France

[Danpompey]

Hello,

We are looking to cross the channel for the first time over to France this Summer.

We want to spend about 5 days at a Marina but unsure which one.

Can anyone give us some advice on nice Marinas which have a town etc nearby?

Thanks

 

[sailorman]

Hello,

We are looking to cross the channel for the first time over to France this Summer.

We want to spend about 5 days at a Marina but unsure which one.

Can anyone give us some advice on nice Marinas which have a town etc nearby?

Thanks

Ouisterham
Duville
St Vaast
St Valery en Caux
Cherbourg
Honfluer
LeHarve
Dives sur Mare

 

[Searush]

Nah, there's no such thing as a "nice marina"

 

[Mr Googler]

I would go St Vaast first leg. Nice straight run, easy to nav. It is tidal but has good access range. A few nights there then round to Caen. You go through the lock at Ouistreham and a nice run up the river. The marina is right in the centre of town and its fab.

 

[Danpompey]

I would go St Vaast first leg. Nice straight run, easy to nav. It is tidal but has good access range. A few nights there then round to Caen. You go through the lock at Ouistreham and a nice run up the river. The marina is right in the centre of town and its fab.

Thanks Farsco, I'll look into it !

 

[RIN]

Why not spend a few nights at Cherbourg - not tidal very easy approaches and then do, say, Guernsey St Peter Port? This is tidal but loads of waiting pontoons. Of course you will have to do your course work to get the leaving times right as you will go through the Alderney Race

 

[Danpompey]

Does anyone go over to France regularly from Portsmouth or nearby?

We're looking at crossing over the first time but wouldn't mind following someone to get the confidence!

We’ve got a Sealine S24, If you wouldn’t mind a tag along please send me a message

 

[Tom Price]

French harbours

[QUOTE=Danpompey
"Can anyone give us some advice on nice Marinas which have a town etc nearby?"

I recommend Neville Featherstone's Cruising Companion to North France - £18 from Amazon - packed with info and lots of pics. The first chapter is "Getting there" starting from ports between Portland & Chichester to harbours from Cherbourg to Le Havre, all good stuff.

 

[speedfiend]

From Portsmouth I would suggest crossing to St Vaast and then all the harbours/marinas up to honfleur are nice. try a different one each day providing tide times and weather acceptable.
Enjoy!!!

 

[blueglass]

my personal favourite is Fecamp, just east of Le Havre. For a nice easy passage at almost right angles to the shipping lanes slip down to Brighton first perhaps for a night and go from there. easy approaches etc. Fecamp has more of a harbour atmosphere than a marina so even Searush might like it. Its in the heart of the town which has plenty of good bars and restaurants. nice walks on the piers and the beach. There's a great walk up to the WWII german gun emplacements up on the clifftops. We did our very first channell crossing to there some years ago and have returned several times for more. very friendly sort of a place.
Easy hops from there take you to Le Havre, Ouistreham, St Vaast etc as others have suggested. But bear in mind that some of those places have narrowish tidal access and if you get your timings wrong it can be a problem. For a first time crossing - keep it as simple as possible. Both Brighton and Fecamp are all tide access.

 

[kcrane]

For a first time crossing - keep it as simple as possible. Both Brighton and Fecamp are all tide access.

I'd agree making it as easy as possible to passage plan.

The Brighton to Fecamp run we did a few weeks ago and it was straightforward, as is Portsmouth to Cherbourg which we did a couple of times last year.

Hard to miss Cherbourg, it has a huge outer harbour and a large marina!

 

[Solitaire]

Does anyone go over to France regularly from Portsmouth or nearby?

We're looking at crossing over the first time but wouldn't mind following someone to get the confidence!

We’ve got a Sealine S24, If you wouldn’t mind a tag along please send me a message

PM sent.

 

[Seajet]

Does anyone go over to France regularly from Portsmouth or nearby?

We're looking at crossing over the first time but wouldn't mind following someone to get the confidence!

We’ve got a Sealine S24, If you wouldn’t mind a tag along please send me a message

Well, you wouldn't be the first to follow Brittany Ferries !

Seriously though, in settled weather and with yourself doing some serious reading of pilot books & studying tides, St. Peter Port is a good choice, lovely place with the town right by the marina.

Also, remember the old tip, applicable even with power boats, aim to arrive up-tide of wherever you'd like to be your destination, crucial in the Channel Islands and Cherbourg area.