Retreat from Brittany

[Hadenough]

Having arrived in Brittany three weeks ago before the virus situation I now need to get back to the UK deal with a serious family crisis. I am aboard with no transport at La Roche Bernard and can book a ferry ticket but am having problems getting from here to any rail station, (local taxi not interested) and thereon to a ferry port. Is anyone around who can help with transport? Happy to cover full fuel costs and more and flexible as to wherever in the UK I end up.

 

[Poignard]

Please see my reply to your duplicate thread

 

[[70521]]

Are you aware that Brittany Ferries are running a restricted service? Coronavirus (COVID-19) information

It might be easier to use the Eurostar?

 

[Hadenough]

Thank you both. My difficulty is getting to a railway station. I will happily transit train, boat or air but can’t at the moment get out of LRB

 

[[70521]]

Good luck.

 

[Roberto]

Thank you both. My difficulty is getting to a railway station. I will happily transit train, boat or air but can’t at the moment get out of LRB

As you may know, at noon tomorrow new strict measures will be applied to anyone moving inside France, people need to have a self-signed paper (statement/attestation) declaring the reason why they are outside of confinement. If I were you, I'd go to the local police station and ask they provide you with some sort of paper proof you are on your way to the UK, that could save a lot of hassle should you be checked later. Sometimes they can help with a lot more than that...

 

[Frogmogman]

Having arrived in Brittany three weeks ago before the virus situation I now need to get back to the UK deal with a serious family crisis. I am aboard with no transport at La Roche Bernard and can book a ferry ticket but am having problems getting from here to any rail station, (local taxi not interested) and thereon to a ferry port. Is anyone around who can help with transport? Happy to cover full fuel costs and more and flexible as to wherever in the UK I end up.

Honestly, I think your best way home is to cast off your lines and sail home. .

I'm not being unsympathetic, but my business (like hundreds of thousand others) was closed down at 4 hours notice. The French Government is not mucking about here.

 

[Bobc]

There is a bus that goes from La Roche to Redon once each day. From there you can get a train.

It is the No.10, and it leaves La Roche at 06:50 each morning from the Bd de Bretagne

 

[[3889]]

Ligne 8 Briezhgo leaves Arzal roundabout at 08.39 iirc and gets you ito Vannes, Another Ligne 8 (confusingly) run by Lila runs from Ferel to Herbignac then change to Ligne 2 for St Nazaire station.
There is an on demand service from Boulevard Bretagne, LRB, to Guerande/ St Nazaire which requires 24 hr notice by phone.

I'm trying to get the other way. AFAIK, the local buses are still running.

Horaires du réseau Lila Presqu'île | Transport Pays de la loire

AUTOCARS AVB | Ligne 8 BreizhGo entre Damgan et Vannes (56) Morbihan

 

[Hadenough]

Booked the train from Redon, got there - no trains! forked our for a Taxi now waiting to board at St Malo, thanks anyway.

 

[[3889]]

Booked the train from Redon, got there - no trains! forked our for a Taxi now waiting to board at St Malo, thanks anyway.

Ouch. French taxis make London cabs look a bargain.
I'm thinking of driving. Is there much traffic on the roads?

 

[LittleSister]

Booked the train from Redon, got there - no trains! forked our for a Taxi now waiting to board at St Malo, thanks anyway.

Glad you got it sorted. (Assuming the ferry isn't cancelled!)

 

[Hadenough]

Late update. Ferry wasn’t cancelled but trip fro LRB to St Malo was interesting. Stopped three times by police wanting to know why we were out and about. My taxi driver was brilliant, demanding that he had to get his customer to the ferry port for the last ferry (it actually was). If I hadn‘t had a ferry ticket to show (on my smart phone) we would not have got through. Literally got back by the skin of my teeth. Concerned about leaving the boat but relieved to be on home ground. Marina was shut down without notice and I was concerned that the next step would be access to the pontoons / boat. Local French wonderfull and supportive, authorities OK if you had the documentation. I’ve been round and about a lot but this trip was quite scary.

 

[Sybarite]

Honestly, I think your best way home is to cast off your lines and sail home. .

I'm not being unsympathetic, but my business (like hundreds of thousand others) was closed down at 4 hours notice. The French Government is not mucking about here.

According to "Ouest France" they are now booking people out sailing too.

 

[[70521]]

Late update. Ferry wasn’t cancelled but trip fro LRB to St Malo was interesting. Stopped three times by police wanting to know why we were out and about. My taxi driver was brilliant, demanding that he had to get his customer to the ferry port for the last ferry (it actually was). If I hadn‘t had a ferry ticket to show (on my smart phone) we would not have got through. Literally got back by the skin of my teeth. Concerned about leaving the boat but relieved to be on home ground. Marina was shut down without notice and I was concerned that the next step would be access to the pontoons / boat. Local French wonderfull and supportive, authorities OK if you had the documentation. I’ve been round and about a lot but this trip was quite scary.

Good to hear you got back safe and sound.

 

[[3889]]

According to "Ouest France" they are now booking people out sailing too.

Yes, had an email from my marina today saying only 'essential' boat trips will be sanctioned due to impact of potential search and rescue ops. They've shut the lock until at least 31 March.