Cherbourg to Boulogne (with a 2m draft)

[RobBadgie]

Hi, I’m hoping to sail east from Cherbourg to Boulogne in a couple of weeks. We have a 2m draft. Has anyone done this trip and can recommend the best places to berth? We don’t sail overnight. Thanks

 

[prestomg27]

Dieppe is a lovely town on the way

 

[st599]

Not sailing overnight could be an issue as a few of the ports en route are tidal, so you may not be able to leave one and arrive at the next in daylight.

As for the route, one of the boats I sail is 2.2m and we regularly visit St Vaast, Honfleur, Oustreham and the Caen canal, Le Have, Dieppe, St Valery...

 

[Boathook]

I did this years ago, St Vaast to Honfleur. The majority of ports are tidal with lock gates only open up to a few hours either side of HW. West to east means port hoping leaving as soon as lock gates open and making good time to the next port to arrive just before they shut the gates.
I did it on my cat and at one place we missed the gates by a few minutes and ended up dried out in the outer harbour against a mucky wall.

 

[Wansworth]

Cross to IOW…..Yarmouth about 60 miles then coast hop up the English side lots of 24/7 harbours…..cross back

 

[tjbrace]

Le Havre, Fecamp, Dieppe, should be 24/7 access

 

[Bobc]

St. Vaast, then Le Harve, then Fecamp, then Dieppe.

 

[RobBadgie]

Thanks very much. I’ll look into these. I did wonder about going part way and then nipping over to the UK

 

[peter gibbs]

Hi, I’m hoping to sail east from Cherbourg to Boulogne in a couple of weeks. We have a 2m draft. Has anyone done this trip and can recommend the best places to berth? We don’t sail overnight. Thanks

From Chrbg you need to leave 1 hr before the W going tide and hammer across the bay. You'll make Ouisterham and spend a nice evening there, berthed before or inside the lock: Day 2 make for Fecamp, another nice overnight; Dieppe is an easy day 3 - v good choice of grub, but facilities rather lacklustre. Day 4 with the tide to Boulogne - be sure to enter by the towers, training walls submerge outside - v good grub, but ensure you can get back in to the marina after hours.
Nice trip. If you're tempted to go straight to Fecamp, be prepared to stem the E going tide in the bay and arrive late in Fecamp. Stay out of Le Havre - not recommended.

 

[johnalison]

All the above. I might prefer Deauville to Le Havre, though tidal considerations might influence it. If you have time, Honfleur is somewhat special. Only Fecamp and Dieppe are anything like all-tide ports, but Fecamp would be marginal at LW for you. It would be a shame to miss St Valery en Caux. It is an interesting place and fairly easy to access, with waiting buoys for early arrivers. Le Treport is dull and trippery, its only saving grace being the highest cliff walk in Normandy. Boulogne entrance, like Dover, can be rough off the mole with a F6 or over from the west.

 

[johnalison]

From Chrbg you need to leave 1 hr before the W going tide and hammer across the bay. You'll make Ouisterham and spend a nice evening there, berthed before or inside the lock: Day 2 make for Fecamp, another nice overnight; Dieppe is an easy day 3 - v good choice of grub, but facilities rather lacklustre. Day 4 with the tide to Boulogne - be sure to enter by the towers, training walls submerge outside - v good grub, but ensure you can get back in to the marina after hours.
Nice trip. If you're tempted to go straight to Fecamp, be prepared to stem the E going tide in the bay and arrive late in Fecamp. Stay out of Le Havre - not recommended.

Perfectly feasable, but there is a wide choice, even Dives being possible. We once set off from St Vaast for Dives but bad weather made us divert to Fecamp, which didn't take overlong.

 

[prestomg27]

Thanks very much. I’ll look into these. I did wonder about going part way and then nipping over to the UK

Everything is much more pleasant on the French side.

 

[Daydream believer]

I have done it lots of times both ways. All ports I mention can be entered in most weathers & all sorts of tides. These are the best ports to use as you can be sure of a berth & safe access when you get there. Longest trip is Cherbourg to Le Havre. I have never had a problem getting a berth, except for one year when the Figaros were in Dieppe. But i still got parked up. Just had to move very early one morning (to a better berth.)
Times from last trips.
Cherbourg (11.5 Hrs)- le Havre (10.5Hrs)-Dieppe (9.5 Hrs)-Boulogne
You get the tide on the back eddy out of Cherbourg & you can ride it all the way to Le Havre. In fact on the last trip, I decided to jump Le Havre & go straight to Dieppe. That was because I had a favourable wind & tide for so long.
I used to dislike Le Havre, but when I was stuck there for a few days, I had a wander round. The old concrete multi storey blocks, in front of the harbour, have been replaced & the place is actually quite nice in the summer. My opinion has changed. I now like it. I like to go to the YC for drinks & engage the locals for a chat.
Dieppe's showers etc are small, but clean. So inspite of earlier comment, I like that as well. The town is certainly interesting. Having been stuck there for ages, I got to explore the town & the cliffs. Dieppe has hidden gems.
There are lots of pots around Dieppe, so you have to watch your approach on the last 4 miles..
You must use the tide from Dieppe to Boulogne, as it can be strong. Get it right ( Leave 5.5 hours before HW Dover) & if going to Dover you may decide to carry on past Boulogne & go to Dover. I did one year & it took 10 hours. Another year it took 14 hours to Ramsgate
30 ft yacht, 1.80 draft, SH

 

[johnalison]

Le Havre town is certainly lacking in aesthetic appeal, through no fault of its own - the wartime story is rather sad, but it's a decent safe harbour. We had a cracking meal at the YC last time we went.

