Passport Escales

[robertj]

Do you have to be a customer of a marina to be able to gain a passport escale or can you buy one out right?
I know you can buy the Morbihan one but that stops I think at lotient where anything north isn’t in the scheme.

 

[Bobc]

You have to be a berth-holder in a participating marina.

You then have to tell then when you are leaving and when you expect to return in order to use the passport at other marinas.

 

[XDC]

I was a member of the scheme in the early days and the information given implied 5 nights in EACH of the listed locations.

It was in fact just 5 nights total and from memory I even had to pay to be a member of the scheme despite being a berth holder.

Things may have since been clarified, even changed, as I wasn’t alone in my interpretation.

 

[robertj]

You can buy the Morbihan one without being a bertholder in another marina

 

[Bobc]

I was a member of the scheme in the early days and the information given implied 5 nights in EACH of the listed locations.

It was in fact just 5 nights total and from memory I even had to pay to be a member of the scheme despite being a berth holder.

Things may have since been clarified, even changed, as I wasn’t alone in my interpretation.

It's a maximum of 2 nights in any location, but there is no limit to how many places you can visit and how many nights in total, so long as you have registered that number of nights for your berth being free for others to use.

The cost of the card is 20 Euros.

 

[XDC]

It's a maximum of 2 nights in any location, but there is no limit to how many places you can visit and how many nights in total, so long as you have registered that number of nights for your berth being free for others to use..

Bob, I really think that’s wrong and was part of the early confusion.

What you’re saying in the extreme is that if there were 182 ports in the scheme and you were prepared to move every 2 days you would get (in my case) over £€7000 worth of benefits.

Really think it’s limited to 5-10 days away IN TOTAL.

 

[Toutvabien]

Bob, I really think that’s wrong and was part of the early confusion.

What you’re saying in the extreme is that if there were 182 ports in the scheme and you were prepared to move every 2 days you would get (in my case) over £€7000 worth of benefits.

Really think it’s limited to 5-10 days away IN TOTAL.

I have the current version from La Rochelle and we get 7 days total but it depends upn the local contract that your marina offers. Some are much more generous, especially the dry sail options where your boat is stored ashore and launched when you want to use it.

 

[XDC]

I have the current version from La Rochelle and we get 7 days total but it depends upn the local contract that your marina offers. Some are much more generous, especially the dry sail options where your boat is stored ashore and launched when you want to use it.

I understand that and agree with it.

We had 5 nights in total, a friend who used to help the harbour master with electrical problems was given 10 but that’s the TOTAL nights in a year, not what Bob is saying.

I think

 

[Bobc]

Thanks chaps, I've clearly miss-understood it. Which is a good thing as I was thinking of signing-up with a marina in the scheme in order to then go cruising around Brittany next year... which clearly isn't going to work.

 

[Lightwave395]

I have the card, my boat lives in Port Haliguen, the card gives you as standard 5 nights max per year in each of most of the partner marinas, but only 2 nights per visit.

You also can't leave after 2 nights and come straight back for 2 more.

Exceptions are the following, which give 2 nights per year only:
ARRADON, ARZAL CAMOEL, ETEL, FOLLEUX, LA ROCHE-BERNARD, LA TRINITE-SUR-MER, LOCMIQUELIC, PORT BLANC/ILE AUX MOINES, PORT DU CROUESTY
SAINT GOUSTAN and VANNES

As stated above, you book out using the App and when you reach your next destination the marina office knows you're entitled to your free nights, there's a record on your account - as below

 

[Bobc]

I have the card, my boat lives in Port Haliguen, the card gives you as standard 5 nights max per year in each of most of the partner marinas, but only 2 nights per visit.

You also can't leave after 2 nights and come straight back for 2 more.

Exceptions are the following, which give 2 nights per year only:
ARRADON, ARZAL CAMOEL, ETEL, FOLLEUX, LA ROCHE-BERNARD, LA TRINITE-SUR-MER, LOCMIQUELIC, PORT BLANC/ILE AUX MOINES, PORT DU CROUESTY
SAINT GOUSTAN and VANNES

As stated above, you book out using the App and when you reach your next destination the marina office knows you're entitled to your free nights, there's a record on your account - as below

View attachment 79384

So is that a maximum of 5 nights per year, per marina? So could I use it to port-hop down the French coast, so long as I don't spend more than 2 nights in each port?

 

[[3889]]

I have the card, my boat lives in Port Haliguen, the card gives you as standard 5 nights max per year in each of most of the partner marinas, but only 2 nights per visit.

You also can't leave after 2 nights and come straight back for 2 more.

Exceptions are the following, which give 2 nights per year only:
ARRADON, ARZAL CAMOEL, ETEL, FOLLEUX, LA ROCHE-BERNARD, LA TRINITE-SUR-MER, LOCMIQUELIC, PORT BLANC/ILE AUX MOINES, PORT DU CROUESTY
SAINT GOUSTAN and VANNES

As stated above, you book out using the App and when you reach your next destination the marina office knows you're entitled to your free nights, there's a record on your account - as below

View attachment 79384

Hmmm, I have had Passeport Escale, via Arzal Camoel for 6 years and none of the above responses are strictly accurate, IMO.
You do need a contract with a marina, though with Ports du Morbihan at least, this need only encompass 4 months including July and August
Every marina offers a different deal. Ports du Morbihan offer 2 consecutive nights ad infinitum in their marinas but , mostly, 5 nights P.A. on the above terms elsewhere. I can and have stayed on dozens of occassions in a year in marinas listed by Lightwave 395. Especially La Crouesty which is my default provisioning stop.
Whether it will work for you is debatable. For my 10.5 m boat I reckon I need to use marinas for 35 nights to break even. Bear in mind that S coast UK and N coast France marinas are included. This year I have a 12 month contract at Arzal, taken out at the end of April for €900 and have spent 2 nights in total at my home marina vs 55 nights using Passeport Escale with far more to come,I hope. I don't even know the number of my home berth.
Edit: BTW, Ports du Morbihan charge for annual contracts pro rata so this might prove more cost effective than a multi month deal.

