South Brittany Crew Change

[john_morris_uk]

I am sailing for South Brittany at the end of the month and its a while since I was there. I was thinking of changing crews at Concarneau or Benodet - has anyone any thoughts as to which might be better/more convenient? The family are arriving by car from Roscoff and the delivery crew will be driving back the same way, so it could be anywhere convenient South of the Raz. (Is sailing is an excuse to travel between bars and restaurants?)

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[LadyInBed]

Are all necessary people insured to drive the car?

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[Robin]

The other nearby options are Loctudy and Port La Foret, the latter might have easier and cheaper access to parking for the changeover.

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[john_morris_uk]

Yes they are insured to drive the car - with the papers and the log book etc just in case the Police decide to stop them...

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[kdf]

I did this last year in Camaret and Benodet- both from the Roscoff ferry. Concarneau or Benodet are easy access to the main motorway and but parking is easier around the marina in Benodet.

Enjoy the trip - make sure you get down to Houat. Great place to stop for a while if the weather is good.


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[Sybarite]

Probably the nearest port to Roscoff south of the Raz is Audierne. The next possibility would be Le Guilvenec. This is a fishing port where they reputedly don't take too kindly to yachts but I have never had any bother. Better though to enter in daylight.

John

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[charles_reed]

Your choices are:

1. Loctudy - reasonably priced, lacks supermarchés or boulangerie close to the marina and the shoreside facilities are poor.

2. Benodet, expensive, difficult entry and tie-up except at slack water, overcrowded.

3. Audierne - entry only 3 hrs either side of HW, easily the cheapest, harbourmaster is an ex-para Anglophile, collect cheap diesel by annex from the Champion, by going under the bridge and beaching just by it. V friendly place and good shopping.

4. La Foret Fouesnant, best marina in my opinion, but ruined by Sunsail making it their S Brittany base with lots of incompetent Scandinavian/Allemand charterers running amok (especially by the fuel pontoon which needs a modicum of boathandling skills to come alongside). If going in near LW watch out for the unmarked sandbank due S of the port entrance marker.

Keep away from le Guilnivec, tho' very atmospheric definitely not yottie friendly (locals are OK, just lack of facilities ashore and definitely dangerous entrance at start and end of working day).
Concarneau not a very modern marina, short on space and full of emmets, but a couple of super restaurants.

How about Treboul/Douarnenez, tho' not thro the Raz, excellent berthing especially in the enclosed harbour and it's only 2h 30m to be into the S Brittany coast.

Road access is easiest to la Foret and Douarnenez.

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[charles_reed]

Make sure..

1. The relief crew have a letter of authorisation (in French) allowing them to enter the boat or you'll all have problems with the Douanes.
2. Boat insurance cover mentions the skipper (not so important as the above).
3. The capitainerie, wherever you leave the boat, are clearly informed of the changeover (or you may find the gendamerie arrive at a gallop with lights and sirens blaring).

If you're going to be leaving a car there, carpark faciliteis are best at la Foret, non-existent (except in the limited stay payant) in Concarneau, OK in Treboul & Benodet, poor in Audierne.

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