South Ireland-Isles of Scilly-Duarnenez in Brittany summer cruise???

B

benlui

Well-Known Member
Joined
30 Jun 2008
Messages
440
Location
Caribbean-South IRL-East Coast UK and everywhere e
Visit site
Were planning to leave south Ireland end of June for France, with a stop in the Isles of Scilly for several days on the way.
I am proposing we would make land fall in Portsall (north france) after departing from Isles of Scilly, were would only stay 1 night before we would depart again for Douarenez which is south of Brest. We may spend 3-4 weeks here pottering about the islands and local areas before starting the trip home again, stopping in maybe Brest, and the Isles of Scilly then, onwards to Cork in Ireland again. Does anyone think that I have left out some nice places to go, or should I alter the route to take in some nice scenery elsewhere? I’ve spoken to a local sailor who told me that Douarnenez was magical, and when they got there they didn’t move for 6 weeks. So therefore we are making this our destination. We don’t really want to go any further south than this, as out boat will on avg make only 4-5kts under sail and the passages we have planned are already long enough for the 2 of us. Are there any do's and don’ts for this area? Places to go and not to go? Are the marinas in this area helpful, and are there some nice safe anchorages around the area?
Also, where can I get a good pilot book for Brittany that is in English?
PS if anyone has recent enough charts for Brittany that they want to sell then please let me know as I need to pick these up soon.
 
Re: South Ireland-Isles of Scilly-Duarnenez in Brittany summer cruise?

[ QUOTE ]
Douarnenez... We don’t really want to go any further south

[/ QUOTE ]
Having already sailed a long way and with 3-4 weeks to potter it seems strange to me that you plan to halt where most UK sailors transit through to reach South Brittany.

Is this a special long cruise not to be repeated or can you return next year with a similar time budget and venture further south?

Pilot guide wise you would be on the boundary between the two cruising companions published by Wiley/Yachting Monthly. Take note of the term "cruising companion", these are a bit short of hard core pilotage information but very useful coffee table calibre reading to get a flavour of an area from a yachtman's perspective. Imray publish more serious pilot guides for this coast.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cruising-Compani...9423&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Cruising-Compani...9176&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.co.uk/North-Biscay-Pilot-Imray-Chart/dp/0852887027
 
Brilliant plan. I was rather disappointed by Brest. Keep to Camaret (unless you want to explore further up river). The harbours opposite Douarnenez are also very pretty (Morgat).
If the weather permits a stop over in Isle de Sein or Ouessant are recommended too..... too much to chose from /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Re: South Ireland-Isles of Scilly-Duarnenez in Brittany summer cruise?

I agree.... the further south you go it gets better /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Re: South Ireland-Isles of Scilly-Duarnenez in Brittany summer cruise?

IMHO Douarnenez is fun in a festival but not at other times.
And there aren't any islands nearby, they're all beyond the Raz, so bite the bullet and keep going South - that's where it all happens.
Do try to get away earlier for the Belle Plaisance classic yacht regatta in Benodet from 25-28 June - brilliant!
 
Re: South Ireland-Isles of Scilly-Duarnenez in Brittany summer cruise?

Where further south would you guys go? I have perhaps 4 weeks to spend down here, so perhaps i could go.
This is prob a trip only for this year as next year I am rather hoping my work won’t permit. This year, work is quiet giving the opportunity to do this trip for 5 weeks or more. What kind of charges can we expect to pay in marinas on a nightly basis? And or moorings?
 
Re: South Ireland-Isles of Scilly-Duarnenez in Brittany summer cruise?

A couple of years ago My son and myself went from Scilly to Ushant (Lampaul) then to Audierne, Isles de Glennan, Benodet then back through the Raz de Sein to Camaret filled up with wine then back to Scilly. we were only away just under two weeks and we missed out loads of other great places to stop, but we have done many on previous trips and so could pick and choose. South Brittany is easily doable within your time frame even if you want to linger in one place for a while.

As for your request for charts/Pilot books, I am willing to lend mine, which you can pick up on the way, so long as you guarantee to return them on the way back.
 
Re: South Ireland-Isles of Scilly-Duarnenez in Brittany summer cruise?

[ QUOTE ]
Where further south would you guys go? I have perhaps 4 weeks to spend down here, so perhaps i could go.
This is prob a trip only for this year as next year I am rather hoping my work won’t permit. This year, work is quiet giving the opportunity to do this trip for 5 weeks or more. What kind of charges can we expect to pay in marinas on a nightly basis? And or moorings?

[/ QUOTE ]

that is plenty of time to visit wonderful places: do not limit yourself to Finisterre, definitively go as the wind takes you. Depending on what you like there is ample opportunity...
 
in that time you should be able to get down as far as vanne and some of the islands.

suggestions.... well where do you start benodet - la foret - concarneau - la trinite - vanne /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Re: South Ireland-Isles of Scilly-Duarnenez in Brittany summer cruise?

I have been on Google Earth all day when I should be working of course!!! and I am taking into account all your comments on going further south.
Benodet looks amazing so we will most likely go there and over to Fouesnant now I think (all weather depending of course)
As for your very very kind offer tiggertoo, on lending us your charts, i must decline as I wish to buy my own, that way I am not stressing all the time over them. That’s a very kind offer from you, and thank you very very much.
 