 

[Bathdave]

As I understand the scheme, the number of nights pa you are entitled to depends on your home marinas funding decision, which is based on their own business assessment of the benefits they get. Your home marina is billed by the host marina for the nights you stay, though I would guess at a lower rate than the public rate.

My own marinas deal is 10 nights, but I gather it does vary from home marina to home marina. It costs me £20 pa and I expect my nights around Normandy and Brittany to cost me €35-40 per night so I reckon on €350 of value a year.

As others have noted, you need to book out of your home marina...I and others I know have been declined our PE free nights on arrival because we have not booked out.

As others too have noted, you are limited to 2 consecutive nights though I have been back for follow up visits to the sane marina later.

Ps ...I believe there is a separate scheme for Morbihan, I don’t know the details, I have a friend who has a passport Escales AND a Morbihan one

 

[Lightwave395]

Hmmm, I have had Passeport Escale, via Arzal Camoel for 6 years and none of the above responses are strictly accurate, IMO.
You do need a contract with a marina, though with Ports du Morbihan at least, this need only encompass 4 months including July and August
Every marina offers a different deal. Ports du Morbihan offer 2 consecutive nights ad infinitum in their marinas but , mostly, 5 nights P.A. on the above terms elsewhere. I can and have stayed on dozens of occassions in a year in marinas listed by Lightwave 395. Especially La Crouesty which is my default provisioning stop.
Whether it will work for you is debatable. For my 10.5 m boat I reckon I need to use marinas for 35 nights to break even. Bear in mind that S coast UK and N coast France marinas are included. This year I have a 12 month contract at Arzal, taken out whilst in Plymouth, and have spent 2 nights in total at my home marina Vs 45 nights using Passeport Escale...so far. I don't even know the number of my home berth.

Agree there are many different permutations, the ports and durations I listed are from the Passeport website.
I have no idea how it works if you don't have a home berth in one of their ports and buy a card as a roving sailor. I view the Passeport card as a nice 'bonus' rather than a reason to be down in Southern Brittany, on our most recent visit we stayed in Port Joinville for 10 days getting 2 days free
BTW how do you find Arzal (I appreciate you don't appear to have been there very much ! )

 

[XDC]

Hmmm, I have had Passeport Escale, via Arzal Camoel for 6 years and none of the above responses are strictly accurate, IMO.
You do need a contract with a marina, though with Ports du Morbihan at least, this need only encompass 4 months including July and August
Every marina offers a different deal. Ports du Morbihan offer 2 consecutive nights ad infinitum in their marinas but , mostly, 5 nights P.A. on the above terms elsewhere. I can and have stayed on dozens of occassions in a year in marinas listed by Lightwave 395. Especially La Crouesty which is my default provisioning stop.
Whether it will work for you is debatable. For my 10.5 m boat I reckon I need to use marinas for 35 nights to break even. Bear in mind that S coast UK and N coast France marinas are included. This year I have a 12 month contract at Arzal, taken out whilst in Plymouth, and have spent 2 nights in total at my home marina Vs 45 nights using Passeport Escale...so far. I don't even know the number of my home berth.

My reply was strictly accurate.

Cost €20

Nights PER ANNUM 5

Average nightly cost €40

Saving €180

If it takes you 35 nights to break even how much are you paying for the “privilege” ?

 

[Bobc]

It's a maximum of 2 nights in any location, but there is no limit to how many places you can visit and how many nights in total, so long as you have registered that number of nights for your berth being free for others to use.

The cost of the card is 20 Euros.

So I was right yes? Other than the maximum of 5 nights at any one location.

 

[Lightwave395]

So I was right yes? Other than the maximum of 5 nights at any one location.

I didn't pay 20 euros for the card, it came with the berth, but I guess that depends on the contract type you have.

You definitely don't get your free nights if you didn't book out - as I found out on my delivery trip down when I got to Roscoff...

 

[[3889]]

My reply was strictly accurate.

Cost €20

Nights PER ANNUM 5

Average nightly cost €40

Saving €180

If it takes you 35 nights to break even how much are you paying for the “privilege” ?

I pay a €280 premium which gives the advantages listed above. So, since my first contract at Arzal began in June 2013 I have had 289 free nights in marinas equalling 5 x €280(€1450) ~ an average marine fee/ night of just over €5.
Your reply may certainly be accurate with regards to your marina but it is not accurate overall in regards to Passsporte Escale.

 

[[3889]]

BTW how do you find Arzal (I appreciate you don't appear to have been there very much ! )

Actually, I spent a good deal of time at Arzal during my first 2 years there. In summation it is cheap, bucolic, hard to reach without a car, well provisioned for boats, poorly provisioned for people (for which La Roche Bernard is a 50 minute trip up river), disconcerting /interesting lock access and the staff are professional and helpful. A good place to sail from for a week or more but definitely not a weekend retreat.

 

[XDC]

I pay a €280 premium which gives the advantages listed above. So, since my first contract at Arzal began in June 2013 I have had 289 free nights in marinas equalling 5 x €280(€1450) ~ an average marine fee/ night of just over €5.
Your reply may certainly be accurate with regards to your marina but it is not accurate overall in regards to Passsporte Escale.

Thanks, so for Bob’s benefit we are not comparing like for like.

There are at least three schemes:

Mine and others €20 per annum. 5 nights total per annum.
Lightwave’s
Yours.

Bonne chance Bob :encouragement: