Time for some happy thoughts

[snowleopard]

As an antidote to the hothouse atmosphere around here, it's time to start thinking about next season. I think a week or three pootling around Brittany and the Channel Islands would be a nice start to the season.

Now we are without the dog we can afford something more than a quick booze run so I'm looking for some suggestions. Small marinas and narrow entrances are a problem because of our beam so places like Perros Guirec are closed to us but we like to anchor and can take the ground if it's flat.

Any recommendations/favourite haunts?

Also we have several spare berths so if anyone wants to come along....

 

[Twister_Ken]

A cat without a dog is like a politician without a scruple.

 

[ajt]

Anywhere West of Saint Malo, have a look at this website it may give you some ideas Clickety click Pleneuf-Val-Andre is nice but not sure just how lardy your beam is.

 

[jhr]

Never sailed there but I've holidayed ashore in the region several times.

Some of the places that I've seen, and thought "that looks nice" are: Tregastel (nice little harbour, several eateries ashore and I reckon you could dry out easily) Port Blanc (sheltered anchorage, not such good facilities ashore, but a really nice beach) and Locquirec (a personal favourite, also with some ace eateries).

Ploumanac'h is also nice but I'm not sure you'd get in - the entrance looks quite narrow, to me. I think you might be able to do Trebeurden; it's a bit modern and soul-less around the Marina but there are some nice restaurants and caves up in the Town. Treguier ditto - waterfront's a bit bleak but the town is really nice; I'm told it's best to berth at slack water - there is a hell of a current at other times.

Never been there but the Sept Iles, about 10 miles offshore, are reputedly worth a visit. A nature reserve, so no facilities but several sheltered anchorages, and all yours after the day trippers have left.....

 

[snowleopard]

[ QUOTE ]
not sure just how lardy your beam is.

[/ QUOTE ]
A real fat cat - 23 ft!

 

[HoratioHB]

With apologies to spelling but Lezardieux, Morlais, Paimpol (dries), Roscoff. If you can fit through the lock, the Rance up behind St Malo is great, St Malo itself - great restaurants. basically the world is your lobster.

 

[Poignard]

We met someone on a very large [or so it seemed to us Twister owners!] cat in Plouer, up the River Rance. He suggested we visit a favourite anchorage of his at Les Hebihanes [something like that], west of St Malo. It was very pleasant.

Several places in Brittany used to be very active commercial ports and surprisingly large vessels used to use them, e.g. Pontrieux [still has a coaster operating from there], Paimpol and Morlaix.

Might see you around there in May/June.

 

[Poignard]

Bloody hell! Just typed all that out and you've beaten me to it.

 

[Adonnante]

Quote
Ploumanac'h is also nice but I'm not sure you'd get in

No problem in Ploumanac'h even with your beam, MOCRA had a meet there a few years ago and Adonnante fitted easily. Main problem was lack of available mooring space and an extreme example of an anti multi Brit yachty.

 

[bilbobaggins]

Can't speak for the west-facing ports of the Cotentin peninsula, but - being able to dry - you really should not miss the beach at La Houle/Cancale, or the hotel's 'V' moorings, for the world-famous 'huitres 'n muscadet'. Then there's sandy Rotheneuf, just NE of St Malo and within walking distance. It's on the St Malo chart....

Next, tucked in behind Ile des Hebihens a couple of miles west of St Briac , on sand - a favourite spot with locals.

You should be able to get right into La Corderie on the west side of Ile de Brehat and dry on sand. Watch out for local smallcraft mooring gear half-buried.....

At Roscoff, you should be able to pick your drying place on hard sand and mud right inside the Vieux Port, alongside a wall-ladder for convenience, and stroll through the short alley from the quay-root to get your cafe-creme and croissants at one of the little patissiers in the morning. Civilised, and central.

Across the Chenal de L'Ile de Batz, there's Porz Kernock. Dry alongside the west breakwater where there's sand, or continue up to the head of the harbour, tide permitting, and dry again on firm sand.

You might care to use the anchorage just east of Ile Molene, in moderate weather, but if you go looking for a good photo of the spectacular Hell Rock, do be advised that there are plenty of ill-charted pinnacle rocks just to the SE, on the Plateau de la Helle. Not a good place, even for a cat......

Er, that's it. Enjoi.



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[jimi]

Snowy babe, you're a bad bad man .. I can't get these lyrics out my heid noo.. and its all yer fault .. I'm gouing to hunt you down and bend you over a desk and spank you for this!

Yahhhh!

Well let's go back to the middle of the day that starts it all
I can't begin to let you know just what I'm feelin'.
And now the red ones make me fly,
And the blue ones help me fall,
And I think I'll blow my brains against the ceiling.
And as the fragments of my skull begin to fall,
Fall on your tongue like pixie dust just think happy thoughts,

And we'll fly home,
We'll fly home,
You and I,
We'll fly home.

C'mon!

Well now i'm back in the middle of the day that starts it all,
I can't begin to let you know just what I'm feelin'.
And now these red ones make me fly,
And the blue ones help me fall,
And I think I'll blow my brains against the ceiling,
Now...

We'll fly home,
You and I,
We'll fly home.

Now honestly, that's what I said to her,
What I said to her.

Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh!!!!!!!

Think happy thoughts,
Think happy thoughts,
Think happy thoughts,
Think happy thoughts,
Think happy thoughts,
Think happy thoughts,
Think happy thoughts,
Think happy thoughts,
Think ha- WOO!

 

[Twister_Ken]

Don't think anyone has mentioned Ile de Bréhat (drying) yet. V nice.

 

[ajt]

I would think that was about perfect for this stretch of coast, you may not get into some of the harbours but there are plenty of harbours with a wall you can hide behind and row ashore!
We travelled along this coast a couple of months ago looking for a house, there are some fantastic beeches and little harbours but finding them in a car was not easy. Best to get a French pilot and see what is there. Obviously as the name suggest there are lots of rocks around but if that doesn't put you off it is well worth the trip. The prevailling wind is in the West in this area by the way.
Try Google Earth to find a promising area then try the website I posted earlier to narrow your search.
Happy hunting.

 

[jhr]

Listening to your daughters' record collection, Jimi?

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[ebbtide]

Round Ushant. outside the Raz, and don't hit land before the Morbihan.

 

[Duffer]

Nonsense! You miss most of the best bits!