Cherbourg: embarrassing question

[Sailfree]

Cherbourg visitors pontoons are P (up to 40') and Q pontoons (one side of Q is for berthing alongside for long boats and Cats.

Currently P pontoon being roped off for Figero race until 15th July.

We are in cherbourg now as delayed Uk return due to unexpected Gale warnings in channel.

 

[sailorman]

Ok, I have the boat, the documents, the liferaft, the desire but the thing that is stopping me setting off from Gosport for Cherbourg is my p!ss poor French. Is a good command of the French language necessary to arrive and get a visitor's berth etc in Cherbourg over the radio?

I can't be the only person with this fear. What do others do?

As always help/ reassurance greatly appreciated

we are in France.
I am able to ask for 2 beers. thats it.
dont worry

 

[BlueSkyNick]

The staff know enough english to take your money off you in the office

And one particular young lady has such a beautiful cleavage, you wont mind handing over your cash! (last year anyway; havent been since)

 

[greggron]

And one particular young lady has such a beautiful cleavage, you wont mind handing over your cash! (last year anyway; havent been since)

Now there's an incentive!

 

[jbweston]

Agree completely with previous posters.

1. French harbours (in fact I think all the yacht harbours outside the UK I've been to - Canaries, France, Holland, Germany, Denmark and Sweden) don't expect any VHF calls at all and most seem not even to have any obvious VHF listening. Different if there is compulsory reporting in a commercial port of course. I haven't made a VHF call yet this season in Sweden, and made none in Denmark or Sweden last season except for one ship-to-ship when passing a yacht from my own club coming in the opposite direction.

2 The Cherbourg guys are welcoming, speak good English (at least the ones I've met), and they aren't much for paperwork. Once you've visited the first time, you and your boat will be on their database, so on subsequent visits you don't even need to remember your boat details!

Enjoy your trip. Bon voyage, as we say in Ashby-de-la-Zouch.

 

[BlueSkyNick]

1. French harbours (in fact I think all the yacht harbours outside the UK I've been to - Canaries, France, Holland, Germany, Denmark and Sweden) don't expect any VHF calls at all and most seem not even to have any obvious VHF listening.

The converse is that French, Dutch, Germans and Beligians come to UK and just take any berth they can find in a marina. Some of them are affronted when told they cant stay there.

Others have realised they should call be telephone or VHF in advance and dont understand when they are told there are no spaces at 1900 on a Saturday in July. Mind you, quite a few Brits seem to struggle with this too.

 

[sailorman]

And one particular young lady has such a beautiful cleavage, you wont mind handing over your cash! (last year anyway; havent been since)

i will have a little peek thursday or friday

 

[greggron]

Agree completely with previous posters.

1. French harbours (in fact I think all the yacht harbours outside the UK I've been to - Canaries, France, Holland, Germany, Denmark and Sweden) don't expect any VHF calls at all and most seem not even to have any obvious VHF listening. Different if there is compulsory reporting in a commercial port of course. I haven't made a VHF call yet this season in Sweden, and made none in Denmark or Sweden last season except for one ship-to-ship when passing a yacht from my own club coming in the opposite direction.

2 The Cherbourg guys are welcoming, speak good English (at least the ones I've met), and they aren't much for paperwork. Once you've visited the first time, you and your boat will be on their database, so on subsequent visits you don't even need to remember your boat details!

Enjoy your trip. Bon voyage, as we say in Ashby-de-la-Zouch.

That's very useful advice, many thanks indeed.

 

[Seajet]

I have found that anywhere in France the locals and their attitude perk up immensely if one even tries the odd simple bit of French, no matter what a hash one makes of it.

There used to be simple yotties' guides as to terms referring to boat bits and practices, don't know if they're still available but worth a google.

 

[Grehan]

Quite right. Courtesy and politeness count for a lot here and that includes having at least a bash at simple basic French even if it is just "Bonjour". Shows respect, shows friendliness.
"Desolée, mais je suis Anglais . . (look down, shrug shoulders)" when/if they speak back in French you can't understand will elicit an appropriate degree of sympathy for your shameful plight (in not being French) and often they will try out some English that's miles better than most anglais' French.
It's often difficult to get helpful French people, taking pity, to stop speaking English.

 

[rotrax]

Once in about 1979 on a " Window Shopping" trip to the Frankfurt red light district my boss was having trouble giving an address to the taxi driver. After a couple of attempts I asked if I could try, having some small knowledge of German. He agreed. " Farher" I said "Crumpetstrasse bitte" "OK" he replied "Alle ist Schon"

 

[jimbaerselman]

The "lingua franca" (!) throughout throughout the harbours of Europe is EFL (English as Foreigners Learn it . . .) - a beautifully simplified language, easily understood by most people.

Brits understand it, but aren't very good at speaking it . . .

 

[Tidewaiter2]

Try these

I have found that anywhere in France the locals and their attitude perk up immensely if one even tries the odd simple bit of French, no matter what a hash one makes of it.

There used to be simple yotties' guides as to terms referring to boat bits and practices, don't know if they're still available but worth a google.

This one is very good;
French for Cruisers, by Kathy Parsons, ISBN 0-9675905-1-5

The bi-lingual version of Bloc Atlantique is pretty good, and lots to read while it pours with rain and blows old boots.

 

[greggron]

This one is very good;
French for Cruisers, by Kathy Parsons, ISBN 0-9675905-1-5

The bi-lingual version of Bloc Atlantique is pretty good, and lots to read while it pours with rain and blows old boots.

Thanks for that. I know there is a vocab section in the Almanac, but if this brings it somewhat more alive then great!

 

[Tidewaiter2]

Thanks for that. I know there is a vocab section in the Almanac, but if this brings it somewhat more alive then great!

Bloc gives you all sorts of stuff, including types of rig, old & new, and all the regs,harbour/pilotage stuff is in english/french too, so you pick up the colloquials.

 

[Seajet]

Tidewaiter 2,

thanks that's just what I meant;

now I must look up " thanks to your authorities' on the spot fines sadly I will not be visiting and spending my money in your lovely country again "...

 

[Koeketiene]

The bi-lingual version of Bloc Atlantique is pretty good, and lots to read while it pours with rain and blows old boots.

+1

As good as Reeds - if not better

 

[Tidewaiter2]

+1

As good as Reeds - if not better

Saves you a fortune on inshore charts, because of the detailed sector charts and bouyage for the French inshore areas-seems designed as a combined RYA course book, chart folio, almanac and Logbook for the 6nm only qualified French sailor.

Only publication I've found with really decent coverage of the little drying harbours like Rengeville-S-mer in Basse Normandie and Brittany.

Not on sale in Cherbourg when i was over in March, hope there are some left in August.

 

[cimo]

Not on sale in Cherbourg when i was over in March, hope there are some left in August.

get mine on Amazon (as I do most books). the telephone directory quality of the bloc publications won't take alot of abuse though - otherwise great referrence material.

 

[Tidewaiter2]

get mine on Amazon (as I do most books). the telephone directory quality of the bloc publications won't take alot of abuse though - otherwise great referrence material.

Absolutely, dont get 'em wet, odd really for a book used at sea??/