La Rochelle

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gjgm

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who is it that has been keeping their boat there please?
I dont fancy the Med as I dont have all those lights, but what about Brittany,Vendee?
Or CIs I guess, but how does that work on @exporting@ your boat and ARRGGG V A T ....??
 
jrudge said:
Hi. We have been there for 6 years in total. Love the place. We leave for Mallorca in 2 weeks for a change in scene, but pm me with any questions or pm me your phone number.
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Be great to talk off line, but the MBY arcticle got me thinking a bit. Problem with w.ending at many of the mentioned marinas is the tidal access of course, but La Rochelle is 24hr, I assume.
Could you give a brief outline on here of +/-, top spots,travel etc,in case others are interested, and then maybe we can natter after !
Was also wondering about northern Brittany or CIs..maybe just for some months, as we only boat Spring/Summer anyway.
 
How about the River Villaine, we spent a few weeks in the river at Roche Bernard. It's a very popular area with the Brits, sheltered, very reasonable price wise and also very convenient for many other ports on the W coast of France and right next to the Morbihan
and not far from lots of beautiful islands (which for us were the highlight of a 4 month cruise). Also if you're marina based they do a Morbihan passport which gives you lots of free nights at other marinas.

Well worth a look.

We also spent 2 weeks in La Rochelle, we loved it there, lots to do and see, a fabulous daily market, huge number of cafes and bars and great street entertainment in the evenings - not to be missed. And taking the boat in through the entrance past the 2 forts was a real highlight. And of course the weather tends to be much better once you pass the Raz du Seine. In fact I'm wondering why I'm sat here typing this looking at the rain p1ssing down yet again when I could be over there!!
 
please keep talking guys as great interest to me, anywhere south of ushant my knowledge is not great without consulting pilots etc am thinking of taking my boat down for a number of weeks at the end of the season late sept onwards and any tips would be great from someone who has done it before (like morbihan passport i had not heard of )
have been told Vanne is a nice place and G.de Morbihan has some scope, would like to get down as far as La Rochelle as warmer weather probably lasts longer late sept and october but depends on variables like guests, expense,berthing,etc etc
 
gjgm said:
northern Brittany or CIs..maybe just for some months, as we only boat Spring/Summer anyway.
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We tried CI for a year but it got cut short.........

Great place lots to do, flights expensive.
If you stay over 3 years your boats VAT status is lost and will be due to be paid on re import unless you have a prior agreement for extenuating circumstances like world voyage.

Flights can be unpredictable with fog, we had to bring our boat back as all flights were cancelled (due to Volcano) and all ferries were fully booked.

Im going to guess but dont know that there is some sort of fiddle where you can leave CI for a weeks holiday to France/England in order to extend the three year problem,(you need to be cautious).
 
La Rochelle is server by Ryanair. Flybe also fly there but are expensive. In the summer there is Easyjet form Gatwick which depending on where you live is best for me.

There are 4 basins in La Rochelle. 2 unlocked ( Minimes 300 berths ) and Vieux Port which is for smaller boats and visitors.

I am in Petit Bassin De Yacht which is locked and is right in the middle of town .Plan your weekends and tide does not really make much difference. The other is Chalutier which is where you go if you are > 10 mtrs ( officially but I am 12m in Petit Bassin) .

Minimes is Ok, but it is a huge marina in the middle of nowhere - well a mile out of town. It will take 30 mins to walk round it depending on where your are berthed.

There is always something going on so the more central ones are preferable.

Load of places to go, Islands, up the coast, down the coast. i have been to Spain twice. Weather not South of France but pretty good.

Berthing for a 12m boat on contract ( 3 year wait but they are adding 1000 berths) is approx E3500, off contract double that.

The boat show is in september and they throw out 100% of visitors so you will need to head somewhere else!

You can get seasonal berths when the berth holder has gone away if you ask
 
DAKA said:
Im going to guess but dont know that there is some sort of fiddle where you can leave CI for a weeks holiday to France/England in order to extend the three year problem,(you need to be cautious).
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Why would that be a fiddle, and why on earth would you need to be cautious? The law says if you leave the EU for 3 years the boat can be deemed not VAT paid, so nobody in their right mind would keep a VAT paid boat in the CI's without returning to EU waters from time to time, and getting some berthing bills etc. to prove it.
 
Nick_H said:
Why would that be a fiddle, and why on earth would you need to be cautious? The law says if you leave the EU for 3 years the boat can be deemed not VAT paid, so nobody in their right mind would keep a VAT paid boat in the CI's without returning to EU waters from time to time, and getting some berthing bills etc. to prove it.
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In forum speak you're most likely right Nick and there is loads of other VAT issues that are overlooked by many not being a problem.
Technically there is no written law regarding the specifics of the 3 year export issue as I understand it.

The 3 years is how the HMRC choose to interpret the law.

It is possible that a boat being exported for 1 year is due to reimport VAT, after all it has been exported and is going to be reimported, HMRC appear currently happy to overlook re importation of pleasure boats up to 3 years.

If you fiddle by bringing an exported boat back to the UK for a holiday it is not a certainty that it will be deemed as reimported just because it returned for a holiday ( happy to be corrected if anyone has looked into it, it is several years since I researched it).

If anyone is leaving their boat outside the EU or is buying a boat that has been outside the EU then they should seek further advice.

edit

This is a happy thread about La Rochelle/Brittany/CI , lets not turn this into a VAT debate, a mini warning to check up on VAT should he choose CI is perfectly adequate, if he chooses CI a new thread can be started :)
 
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Yes, my post was badly written. The only points I was trying to make were:

- how could it be classed as a "fiddle" when you've already paid EU VAT?
- Pragmatically, the CI's are so close to EU waters that it would be sensible to travel into those waters occasionally, and get some proof of it, to avoid any potential importation claim from HMRC in the future.
 
