Southern Brittany 2006

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davidfox

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I am now starting to think about our next summer cruise, leave east coast late june to position boat, then come back in school holidays by vehicle /fly (v young kids) and spend 3 weeks cruising in area/ bringing boat back towards home, back in August to bring boat back. Suggestions for the above, best locations, mustn't miss places gratefully received.
 
Is it the Golfe du Morbihan that you are interested in? Perhaps between Quiberon and Vannes? If so, I would suggest La Trinite as an excellent and accessible base both shoreside and for trips within and outwith the Golfe. PM me if you want more info? /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Yes, thats the sort of thing, having no experience of the area I want people to perhaps tell me there fav places so that I can build up a sort of wish list, what about flying or travelling to La Trinite?
 
Know parts of the area well by land but regret I've never had the time to sail down there - one day...

Benodet, Concarneau, Lorient & La Trinite are bustling with good marinas, Port la Foret at Fouesnant more rural but with a very large marina & facilities.

Depends what you like of course and your boat, but there are some beautiful places off the beaten track to explore between Benodet & La Trinite.

Personal favourites would be the Aven & Belon rivers and the small inlets of Doelan & Merrien, draft permitting. The Laita to Quimperle is scenic but shallow. Then there are the numerous islands offshore given good conditions.

Hope to cruise down there before too long - it looks like a perfect place to explore.
 
Robin has given good advice. As a starter though, you won't go far wrong by visiting the islands starting with the Ile de Sein. Then the Glénan Group, Groix, Belle Ile, Houat ("wot"), Hoëdic ("eddick") and then the Golfe de Morbihan (Ile aux Moines et l'Ile d'Arz). On the way back visit Concarneau, and the Odet River.

That will largely fill three weeks.

John
 
Re: Great Place

Do a search for ideas as this has been covered before.

I know you will have family but try to mix the Marinas with some less busy places such as Penerf, Etal, villages on Auray and Villiane rivers.

If weather is iffy, then Morbihan is good or up the Villiane assuming you can get under the wires above Roche Bernard.

B
 
Brittany Hazards

Two things to beware of:

1) Tidal streams in the entrance to the Golfe de Morbihan. This photo was taken from Port Navalo - what it doesn't show is the fact that some of the boats are travelling backwards /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif.
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2) Dumb tourists on the Vilaine, who rent canoes and end up trying to paddle on the grass /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif (This photo taken a couple of miles above La Roche Bernard).
Dscn1684intrepid_crew.sized.jpg

A fabulous part of the world; enjoy it! I second the Belon River; come ashore at Port Belon and walk about 1/2 mile up the road towards Kergroes, where you will find an unprepossessing looking Hotel with a fabulous restaurant, mainly serving fish. Can't remember what it's called I'm afraid. Auray also worth a visit.
 
Which of the Pilots would you recommend? - Father Christmas will be looking for his list shortly. incidently thanks all for the suggestions, there is nothing like personal recommendations
 
Buy the French Almanac 'Votre Livre De Bord' from Bloc Marine, it costs about £20 and hass harbour plans, charts and details from Holland to Gibralter and most important ones are translated into English as well (even covers the Scillies and South Coast of UK). The best Pilots are the French 'Pilotes Cotiers', in colour, VERY detailed and half the price of Brit ones, schoolboy French and a dictionary is adequate, they have good pictures. We do have Brit pilots on board but rarely look at them these days, there is more easily seen detail on harbour inserts in charts like those from Imray and they rarely give enough information about anchorages only marinas and nearby restaurants, usually out of date.

Must visit places IMO:-

Isles De Glenan (buy the French SHOM chart in France before you go if possible)
Isle De Houat - anchor
Belle Isle, Le Palais or Sauzon but much nicer to anchor
La Trinite - home of the big French Multis
Vannes - deep in the Morbihan, lock gates, walled city 12th Century, Very Hot!
Concarneau - walled city
Benodet - but up the river not the marinas
Morgat - spectacular cliff walks, sea caves
Camaret - useful stoppover for Chenal Du Four/Raz De Sein, pretty anyway.

There are lots more for subsequent visits, but try to spend some time away from the marinas and harbours. IMO the BEST of South Brittany is the wonderful anchorages, warm waters and memorable sailing in ideal condiotions, often with dolphins for company.

Robin
 
just a word of caution: the shom chart for the glenans is under ED50 datum, not WGS, you may want to set your gps accordingly (even if pilotage is probably best done by eye), and if I remember correctly the chart has no graduated wind rose on it, so it is better to prepare transits in advance

I found my gps had at least 12-13 different ED50 datum, marked ED50_1, ED50_2 etc, I did not know the differences between them so while at anchor I tested every one of them and the resulting positions were more or less the same, whereas WGS would have put us a couple of thumbs away /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif
 
I hadn't remembered that! Our waypoints were originally Decca ones that were subsequently 'tweaked' to match actual GPS Lat/Longs later when we bought our first GPS. Nowadays they come from C-Map plotter set to WGS84 and plonked on tracks recorded as we went in the first time.

Glenans is easier really than the pilots (especially the Brit ones) suggest especially if you avoid LW springs and use the main anchorages. We went into La Chambre this year in the dark having come through from the Raz on one of the blackest nights ever despite every star being visible. We used the plotter and the radar and went in via La Pie beacon which I hadn't realised is now lit. The night was so black and the vis so good I thought it was another light miles away and it was only when I turned our cordless spotlight on it to make sure I was in the right place that I realised it was flashing away at me from 50m! We went in too at LWS and we draw 2.08m and the depth alarm was going all the way although we knew we (just) had enough water for this way in.
 
I'll vouch for both of Robins remarks. Firstly we watched him come into La Chambre in the dark, and secondly, the pilotage for Isles Glenans is much easier than the pilot books are given to suggest. I am not suggesting you should try it in the dark first time, but in good vis with a bit of tide, its fairly straightforward and a lovely place to visit.
 
Lots of great suggestions from others; couple of addition suggestions:
- make sure you head into Vannes; lovely old city
- take a shoreside visit to Auray
- Port Maria - good fresh seafood restaurants
- Locmariaquer is lovely
- if you take your car (or hire one), drive down the Cote Sauvage (towards Port Maria/Quiberon)
- visit the beaches either side of the Quiberon peninsula; take your pick depending on the wind direction

Getting there; numerous options, but personally I enjoyed travelling Brittany Ferries overnight Portsmouth to St.Malo, take the car, very relaxing, nice meal/bottle; cabin with shower etc. for overnight; disembark around 8AM and you'll be down there by 10ish. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif Found that much more plesant than driving the Cherbourg peninsula.
 
As the area is so nice, I am going to suggest places we haven't enjoyed on the basis that all the others are worth a visit!

So places we don't go back to unless under duress of weather etc.

Port Haliguen (Long walk to the showers and mothing much in the town either...)
La Palais on Belle Isle in peak season -(out of season its glorious, in season its noisy, rolly, uncomfortable and over full)
Isle de Groix (for same reason as above - except, we didn't enjoy the village as much as La Palais)

For places we like, I won't disagree with any of the other postings.
 
All gets a bit full

This year everywhere got very full mid July onwards, much more noticably than in the past. A lot of marinas have given up visitors berths to full timers without going the UK route of making sure that empty permanent berths are used by visitors. Be sure to have anchoring capacity and a decent outboard. Looks like another couple of years and it will be like the South of France ie. impossible to get a berth and the hook the only available berth.
 
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