If you're feeling adventurous a night in Arromanches is interesting, or even a lunch stop with a visit to the museum.

The port at Cap d'Antifer looks alarming on the chart but it's just an oil terminal and I've never seen a ship come or go.

Dieppe is one of those scruffy places with bags of character. Some of the eateries are poor but we've always been happy at Le Newhaven. The museum/gallery is worth a visit.

 

[Daydream believer]

Dieppe is one of those scruffy places with bags of character. Some of the eateries are poor but we've always been happy at Le Newhaven. The museum/gallery is worth a visit.

Dieppe is far from "scruffy". The sea front is very tidy & are better than any of our east coast sea fronts . The town will give places like Ramsgate, Dover, Ipswich, Brightlingsea, Lowestoft etc etc more than a run for their money. Especially in regards to eateries.
The high street is vibrant, as are other areas.
What do you think of the artistic arrangement of containers at Le Havre?

 

[RobBadgie]

I have done it lots of times both ways. All ports I mention can be entered in most weathers & all sorts of tides. These are the best ports to use as you can be sure of a berth & safe access when you get there. Longest trip is Cherbourg to Le Havre. I have never had a problem getting a berth, except for one year when the Figaros were in Dieppe. But i still got parked up. Just had to move very early one morning (to a better berth.)
Times from last trips.
Cherbourg (11.5 Hrs)- le Havre (10.5Hrs)-Dieppe (9.5 Hrs)-Boulogne
You get the tide on the back eddy out of Cherbourg & you can ride it all the way to Le Havre. In fact on the last trip, I decided to jump Le Havre & go straight to Dieppe. That was because I had a favourable wind & tide for so long.
I used to dislike Le Havre, but when I was stuck there for a few days, I had a wander round. The old concrete multi storey blocks, in front of the harbour, have been replaced & the place is actually quite nice in the summer. My opinion has changed. I now like it. I like to go to the YC for drinks & engage the locals for a chat.
Dieppe's showers etc are small, but clean. So inspite of earlier comment, I like that as well. The town is certainly interesting. Having been stuck there for ages, I got to explore the town & the cliffs. Dieppe has hidden gems.
There are lots of pots around Dieppe, so you have to watch your approach on the last 4 miles..
You must use the tide from Dieppe to Boulogne, as it can be strong. Get it right ( Leave 5.5 hours before HW Dover) & if going to Dover you may decide to carry on past Boulogne & go to Dover. I did one year & it took 10 hours. Another year it took 14 hours to Ramsgate
30 ft yacht, 1.80 draft, SH

Thanks. Can you explain what you meant about the tide from cherbourg?

 

[LittleSister]

Ignore the naysayers about Le Havre. I had a great (weather enforced) stay there. There's more to the town than first meets the eye.

 

[johnalison]

Dieppe is far from "scruffy". The sea front is very tidy & are better than any of our east coast sea fronts . The town will give places like Ramsgate, Dover, Ipswich, Brightlingsea, Lowestoft etc etc more than a run for their money. Especially in regards to eateries.
The high street is vibrant, as are other areas.
What do you think of the artistic arrangement of containers at Le Havre?

All commercial ports are scruffy to my eyes. Dieppe has greatly improved since we first went there in 1978, when we stayed in the fish dock surrounded by muck, dead fish & cats etc. The train for the ferry no longer runs sadly. It’s seven or eight years since I went there but the marina is ok, but the surroundings are characterful rather than chic, unlike Port Guillaume in Dives which is smart but less exciting, though the town itself is lovely.

 

[dolabriform]

All commercial ports are scruffy to my eyes. Dieppe has greatly improved since we first went there in 1978, when we stayed in the fish dock surrounded by muck, dead fish & cats etc. The train for the ferry no longer runs sadly. It’s seven or eight years since I went there but the marina is ok, but the surroundings are characterful rather than chic, unlike Port Guillaume in Dives which is smart but less exciting, though the town itself is lovely.

We visited Dieppe last year and found it a pleasant and interesting place.

 

[st599]

Thanks. Can you explain what you meant about the tide from cherbourg?

You have to exit Cherbourg at the start of the East going tide (-3.5 hrs) when there's an eddy inshore and take it along the coast. So if say you were doing it next Monday, you'd set off at 11 pm Sunday and crack on across the bay arriving in time for lunch, or at 11:30 and get in for a midnight snack.

If you decided to wait until after breakfast you'd hit a 5 knot adverse tide at Cap Barfleur.