Cap Breton, SW France

[LittleSister]

Biarritz is a wee harbour for a few fishing boats . This is a different town, Anglet: . . .

If you are writing a pilot book, perhaps you should be just a little bit more accurate?

Biarritz airport is also in 'Anglet'. Just sayin'!

There is a degree of imprecision in him calling it 'Biarritz', it's true - it doesn't correspond with its administrative boundaries - but it's part of the Biarritz conurbation, and how many of the English audience he's aiming at know where Anglet is compared to those who know where Biarritz is?

 

[dgadee]

Biarritz airport is also in 'Anglet'. Just sayin'!

There is a degree of imprecision in him calling it 'Biarritz', it's true - it doesn't correspond with its administrative boundaries - but it's part of the Biarritz conurbation, and how many of the English audience he's aiming at know where Anglet is compared to those who know where Biarritz is?

They will never know if they don't get told. And they may end up in a drying harbour with a swell coming all the way from America. Precision does matter in pilotage (or I'd imagine the RYA suggest that on their courses).

 

[Roberto]

The real danger in SW France (coastal or inland) does not come from confusion among different port, town or village locations, the real life danger is making the same confusion among those places rugby teams.

 

[[3889]]

FWIW been into Anglet also. Nothing there except bus to Bayonne. Entrance is no easier than Capbreton.

 

[LittleSister]

Re Anglet/'Biarritz' - I see the River Adour is navigable inland for about 100km (and with care/difficulty potentially a further 30km).

French Waterways in Detail //River Adour and tributaries

 

[Stemar]

The real danger in SW France (coastal or inland) does not come from confusion among different port, town or village locations, the real life danger is making the same confusion among those places rugby teams.

A bit like Ireland, then

 

[franksingleton]

Chacun a son gout. Best not to have preconceived ideas. Until you go somewhere, you do not know what it is really like.
In our travels, we have been up and down that coast and the adjacent N Spain coast, in fact, all of Spain, a few times. Use Pilot books for info on navigation. Forget them for descriptions of places. These are so subjective and, in some cases out of date. Restaurants and other facilities turn out to be disappointing compared to Pilot descriptions. Situations change. There is much to see and enjoy but that, really, depends on what you like.
FWIW, we liked Castro Utdiales, Lekeito, Getaria, Motrico, Zumaya, San Sebastián, Hondarribia (especially), St Jean de Luc, Cap Breton, Arcachon. You, may or may not like these places. If you like somewhere, then stay a bit longer. If not then go ASAP.
Arcavhon is dangerous in the wrong conditions but, if you encounter them, you should not have been there. From either direction, telephone the semaphore Cap Ferret, tell them your intentions and they will advise on best entry times. They would rather help you before departure to/from Arcachon than have to mount a rescue operation.

 

[LittleSister]

Until you go somewhere, you do not know what it is really like.
Forget them for descriptions of places. These are so subjective . . . There is much to see and enjoy but that, really, depends on what you like.

Exactly so.

I have had some really enjoyable times in places often described as boring, and vice versa.

Arcavhon is dangerous in the wrong conditions but, if you encounter them, you should not have been there.

Even more exactly so. ( )

Isn't handling that sort of thing an important and satisfying bit of what sail cruising is all about?

 

[Stemar]

At my age, seeing it and not being out there is an important and satisfying bit of what sail cruising is all about. That sort of adventure is for the young and invincible; I'm all too aware of how vincible I am!

 

[franksingleton]

At my age, seeing it and not being out there is an important and satisfying bit of what sail cruising is all about. That sort of adventure is for the young and invincible; I'm all too aware of how vincible I am!

Snap! I will be 89 when we leave for France, DV, this year. You are as young or old as you feel. Previously it was a case of F6 ever, 7 never, it is now F5 ever, 6 never. It doesn’t always quite work out but that is the intention.