Cruising North Coast of France (from UK)

[danieleither]

This year will be my 3rd season of motor boat ownership, and I'm considering to pop over and cruise the North coast of France for a few days / weeks at some point this summer.

What would a trip across the channel entail (from a legal point of view)? Do I need permission or some kind of license? Would I have to report to authorities with my passport? I would be looking to cross from West Solent area to Cherbourg.

 

[bobgarrett]

 

[Shifty]

Have done this many times but personally head straight for Guernsey, stay one night top up with cheap fuel then head on to France. If you are limited by time constraints we would always head for our planned furthest destination so we can head back as weather permits. Always good to head back to either Jersey or Guernsey a couple of days early so you can obviously fuel but also wait for a decent weather window.

 

[ashtead]

Just be aware if you venture to cherbourg and arrive after 6pm and leave before 9 the next day no way to stamp in. If you go to a CI and then head to to say St cast (good marina and facilities) no check in for passports either. Most marina seem remarkably disinterested in the whole passport stamping process certainly in 2022.

 

[Shifty]

We did all our checking in on line last year, headed to St Cast on the way out, and left via St Quay. absolutely no problems and found the French so welcoming desperate for Brits to return. For context we went for four weeks and only spotted 2 other Uk motor boats.

 

[ashtead]

You clearly missed all the British boats we saw in st cast in early July-one Hallberg from Swanwick we had seen there on a previous trip plus a quality Dutch looking mobo with a rope bumper -a liessen maybe ?

 

[Shifty]

We were in St Cast middle of July…. It got a tad warm!!