Marina(s) Report - France - Aug. 2011

[Chuteman]

One member asked that I share Marina costs and rather than just numbers, I decided to add info/comments on those items that are important to me. I'll separate by Country

Boat Size - If You have a 8, 9, 10 or 11 meter boat - good on You. For those who go beyond 12 meters especially 12.499 BEWARE or your beam is beyond
3.99 -BEWARE because You might be subjected to arbitrary pricing or at least be bumped up to much higher often 15m pricing. Some marinas ask but most take measurements off your documents that are requested probably 90%.

Low Season Rate Changes - some are Sept 1, More Oct 1 but others Nov 1
so check and often not noted on their web page if they have one

My usual preference is to anchor out however this trip was unique so using marinas became usual.

Hopefully, it will be of use to others.
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Marina - Port de Plaisance Camaret - finger slips and pontoons & along side
Location - Camaret, France
Date - Aug, 2011
Price per night - 30.12 inc vat
Protected - Yes with some wake and swell in certain areas
Security - did not see - no gates
Wi-Fi - for purchase
Fuel - did not take note
Toilets/Showers - F - Public - 2 euro charge for shower - Get 3rd world shots before use
Elec/Water - included if my memory is correct
Atmosphere - laid back, functional but small and basic
Other Services - Town nearby with most including the classic french bakery
Return - Yes, it was fine for arrival after crossing from Falmouth
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Marina - Capitainerie Benodet - finger slips and pontoons - visitors along side
Location - Benodet, France
Date - Aug, 2011
Price per night - 35,10 incl vat
Protected - Yes, except from wake of passing power boats in river
Security - not sure
Wi-Fi - No
Fuel - did not take notice
Toilets/showers - C - need token for shower.....not great
Elec/Water - major power outage/accident in marina - nothing avail
Atmosphere - appeared Ok.....but rain & power outage
Other Services - some at marina but walk to town
Return - Maybe - arrived late and left early. weather and troubles at marina
made it not that enjoyable
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Marina - Kernevel - finger slips and pontoons - separate visitors pontoon(s)
Location - Lorient, France
Date - Aug, 2011
Price per night - 39,00 euro inc vat
Protected - Yes - very well
Security - locked gates
Wi-Fi - for purchase - Netabord.....worked well for mr
Fuel - Yes, large area - separate entrance to port before marina entrance
Toilets/showers - B+ - Co-ed toilets w/ separate shower area but small for marina size
Elec/Water - included if memory correct
Atmosphere - Professional, clean, organized - liked it a lot
Other Services - at marina or nearby which are fun to reach with Free bicycles
Return - Absolutely, enjoyed the area which is very nautical - excellent supermarkets and all marine services you might need + museum
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Marina - Port de Pornichet
Location - Pornichet, France
Date - Aug, 2011
Price per night - 39,00 euro inc vat
Protected - Yes with some wake wash
Security - Locked gates
Wi-Fi - separate room in office with power
Fuel - Yes, at entrance to port - call for help if your credit card does not work in pump
Toilets/showers - D - old bunker style bldg - marginal
Elec/Water - included if my memory is correct
Atmosphere - large, busy, professional, but did not seem to cater to visitors
Other Services - either at marina or nearby in town about 10min walk
Return - Yes, I guess even with quirks
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Marina - Les Sables - finger slips and pontoons
Location - Les Sables d’Olonne, France
Date - Aug, 2011
Price per night - 37,40 inc vat
Protected - Yes - but wake from power & fishing boats + jet ski rental
Security - locked gates
Wi-Fi - Yes, in office
Fuel - Yes at reception dock to port at entrance
Toilets/showers - do not remember details
Elec/Water - yes, included
Atmosphere - large spread out marina, all services avail
Other Services - most nearby or next to marina
Return - Yes - good jumping off place to Spain - did get boarded by French
Customs/Immigration at dock one day
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[Juggler7823]

Are the quoted prices for a particular length of Boat?

 

[Chuteman]

yes, A Good Starting Point

Yes, the size area I complained about
12.75 x 4.10 or the size of the QE2 as interpreted by some marinas

 

[jimbaerselman]

Yes, the size area I complained about
12.75 x 4.10 or the size of the QE2 as interpreted by some marinas

An awkward habit of some West Med marinas is to charge for the size of the berth allocated, rather than the boat size.

Great posts on marinas Chuteman! May I edit these into my web site?

 

[Chuteman]

Feel Free

An awkward habit of some West Med marinas is to charge for the size of the berth allocated, rather than the boat size.

