kidnapped
New member
Just read about La Rochelle in this month's YM .... Is it a practical proposition for a destination for a summer cruise? Two weeks available from Solent. How would you break up the cruise into 'easy sails'?
La Rochelle .. 2 wks in summer
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LadyInBed
Well-known member
Did the trip via Vilaine and Rance in a 22' Motor Sailer on my way back from the Med day sailing as I was single handed. The following times and distances might give you some idea. . .
The Bay of Biscay
*10 Aug. Royan - La Rochelle 49 nmls 8 hrs 45
*12 Aug. La Rochelle - Les Sables d'Olonne 35 nmls 9 hrs 45
*14 Aug. Les Sables d'Olonne - St Gilles Croix de Vie 16 nmls 5 hrs 45
*15 Aug. St Gilles Croix de Vie - Ile d'Yeu 18 nmls 4 hrs
*16 Aug. Ile d'Yeu - L'Herbaudière 22 nmls 6 hrs 30
*17 Aug. L'Herbaudière - Le Croisic 24 nmls 5 hrs 30
*18 Aug. Le Croisic - La Vilaine mouth 16 nmls 5 hrs
The Vilaine
*18 Aug. La Vilaine mouth - Arzal Lock 10 km 1 hr 15
*18 Aug. Arzal Lock - La Roche Bernard 1 lock 7 km 45 mins
*19 Aug. La Roche Bernard - Redon 32 km 3 hrs 40
*20 Aug. Redon - Mâlon Lock 38 km 5 hrs 20
*21 Aug. Mâlon Lock - Rennes 12 locks 50 km 10 hrs 20
The Rance
*23 Aug. Rennes pk 1 - Lock 21 nr Hédé pk 41 20 locks 41 km 9 hrs 40
*24 Aug. Lock 21 - Dinan pk 78 27 locks 37 km 10 hrs 45
*25 Aug. Dinan - La Rance Barrage pk 98 2 locks 20 km 3 hrs
*25 Aug. La Rance Barrage - St Malo 4 nmls 45 mins
The Channel Islands and Home
*26 Aug. St Malo - St Helier 44 nmls 10 hrs
*28 Aug. St Helier - St Peter Port 20 nmls 5 hrs 45
*31 Aug. St Peter Port - Weymouth 70 nmls 14 hrs
The Bay of Biscay
*10 Aug. Royan - La Rochelle 49 nmls 8 hrs 45
*12 Aug. La Rochelle - Les Sables d'Olonne 35 nmls 9 hrs 45
*14 Aug. Les Sables d'Olonne - St Gilles Croix de Vie 16 nmls 5 hrs 45
*15 Aug. St Gilles Croix de Vie - Ile d'Yeu 18 nmls 4 hrs
*16 Aug. Ile d'Yeu - L'Herbaudière 22 nmls 6 hrs 30
*17 Aug. L'Herbaudière - Le Croisic 24 nmls 5 hrs 30
*18 Aug. Le Croisic - La Vilaine mouth 16 nmls 5 hrs
The Vilaine
*18 Aug. La Vilaine mouth - Arzal Lock 10 km 1 hr 15
*18 Aug. Arzal Lock - La Roche Bernard 1 lock 7 km 45 mins
*19 Aug. La Roche Bernard - Redon 32 km 3 hrs 40
*20 Aug. Redon - Mâlon Lock 38 km 5 hrs 20
*21 Aug. Mâlon Lock - Rennes 12 locks 50 km 10 hrs 20
The Rance
*23 Aug. Rennes pk 1 - Lock 21 nr Hédé pk 41 20 locks 41 km 9 hrs 40
*24 Aug. Lock 21 - Dinan pk 78 27 locks 37 km 10 hrs 45
*25 Aug. Dinan - La Rance Barrage pk 98 2 locks 20 km 3 hrs
*25 Aug. La Rance Barrage - St Malo 4 nmls 45 mins
The Channel Islands and Home
*26 Aug. St Malo - St Helier 44 nmls 10 hrs
*28 Aug. St Helier - St Peter Port 20 nmls 5 hrs 45
*31 Aug. St Peter Port - Weymouth 70 nmls 14 hrs
Robin
Well-known member
2 wks isn't enough, there are loads of places on route (most better than La Rochelle unless your thing is marinas), shame to miss the really good stuff just to get there. We go from Poole every year but are lucky enough to have 4/5weeks, personal favourites are the offshore islands off Morbihan (Belle Isle, Houat, Hoedic) Isle De Glenans (off Concarneau/Benodet), Concarneau, Isle de Yeu, Morgat. The coast south of Isle de Yeu gets flatter and less interesting I think, far fewer nice anchorages too.
A lot of people do it on a shared basis, one crew takes the boat south, another goes out by car and swapover to bring the boat back. Or you could leave the boat there and return the next spring, layup and berths/mooring are 30% of UK prices.
A lot of people do it on a shared basis, one crew takes the boat south, another goes out by car and swapover to bring the boat back. Or you could leave the boat there and return the next spring, layup and berths/mooring are 30% of UK prices.
drawp
Member
I would have to agree with Robin. It is too far unless your talking about a Sunseeker or some such extravagance! Even then you would be weather dependent. There are too many nice places in between. My favourite is the Belon River. Follow Robin's advice - stage it out, leave your boat there, use a delivery crew. It is worth it.
kidnapped
New member
Thank you for info .... I thought it a bit far, now I've got to find all those interesting places ... now where ARE those charts etc?
