaret is very good. We left our boat at Camaret for a couple of weeks and flew home. Getting to Brest airport was easy; cheap bus to Brest bus station, cheap tram and navette to the airport.
 
Loved it there but the anchorage, the outer bouys, and by the look of it the outer marina, were all a bit lively in a fresh northeasterly.
 
Fond memories. My wife and I sailed there on a friends boat about 20 years ago. Got a bit blasted on local wine and sat in the lee of the big breakwater at dark o clock in a howling gale. Decided there and then to get home, sell the house and buy a yacht.

Next day we got rid of hangover, sailed home, sold house and bought the yacht we still live on...... :)
 
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