Great posts on marinas Chuteman! May I edit these into my web site?

jb - that would be OK - of course, as you know, variables as calendar, size,
price changes, upgrades could affect future experiences

 

[jimbaerselman]

jb - that would be OK - of course, as you know, variables as calendar, size,
price changes, upgrades could affect future experiences

Agreed. I'll be dating the info. Many thanks . . .

 

[Bav34]

The biggest price shocker we have ever seen is Port Vauban, St Malo

here

Check out the daily cost structure:

First they categorise the boats by length.

Then they give them a code.

Then they group the codes together !!

Categories A to D pay the same, as do E to H, I to L and so on.

This makes the difference between a 9.99 metre boat and a 10 metre boat a ridiculous 12 euros extra each night!

 

[Allan]

My boat is 33ft (10.05m). I always say 10m, which has always been accepted. On the west coast of France this year every time I said 10m, when I was given the receipt it said 9.99m.
Allan
PS Concarneau was far more expensive than anywhere else at 32Euros/night for my boat.

 

[Chuteman]

Perfect Example

My boat is 33ft (10.05m). I always say 10m, which has always been accepted. On the west coast of France this year every time I said 10m, when I was given the receipt it said 9.99m.
Allan
PS Concarneau was far more expensive than anywhere else at 32Euros/night for my boat.

My general observations were:
Boats less than 12m were clearly placed in evenly spaced price categories

Below 12m, Beam did not seem to matter

Once the boat went over 12m especially 12.499, many of the Pricing sheets
jumped to 15m

Only a few marinas asked verbally the size of the boat, most took it off Boat Papers....

A few did a length x beam calculation but most seem to stick with length unless the beam crossed some line.......

or in my case at some places = matched the QE2

 

[Sybarite]

One member asked that I share Marina costs and rather than just numbers, I decided to add info/comments on those items that are important to me. I'll separate by Country

Boat Size - If You have a 8, 9, 10 or 11 meter boat - good on You. For those who go beyond 12 meters especially 12.499 BEWARE or your beam is beyond
3.99 -BEWARE because You might be subjected to arbitrary pricing or at least be bumped up to much higher often 15m pricing. Some marinas ask but most take measurements off your documents that are requested probably 90%.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Some take measurements off published data which gives overall length including overhangs eg pulpit. I have a non standard pulpit that takes me down one category but had to prove it in their presence.

Marina - Port de Plaisance Camaret - finger slips and pontoons & along side
Location - Camaret, France
Date - Aug, 2011
Price per night - 30.12 inc vat
Protected - Yes with some wake and swell in certain areas
Security - did not see - no gates
Wi-Fi - for purchase
Fuel - did not take note ...---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yes there is a fuel berth in the outer marina

Toilets/Showers - F - Public - 2 euro charge for shower - Get 3rd world shots before use
Elec/Water - included if my memory is correct..---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There is the old block at the tower but a new "bloc sanitaire" on the other side of the harbour. I haven't been there recently but they were fine then.

I can't remember ever having been charged for electricity or water anywhere in France. The only place I have ever had to pay for water was at the Scilly Isles (ta very much Charlie) Even in hot places like Porquerolles and Port Cros I didn't have to pay.

Marina - Capitainerie Benodet - finger slips and pontoons - visitors along side
Location - Benodet, France
Date - Aug, 2011
Price per night - 35,10 incl vat
Protected - Yes, except from wake of passing power boats in river
Security - not sure
Wi-Fi - No
Fuel - did not take notice
Toilets/showers - C - need token for shower.....not great
Elec/Water - major power outage/accident in marina - nothing avail..---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Yes there is a fuel berth.
There was a fire in the junction box at the head of the gangway. That was probably the problem.
I found the people to very helpfull

Marina - Kernevel - finger slips and pontoons - separate visitors pontoon(s)
Location - Lorient, France
Date - Aug, 2011
Price per night - 39,00 euro inc vat
Protected - Yes - very well
Security - locked gates
Wi-Fi - for purchase - Netabord.....worked well for mr
Fuel - Yes, large area - separate entrance to port before marina entrance
Toilets/showers - B+ - Co-ed toilets w/ separate shower area but small for marina size
Elec/Water - included if memory correct
Atmosphere - Professional, clean, organized - liked it a lot
Other Services - at marina or nearby which are fun to reach with Free bicycles
Return - Absolutely, enjoyed the area which is very nautical - excellent supermarkets and all marine services you might need + museum
-

It's good but Locmiquélic opposite is better and cheaper. And less walking. IMHO.