Chris_Robb
Well-known member
We did south Britanny last year for 2 weeks. We regreted it as it meant that we had to do nearly 50 60 miles per day on average, which is not exactly a relaxing holiday. We are a heavy 40 foot motor sailer and can average 7 knots (with engine!!)
The first obstacle is the long passage to Ushant, against a prevailing westerly. 'er in doors refused to do this bit so we met up in Brest. The voyage time was 38 hours from Chichester to Brest and some 250 miles which gave us an average of 6.5 knots. However this was into a steady 25 knot south wester. You will need a lot of luck with the weather. This is cleary where the good old fahioned motor sailer comes into its own!
Even though we did this one long hop, we only got to stay 2 days in one place, and we were moving everyday This really is too much, and I would not do it again.
The only way to acheive this on limited holidays is to find another skipper and crew for the outward leg - a luxury only available to syndicate ownership, unless you know someone you would trust with your boat!
The first obstacle is the long passage to Ushant, against a prevailing westerly. 'er in doors refused to do this bit so we met up in Brest. The voyage time was 38 hours from Chichester to Brest and some 250 miles which gave us an average of 6.5 knots. However this was into a steady 25 knot south wester. You will need a lot of luck with the weather. This is cleary where the good old fahioned motor sailer comes into its own!
Even though we did this one long hop, we only got to stay 2 days in one place, and we were moving everyday This really is too much, and I would not do it again.
The only way to acheive this on limited holidays is to find another skipper and crew for the outward leg - a luxury only available to syndicate ownership, unless you know someone you would trust with your boat!
Robin
Well-known member
For the record, our route down from Poole (Westerly 33 Ketch, husband/wife crew) is 1st leg overnight 10hrs to Dartmouth, 2nd Leg 24hrs (144 mls at 6kts) Dart to Camaret (don't stop at L'Aberwrac'h, the time diverting up/down river is wasted, you go thro' Chenal du Four very quickly and the tide turns south here 2 hrs before it goes west from L'Aberwrac'h which means you would be against the tide down river and as far as the Four). 3rd leg is Camaret thro Raz de Sein round Penmarc'h to Benodet (we mostly don't bother going in these days, just anchor overnight outside in Anse de Trez, time depends on wind as we are now happy to sail at any speed, but around 9/10 hrs. 4th leg is Benodet to Quiberon/Morbihan area, about 8/9 hrs, usually go to the big anchorage off Isle de Houat.
Nowadays we mostly play around then for 2 wks visiting Houat, Isle de Hoedic, Belle Isle (anchorages always, it's what we go for). Major food stockups, water, laundry and restaurant needs are covered by 1 night visits to either La Trinite or Crouesty.
Return is more leisurely, via Isles de Glenans, Concarneau and/or Port La Foret, then Concarneau (area) to Morgat (10/11/hrs), Morgat to L'Aberwrac'h (6/7 hrs), L'Aberwrac'h to Perros Guirec (6/7 hrs), Perros to St Peter Port (8hrs) St Peter Port to Cherbourg (clears EEC customs!) then Cherbourg home to Poole. On occasion we have returned from Morgat direct to Falmouth (24hrs), then back along the UK coast, also have done L'Aberwrach'h to St Peter Port in one leg.
Other than the over-tide stops (ie Dartmouth, l'Aberwrac'h) we generally stay at least a couple of nights.
There are dozens of other places, our route is via personal favourites but as someone else said there are Avon/Belon rivers, Douarnenez, Ushant, Isle de Sein, Loctudy, Isle de Groix, inside the Morbihan (Vannes or Auray Rivers plus loads of islands), La Roche Bernard, La Turballe, Isle de Yeu etc etc etc... Make the effort somehow because it really is a wonderful cruising area. La Rochelle is a long way down my favourites list.
Good luck!
Nowadays we mostly play around then for 2 wks visiting Houat, Isle de Hoedic, Belle Isle (anchorages always, it's what we go for). Major food stockups, water, laundry and restaurant needs are covered by 1 night visits to either La Trinite or Crouesty.
Return is more leisurely, via Isles de Glenans, Concarneau and/or Port La Foret, then Concarneau (area) to Morgat (10/11/hrs), Morgat to L'Aberwrac'h (6/7 hrs), L'Aberwrac'h to Perros Guirec (6/7 hrs), Perros to St Peter Port (8hrs) St Peter Port to Cherbourg (clears EEC customs!) then Cherbourg home to Poole. On occasion we have returned from Morgat direct to Falmouth (24hrs), then back along the UK coast, also have done L'Aberwrach'h to St Peter Port in one leg.
Other than the over-tide stops (ie Dartmouth, l'Aberwrac'h) we generally stay at least a couple of nights.
There are dozens of other places, our route is via personal favourites but as someone else said there are Avon/Belon rivers, Douarnenez, Ushant, Isle de Sein, Loctudy, Isle de Groix, inside the Morbihan (Vannes or Auray Rivers plus loads of islands), La Roche Bernard, La Turballe, Isle de Yeu etc etc etc... Make the effort somehow because it really is a wonderful cruising area. La Rochelle is a long way down my favourites list.
Good luck!