Re: South Ireland-Isles of Scilly-Duarnenez in Brittany summer cruise?

Yeah, you all "ruined" my last hour of "work" as well /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Re: South Ireland-Isles of Scilly-Duarnenez in Brittany summer cruise?

[ QUOTE ]

As for your very very kind offer tiggertoo, on lending us your charts, i must decline as I wish to buy my own, that way I am not stressing all the time over them. That’s a very kind offer from you, and thank you very very much.

[/ QUOTE ]

You might like to Thank Scilly Pete too /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
 
Re: South Ireland-Isles of Scilly-Duarnenez in Brittany summer cruise?

[ QUOTE ]
I have been on Google Earth all day when I should be working of course!!! and I am taking into account all your comments on going further south.
Benodet looks amazing so we will most likely go there and over to Fouesnant now I think (all weather depending of course)
As for your very very kind offer tiggertoo, on lending us your charts, i must decline as I wish to buy my own, that way I am not stressing all the time over them. That’s a very kind offer from you, and thank you very very much.

[/ QUOTE ]

well actually I am not on your way... so I did not offer the charts: you'd have been welcome to them!

Don't forget the river Belon: they have fabulous oysetrs for sale, and even better, cockles and other wild seafood in the beaches up river...
 
I would suggest that two or three days in Douarnenez is more than enough, we were dissapointed in it - as others have said far nicer and more interesting places to visit in the time you have available
 
South Brittany is great, except in August! Spend July in Brittany but then go for North Brittany/CI by first week August. Kent schools have given early holiday this year so blasting down to Roscoff by 21st July to get 7 days in S Brittany before Parisiens arrive. PM if you want our phone number.

John
 
[ QUOTE ]
South Brittany is great, except in August!

[/ QUOTE ]

This year will be our 22nd cruising South Brittany in August, love it! If you are marina hoppers (we aren't and like to anchor) there are plenty of berths for vistors usually, simply because the local boats are all out in the anchorages. If you prefer to anchor there are plenty of places and even secluded ones if you want, OK so the well known places will be very busy but there will be room. The French holidays start around 14th July (Bastille Day) and end the weekend of or after 15th August (Assumption I think) thereafter places are empty.
 
We both enjoy very much both anchoring and marina berthing. Usually we tend to mix the 2. That way, we get our lazy days and nights in a secluded anchorage, and the busy bustling life in the marina bar the next night. Works for us. I guess if i had to choose dough, ide rather anchor. I have been to France before during the holiday season (disaster) everything closed down. This was by road dough not by boat. I def want to avoid that this time, the only thing we could find open in a town we stopped in was a supermarket, and even that was on a half day during mid week!!!
 
Everything is open in August in Southern Brittany, even most supermarkets on Sundays and 15th August for part of the day at least.

Our favourite anchoring areas are Isles De Glenan about 12mls off Benodet or Concarneau area or in/off Quiberon Bay the islands like Houat, Hoedic and Belle Isle. Then there is inside the Morbihan itself. Farther north Camaret is good as is Morgat (few shops, nice beaches, spectacular walks and sea caves), Douarnenez for me is not high on the list.

Harbours we like are Concarneau, Port Du Crouesty (Morbihan entrance), La Trinite, Vannes. Benodet is OK for the trip up the river Odet but the town isn't special IMO, Ste Marine opposite is nicer but nothing much there either. We don't bother with Isle De Groix or Lorient but others I know like both. L'Aberwrac'h is a good stopover on the way north but not south as already mentioned,

Coming from Scilly or the UK I wouldn't stop at L'Aberwrac'h (you said Portsall I think), go straight through Chenal Du Four to Camaret.

We tend to 'go in' when circumstances dictate and we'll have a rough daily plan that can be tweaked to suit weather factors. If it is going to be wet, windy or cloudy then shopping, laundry, water tank filling and so on might be better than staying put off a beach, then again a hot sunny day would be wasted shopping. We time our arrivals too if going in, the French rarely leave before 11am so arrive between then and say 12.30 and you will find a spot in a visitor berth. Saturdays are a good day to go in because locals are all going out for the weekend!
 
Just back from 8 weeks down there and return through the canal to St Malo.
Paid for being alongside only on 4 occassions, otherwise ancored/ picked one of many buoys.I don't plan too much and head for somewhere the weather and your current feeling and crews feelings are at the time - there is plenty of variety. Most of the places are wonderful to someone.
New Marina at Brest is far preferable to t he old one and don't get fuel from alonside it's 150% price from a supermarket source.
Try going up the many rivers Chateaulin, Landenau, Benodet, Auray, Belon etc. Much nicer than the souless marinas. IMHO.
I used 1970s charts and this years' McMillans, along with Malcolm Robson's excellent Pilot Books, To follow them is a joy in itself.
Enjoy your cruise.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Other threads that may be of interest

R
My boat trip hopefully in May Around Scotland
2 3 4
Replies
65
Views
2K
RobBradley
R

Share this page

Top