I love Brittany.

S

Sybarite

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Avoiding the 41-42° forecast for today in the Paris area I am down on the boat in a light breeze, cloudless 25°. Coffee and fresh orange juice on the shaded terrace of a restaurant. Watching the world and the boats go by.

I then visited the Capitainerie to see where the nearest post box was. « It’s up in the village. Give it to me; I have my car here and it won’t take a moment....*»

Btw it was 26.4°c at the coolest moment last night in Paris - again a record.
 
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I will be joining you in two days, a mixed blessing we will be staying with the outlaws but I get to get away for 3 days to England at the end of next week.:encouragement:
A few days golf and the same on the bike in sensible temperatures.:encouragement:
 
Just don't go to Binic when the Rock festival is on as they throw rocks at boats I'm told by a mobo from Guernsey . Otherwise the weather is lovely and marina staff generally very helpful with morning bread and hire bikes etc .
 
Sailing in France knocks spots off the Uk. It certainly spoils you over here. I’ve not been here for a couple of years and did wonder why I would want to sail at home at all.
Next year we’re re locating to Brittany.
 
robertj said:
Sailing in France knocks spots off the Uk. It certainly spoils you over here. I’ve not been here for a couple of years and did wonder why I would want to sail at home at all.
Next year we’re re locating to Brittany.
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5 very happy years in Brittany during which we experimented with returning the boat to the UK, an experiment which lasted 1 month. That said, I think maybe N Spain trumps Brittany due to milder winters and ease of air travel from UK. It might just be the novelty value, though.
 
Quiddle said:
5 very happy years in Brittany during which we experimented with returning the boat to the UK, an experiment which lasted 1 month. That said, I think maybe N Spain trumps Brittany due to milder winters and ease of air travel from UK. It might just be the novelty value, though.
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Please elaborate as it’s good to get opinions on areas etc.
 
robertj said:
Please elaborate as it’s good to get opinions on areas etc.
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S Brittany pros: Glorious summers, a wide range options from remote island anchorages to medeval city centres, excellent service and maintenance facilities, the best value marina package I know of by far, great food.
Cons: Hard to get to without driving from UK, Winter is like a UK winter, ram packed marinas in July and August especially when rallies are in town.
For me the main reason to move on was having been pretty well everywhere within a month's sail though I don't regret a moment of my time there and may well return.
N Spain can be wetter than Brittany but is warmer all year around and can be reached by air easily and cheaply. Eating out, drinking out and shopping is much cheaper, especially W of Bilbao. Ancorages in the rias are abundant and well sheltered.
Both are, IMO, excellent sailing venues IF you can sail regularly for a week or more at a time: weekend trips are not really viable.
 
Quiddle said:
S Brittany pros: Glorious summers, a wide range options from remote island anchorages to medeval city centres, excellent service and maintenance facilities, the best value marina package I know of by far, great food.
Cons: Hard to get to without driving from UK, Winter is like a UK winter, ram packed marinas in July and August especially when rallies are in town.
For me the main reason to move on was having been pretty well everywhere within a month's sail though I don't regret a moment of my time there and may well return.
N Spain can be wetter than Brittany but is warmer all year around and can be reached by air easily and cheaply. Eating out, drinking out and shopping is much cheaper, especially W of Bilbao. Ancorages in the rias are abundant and well sheltered.
Both are, IMO, excellent sailing venues IF you can sail regularly for a week or more at a time: weekend trips are not really viable.
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Thanks for the input. Three day sail from Brittany when we seek other pastures new.
 
Moved my boat from Cowes to Quiberon this year.
Don't understand why I didn't do it sooner, absolutely fabulous place to sail and just to be, easy day sail to Ile d'yeu and many, many other lovely places. My boat is out of the water for August to avoid the crowds but it'll be back in and we'll be back down first week of September. Just got back from antifouling and the Quiberon sardine festival !
Leave Cowes 0600, get to boat by car around 1700 including two ferries, bike is a little quicker
Do it !
 
I agree with all the good things said about Brittany, except the comment that winters are like the UK!
I over wintered in Lorient and the weather was much better than any UK winter I've experienced, warmer and less rain, 9 days out of 10 it was fine enough for outside painting and woodwork. Yes there was one week of storms but that was it.
Also, a pontoon berth in the city centre was something like €150 monthly, including unlimited leccy..and a sauna! No quibbling about liveaboards either. Winter rates).
 
We have gone slightly further south, to La Rochelle, and it is working out very well so far, the sailing is excellent and the environment delightful. We were in Brightlingsea for several years and have found the change to be very positive overall. Cheap flights from Stanstead to La Rochelle and then 1.30 Euro bus into town means that it is easy to go back and forth, last winter we used the boat more as a caravan/cottage and had at least a weekend a month in LR, where the winter weather was much milder than London. Marina berth for 11.2x3.85 boat is 3200 Euro pa.
 
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