Says Hythe on your profile so Southampton is close - better than heading to Stansted.

I find FlyBe more expensive than Ryanair by probably 25% so as Soton / Stansted as no different to get to Rynair is a no brainer.

For about 8 weeks in the summer Easyjet is pretty good. You can also drive ( 10 hrs) or take the train ( not done it but my parents did and enjoyed it).
 
Nick_H said:
- how could it be classed as a "fiddle" when you've already paid EU VAT?

I think..........paying VAT in EU allows you to enjoy your boat while in the EU, if you export your boat you dont get the VAT back, its gone and spent. If you choose to re import your boat then you have to pay a second time based on the current value, the 'fiddle' would be attempting to con the HMRC that the boat wasnt really exported, personally I wouldnt do it but I accept many do far worse
- Pragmatically, the CI's are so close to EU waters that it would be sensible to travel into those waters occasionally, and get some proof of it, to avoid any potential importation claim from HMRC in the future.
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agree with the first bit , but you wouldnt totally get rid of a potential claim, a theoretical claim is possible at which point any evidence of attempting to dupe HMCR may earn you a custodial sentence . I am happy to agree the chances of getting caught are slim and many take the risk, no different to peddling drugs on a street corner, not much chance of getting caught, thousands take the risk daily and get away with it but for those with morals I thought I should point out that it is technically wrong and I personally wouldnt attempt to con HMRC, or sell wacky backy , we all choose what degree of risk we are prepared to take.
 
Not another bl00dy VAT thread! :mad: I expect it will soon move on to collision avoidance abroad :p

Surely the OP and thread is more about good places in France to keep a boat?
 
The op mentioned France and CI.

I thought the potential 3 year VAT issue needed a brief mention.

As for the protracted nature , I blame Nick :p
It's hardly been aired , jfm's not noticed it yet :D



I have concluded my input save to say I'm not an expert and



AURIGNY gjgm :D


edit

Cheap diesel in CI.
 
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DAKA said:
agree with the first bit , but you wouldnt totally get rid of a potential claim, a theoretical claim is possible at which point any evidence of attempting to dupe HMCR may earn you a custodial sentence . I am happy to agree the chances of getting caught are slim and many take the risk, no different to peddling drugs on a street corner, not much chance of getting caught, thousands take the risk daily and get away with it but for those with morals I thought I should point out that it is technically wrong and I personally wouldnt attempt to con HMRC, or sell wacky backy , we all choose what degree of risk we are prepared to take.
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You wouldn't be duping anyone, you'd be exercising your rights as an EU citizen to sail your VAT paid boat in EU waters.
 
Nick_H said:
You wouldn't be duping anyone, you'd be exercising your rights as an EU citizen to sail your VAT paid boat in EU waters.
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you are free to sail a non VAT paid or an exported boat back to EU for a holiday.

That doesn't alter any status, if its VAT paid and exported it remains exported.

If you re import it then import duty is due @ 20%

You will have paid VAT @ 20% , exported it and paid 20% again on re import.


Have as many holidays as you like but if its exported its exported.

If you reimport within three years HMRC will most likely be happy to wave the re import duty assuming things stay as they are currently.



Thats more or less the situation although it needs jfm to explain the technical differences between VAT/import duty VAT paid status and Import duty status, different EU country irregularities etc but for a forum summary that will do for this thread.

It makes the whole idea of seeing VAT documentation a farce for any boat older than 3 years old, original berthing contract documents are imperative if you want absolute proof of vat status.

Anyone who goes on holiday to CI and doesnt complete the C1331 form(or French ********) could also be storing problems, the C1331 form is your ticket to leave the EU declaring that you are NOT exporting , you can then return without any worries.



I accept that the above is how it should be done be very few take any notice.
 
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jrudge said:
Says Hythe on your profile so Southampton is close - better than heading to Stansted.

I find FlyBe more expensive than Ryanair by probably 25% so as Soton / Stansted as no different to get to Rynair is a no brainer.

For about 8 weeks in the summer Easyjet is pretty good. You can also drive ( 10 hrs) or take the train ( not done it but my parents did and enjoyed it).
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Thanks. I live and work in London.
Need to look a bit more, but the flight times dont look good for w.ending. Maybe I need to start with planes and then what marinas that opens !
 
Do not tell anyone....

Dear Gjgm

If I lived in London I would try NW Spain Rias Baixas, Galicia. A few brits keep their boats in our marinas on a yearly basis. To be honest, I do not want our nice fjords crowded but I think there are still room for a few boats.
Sailing is a pleasure here, you can always sail inside the fjords with a plain water or else go out and find the wild ocean. Flights from London are cheap, I go there sometimes, direct link to La Coruña, Santiago and Vigo, if you book in advance, you can get tickets for 40€,an example, is cheaper for me to go to London by plane for some Albert Hall concert than drive or fly to Madrid looking for some entertainment.
Food is the best, seafood kingdom, tapas and wines,etc... Friendly people ( if you are a polite person, but all old school brit people are...). You have good nautical shops, my home port Marina Villagarcia got one of the bests, owned for a friend of mine. You have all kind of nautical services and also you can keep your boat "on dry" during winter months.
I will not go on talking about my homeland, since I am not an objective point of view...but I will answer anyone who needs info.;)
 
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