Cruising Britanny without Marinas

Chris_Robb

Chris_Robb

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In view of the horrible euro costs, how feasible is it to avoid marinas in Britanny, just anchoring. I know the Tregier and Lezadreux rivers for anchoring, and behind isle de Brehat - though somewhat dodgy holding. Also down south of Morgat. But how many other spots offer the ability to anchor, especially during spring tides, safely and in nice scenic surrounds?

SWMBO will insit on a certain number of nights in a manina but.....
 
Last year we sailed from Cumbria to La baule, South Brittany. Spent 37 nights away and only 13 nights in marinas. Fantastic time great sailing apart from the gale on the way home but that's sailing, just like last weekend on the way home from Scotland. Photo's some of our anchorages. First just south of Morgat. You can see the large rock on Google maps if you look. The second Isle de groix and the third in Audierne waiting to go through the Raz de Sein. We've never been at anchor with so many other boats in one place. Go its great for us at anchor beats marina any day. Do as our French friends showed us, pull in during the day fill up with water, shop and depart. Shower on board it's cheaper use solar if you can have a free life.
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If the weather is settled then Lampaul on the west side of Ile d'Ouessant is really nice. Free visitors buoys just off a nice small beach. Its got a real outpost, Celtic fringe of Europe feel. We actually anchored inside the buoys, just off the beach in about 4m and could see the chain right down to the anchor.

<edit>Just found a picture. Square is the field of visitors' buoys and circle is us.
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Beach is just out of shot bottom left. Tiny drying harbor is bottom right. </edit>
 
Weather permitting it is easy enough to avoid marinas except for the odd stock-up day. In 2007 we paid just £135 for 5 weeks away but last year a windy spell for a week pushed it up to £200 for a 41 footer.

We anchor in Camaret, Morgat, St Evette (Audierne), Benodet (Anse Du Trez), Glenans, Concarneau, Port Manec'h, Isle de Houat (lots of super spots), Hoedic, Belle Isle (lots of super spots) Le Bono, L'Armor Baden and Isle Longue in Morbihan, then Anse De Vielle off Isle De Yeu. Then L'Aberwrac'h, Perros Guirec and Havelet Bay or Sark on the way home and occasionally in Treguier River.

The French Pilotes Cotiers are excellent and dare I suggest are the source of Peter Cumberlidge's Secret Anchorages.
 
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I cannot help but think you need to clarify how far south you intend to cruise.

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I suspect that this year we will not be going far beyond Morgat.
 
Robin and others - thanks for your replies. First stop will be Peter Cumberlidge's Secret Anchorages. Next will be hoping for reasonable weather!

Unlike yours, Robin, my SWMBO can be destinctly nervous about everything to do with sailing if it gets lively, so I have to be very carefull not to kill her interest!
 
Chris it is a shame you will be not going south of Morgat! The area between Chenal Du Four and Le Raz De Sein is decidedly more benign for anchoring than it is along the North Brittany coast and south of Morgat it gets easier and with lots more opportunities. The North Brittany coast has the big problem of strong tides and big tidal ranges, neaps are easier of course than springs but you can't book that when needed.

The North Brittany coast IMO is best visited from west to east, because you get more tide in your favour (tide gets later as you go east) and you mostly arrive at HW at your next stop. In L'Aberwrac'h you can anchor just outside and upriver of the buoys, but not too close or the HM will move you on. Perros has some deepwater waiting buoys on the point in the approaches that are free and as we often reach there late we pick one up or anchor nearby rather than go into the marina until next day. Port Blanc (between Perros and Treguier) is a good deepwater anchorage (except in NW) and the narrow entrance is lit at night, Treguier River has a few spots too and you already know Brehat. There are also spots between Isle De Batz and Roscoff, in the river up to Morlaix and in the area around Trebeurden. Sept Isles in good weather is a nice spot too, go ashore and get a trip around the lighthouse.

Around Morgat we anchor just outside of the harbour but there are several other nice anchorages between Cap De La Chevre and Morgat. In Camaret we anchor inside the moorings and the old fishfarm, now sailboard base but there are several bays around that are also nice in the right weather.

Anyway enjoy!
 
There's a peaceful and picturesque little pool inside the entrance to the Leguer River; some moorings but I think there's room to drop the hook. You can then get up to Lannion on the tide and dry out alongside, but "scenic" isn't a word that springs immediately to mind......

Port Blanc and Tregastel are also nice in the right conditions, though you'd have to proceed with caution.
 
from memory port blanc has a few mooring buoys. that are cheap overnighter's in the right condition's. I've also anchored outside treburden for a few night's
 
Robin - perhaps we will make one hit from Portsmouth to Brest/Camaret/Morgat - where SWMBO can join us by plane - Flybe from Southampton to Brest. Anyone know about public transport connection from Brest Airport?

If we do this we will be able to sluice down south, as you say, there are more opportunities.
 
It's not a bad idea doing it in one / two stops. we normally head along the English coast to Devon / Cornwall dependant on wind direction then dive across. there are less tidal gates to worry about. I've crossed from anywhere between Dartmouth and falmouth before. distance wise there's not much in it and it gives you a better sail angle giving a prevailing SW. plently of places to anchor over nite or pick up a HM mooring on the south coast.
 
Rade de Brest is a good mini cruising ground in its own right with lots of good anchorages
 
Chris,

I'm not sure of the public transport between Brest and the airport but the taxi fare is very reasonable - around 12 Euros from memory.
There are many good and sheltered anchorages in the Rade de Brest and the river Aulne.
We kept our boat in Douarnenez for 2 years and during that time spent 6 months sailing the area. During the whole period I can't remember paying for a mooring more than 6 times.
We hope to be back there at the end of this month.
Henry
 
Chris we do like Aidy and get down quickly, going first west along the UK side to Dartmouth and crossing from there. Since we have similar sized boats we take 10hrs from Poole to Dartmouth, often do that overnight first night of our holiday. Then as soon as weather permits Dartmouth to Camaret in one hit, 24 hrs at 6kts but we usually manage less with some wind, 21 or 22hrs We like Camaret and it has a good supermarket, we anchor as said and take the dinghy to the slip by the supermarket and do the first 'French' stock up. The inner marina at Camaret is always very busy with especially little space for big boats and the outer marina is a very long walk, again the dinghy is easier. Next we do Camaret to Glenans, (maybe 10hrs) then Glenans to Quiberon Bay, usually Houat, around 8hrs maybe. After that we dawdle and daysail and laze, coming home along the North Brittany coast and Guernsey.

We have never used plane train or automobile so not much help there.
 
I am just back from a cruise in and around and through Brittany starting back in Mid March.
Anchoring or picking up buoys when too crowded with them but not boats I only had to pay in 4 places for alongside berths and elect water etc. Total cost- 87 euros, and that included a mast raising in Dinan included in the overnight stay.
Good news. I also Wintered over there , about 1/2 the cost of UK.
 
Like Aidy and Robin I would advise going west then hop over to through C du Four. Once leaving Torquay evening poodled along went through Raz following day and after 36 hours pitched up in the morning around the Glenn area.

Simply masses of non Marina places from there down to Rochefort, better weather etc etc Really quiet spots like Penerf, Etat, as well as off the fleshpots .

Still very good in North Brittany which is where I will be in June, you could spend a week in the Morlaix and adjacent rivers alone and never touch a pontoon.


Brian
 
There was a free bus into the centre of Brest when we did it 3 years ago. Ask Flybe about it. From there it is a short hop to the marina by public transport or taxi.
 
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