Southern Brittany

[Roberto]

Belle Ile + bilge keels = Sauzon. Not to be missed.

If I may paraphrase: Groix + bilge keels = Port Lay

Just west of Port Tudy, it must be one of the tiniest ports, by memory the size of a football pîtch

this link locates it on google maps, if you zoom out you can see Groix main port to the east, it's a ten minute walk from one to the other by the "sentier cotier", should you need to buy anything (in Port Lay there is nothing)

http://maps.google.fr/maps?q=port+l...=Port+Lay,+Groix,+Morbihan,+Bretagne&t=h&z=18

 

[Scillypete]

Either on the way down or on the way back it would be worth planning to stop at Lampaul on Ushant. No marina but plenty of free visitors buoys and it would make a change from stopping at Camaret every time.

 

[Sybarite]

Hey, Sybarite, Great post! And nice photos DJE and Roberto

If you look at www.jimbsail.info/drupal/tidal-europe/biscay/france it seems we're in strong agreement about many places, but you've got lots of useful additional detail. What chance I recruit you to look after that page? And if not, may I borrow some of your words?

It's not meant to be a pilot guide - just a guide to help people choose where to cruise

ps, and photos?

Please use whatever you like.

 

[Sybarite]

If I may paraphrase: Groix + bilge keels = Port Lay

Just west of Port Tudy, it must be one of the tiniest ports, by memory the size of a football pîtch

this link locates it on google maps, if you zoom out you can see Groix main port to the east, it's a ten minute walk from one to the other by the "sentier cotier", should you need to buy anything (in Port Lay there is nothing)

http://maps.google.fr/maps?q=port+l...=Port+Lay,+Groix,+Morbihan,+Bretagne&t=h&z=18

I would only take a dinghy inside Roberto. It's full of boats moored fore and aft with ropes everywhere.

 

[Roberto]

I would only take a dinghy inside Roberto. It's full of boats moored fore and aft with ropes everywhere.

yep agreed, though I once saw an RM, not the 12m a smaller one maybe 1050, they were drying on their port side just past the entrance, eastern wall if one looks at the chart; mind you, the entrance must be what, 4-5m wide ?
Also, with a land breeze at night not a nice place to be imho; worth a walk from Port Tudy

 

[ZEBEDEE]

Either on the way down or on the way back it would be worth planning to stop at Lampaul on Ushant. No marina but plenty of free visitors buoys and it would make a change from stopping at Camaret every time.

I would second Lampol, only you have to watch out for the swell as it is so open to the Atlantic

 

[Sybarite]

thanks for your sharing ,i can feel you enjoy it very much !
some pics you can post ?

I don't have any available just at the moment but if you do google earth you will find plenty.

 

[westhinder]

Anse de Pouldohan

For a bilge-keeler, the Anse de Pouldohan, SE of Concarneau, is a very nice spot

 

[Allan]

Many thanks for all the replies. Lots of food for thought. HAs anyone been to Ile de Sein? It looks like it could be a good place to stop off between Newlyn and Belle ile.
Allan

 

[Sybarite]

Many thanks for all the replies. Lots of food for thought. HAs anyone been to Ile de Sein? It looks like it could be a good place to stop off between Newlyn and Belle ile.
Allan

Yes I have. It's very pretty with narrow streets (<2m), the old women who wear their 'coiffs' and speak Breton. Apparently during bad winter storms waves can cross the island.

Arriving is delicate and there is a very strong cross-current as you enter from the east. You find yourself crabbing in. No real problem but it's well to be confident of your engine.

Quite often there is a pod of large dolphins and I had fun swimming with them and watching them under water.

It's not the place if you need the facilities of a marina.

 

[Allan]

Again, many thanks. The plan now is to head from Newlyn to Ile de Sein, before heading on to Belle Ile. From there, it will probably be Etel but I will look into all the places mentioned above.
Allan

 

[Bosun Higgs]

Next June I plan to return to the west coast of France in my Westerly 33 (draft 1.4m, bilge keels) for a couple of weeks.
Allan

From Bristol in two weeks that will be hard work. Unless you are crewed to sail 24/7 it will take you 8 days out of your 14 just to get to and from a suitable starting off point in France. Assuming good weather every day.

But I guess I'm telling you what you already know.

 

[Allan]

Yes I know it's a long way. This year I left Cardiff on Thursday 23rd June and we arrived at Ile de Groix, our furthest point, Wednesday 29th. Next year I plan to leave Cardiff Thursday 14th June, pick up my crew in Newlyn, leaving Saturday and arriving Ile de Sein Sunday. We should be at Belle Ile, this years furthest point, by Monday or Tuesday latest. Obviously this is all subject to delays due to weather etc. If it is anything like last year we should have a great time.
Allan

 

[Bosun Higgs]

Yes I know it's a long way. This year I left Cardiff on Thursday 23rd June and we arrived at Ile de Groix, our furthest point, Wednesday 29th.

Thats good going Allan. Were you sailing " with the lads" as opposed to SWMBO?

 

[Allan]

Thats good going Allan. Were you sailing " with the lads" as opposed to SWMBO?

No, Cardiff to Newlyn alone, then the rest with SWMBO until she went home from Newlyn and I sailed back to Cardiff. Most of the sailing was pretty calm, the only time we had some really good sailing was from L'Aber Ildut to Newlyn, 102miles which we did in a little over 16hours. The rest of the holiday was light winds and big sails which SWMBO prefers.
Allan

 

[DJE]

Must be something about those Welsh boats. When we arrived in L'Aberwrac'h this summer all chuffed with ourselves about coming non stop from Alderney there was a Westerley Konsort arriving at the same time. They'd come from Milford Haven!

 

[Nostrodamus]

Allan,

If it helps we have been around this cost of France most of the year and are now in La Rochelle. The blog on our website below will tell you what we though of various places and may give you an indication of some places to visit. If you want to know more about any one of them or need any advice at all just PM me.

This French website I use for sea state forecast for swell has an English version: http://www.previmer.org/en

It was passed to be by a French sailor and is very good for predicting the sea swell which can be more important than the wind.

According to a French Navy oceanographer, it is generally accurate. All the charts and graphs are in French but you should understand

 

[Allan]

Must be something about those Welsh boats. When we arrived in L'Aberwrac'h this summer all chuffed with ourselves about coming non stop from Alderney there was a Westerley Konsort arriving at the same time. They'd come from Milford Haven!

You have to realise we get a kick start to all our trips. It's not difficult to get all the way down the Bristol channel in one tide. A lot of our club boats do plenty of miles throughout the year. I have done over 3000 miles this year which is probably not the highest mileage.
Allan