Charts for South Brittany

[3reefs]

About 15 years ago we went to South Brittany. We had Admiralty charts (mono and in fathoms in those days). We found the detail not quite good enough.

Still using paper charts, we are just about to load up with new ones for this cruise. Which charts should we buy?

Scuttlebutters' experiences welcomed.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Robin]

We use the Imray series which are based on the Admiralty ones but have harbour charts and plans added that are very good. If you use a Yeoman paper plotter even the harbour plans can be referenced, useful for downloading waypoints for entrance channels etc. Imray also have an on-line update information service that is very user friendly compared to the Admiralty one, you can print out changes to each chart just like those stuck in the folder when you buy them.

For some areas you might like to add the French charts like for Les Isles De Glenans off Benodet/Concarneau. If you plan going into the Morbihan you WILL need a large scale chart, I think ours is the Admiralty one.

If you can read French, the Pilotes Cotiers series of pilots are excellent and cheap, all their chandlers stock them. Also Peter Cumberlidges 'Secret Anchorages of Brittany' book is very good, much of it's contents I suspect coming from the French Pilotes Cotiers.

Another useful addition is the Votre Livre De Bord almanac (about £15) which contains everything from a Log Book to Harbour Plans/information, tides, weather forecast times/channels on VHF and much more, a lot of the harbour data is also in English.

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Gunfleet]

I have some Navicartes (Editions Grafocarte) which are derived from the SHOM charts but have the leisure sailor in mind. THe one for the Morbihan and Quiberon - 546 - is particularily good including lots of detailed chartlets on the reverse side. Happy cruising!

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[Barr Avel]

Go for the french SHOM charts. I used them for a charter around the Morbihan and the nearby Islands. The detailed ones have photos of marinas and harbours on the back as well as navigational information.

The Yachting Monthly cruising guide for South Brittany is quite good, but if your French is up to it the Beneteau Pilotes Cotiers (Pilote Côtier N°5a and Pilote Côtier N°5b) are brilliant.

I don't know of an english site that sells them (I'm sure there are some) but I have used in the past the Papeterie du port in Rouen and would recommend their site (they'll send them to the UK) : http://www.papeterieduport.com/boutique/ (all in French though !)

Good luck & happy cruising !

<hr width=100% size=1><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by mlw197 on 14/03/2004 14:44 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[Gunfleet]

bookmarked immediately NM

<hr width=100% size=1>

 

[TonyMS]

Re: bookmarked immediately NM

Navicartes are brilliant! Not only do they show a lot of detail, but they have really helpful colouring (eg rocks you need to miss in red), and have transit lines to take you safely through the inner passages.

2 examples of passages I wouldn't want to do without them - inside the chenal de Four past Portsal, and close inshore round Quiberon peninsula

Imray are fine for passage planning and big harbour to big harbour.

<hr width=100% size=1>www.montgomery-smith.org