Treguier Lezardrieux

dom

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I hope to sail to Brittany in the next few weeks and will be very lightly crewed - 2 youngish children and myself. Tides/currents are clearly an issue so I should be grateful to receive any inside knowledge/tips etc. Also anyone any insights on best restaurants?

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Chris_Robb

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You will enjoy them both.

Treguier: Approchh is relativeley easy using the main channel, from the north, however if coming from Lezadrieux, there is an inshore channel, passing near rocks. Looks the first time a little scarry, but just plan to put in plently of waypoints and you will be fine. DO take note of the warnings of docking in the marina while the tide is running - don't even tryit unless on an end berth in Springs - you will otherwise provide an enormous amount of entertainment for everyone else!

Restuarants - Hundreds, but being touristi you may need to book.

Lezadrieux: When approaching from the north you can cut across to the east of Isle de Brehat. If you do this watch out for your cross drift, and the spring tides run fast here.- again plenty of waypoints. Otherwise entry holds no particular problems. Isle de Brehat has a lovely anchorage in La Chambre for settled weather - but do watch out - the holding is not that brilliant. Marked on chart as anchoring prohibited - but everyone seems to ignore it. Entering the marina - again warnings about the spring tides and docking.

Up river - on a rising tide - go to Pontireux - lovely place - navigation is not difficult.

If you are a novice navigator, then you may well be happier arriving at neap tides, when everthing slows down to managable proportions.

Good luck

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jamesjermain

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Both towns are are delightful and some way up very attractive rivers - The Trieux (Lesardrieux) is arguably prettier than the Jaudy (Treguier).

Both have entrances which need care - again, the entrance to the Jaudy is probably trickier than the Trieux. For your first visit I would strongly recommend a daytime approach to both aiming to be at the entrance buoys to the channels (Basse Crublent for the Jaudy and Les Sirlot for the Trieux) at least an hour before high water. The flood and ebb both run strongly across the entrances so accurate navigation is required.

For Treguier it is vitally important to approach the marina at slack water because the tide sweeps through it ferociously and one of the local sports is watching British yachts getting tee-boned on the bows of the local craft as they crab up the pontoons. Indeed, with just a couple of small children as crew, you may consider this a reason for avoiding Treguier, though it would be a pity.

The marina at Lezardrieux is easier. You also have the option of taking the tide 5 miles further up to the locked basin at Pontrieux.

Both rivers have attractive, quiet anchorages along their length and there are afternoon picnic stops at the Ile de Brehat

I thoroughly recommend both places but perhaps you should try Lesardrieux first.

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duncan

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other small point for Treg is to clear away rubbish from prop/rudder before setting off/starting engine. Sounds obvious but so much **** comes piling up/down the river, and the pontoons are in the middle of it.
As said lots of nice resteraunts/eateries - just head up the hill to the church square and take it from there.

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dom

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That is very helpful advice. Slack water arrival for me then! I am an experienced navigator but nothing beats local knowledge in particular with a small crew. Thanks again.

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tome

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Watch out for the tide at the visitors (outside) pontoons at Lezardrieux - it doesn't half run and makes berthing quite interesting.

There's a bar/restaurant a few minutes walk towards the town which does good food (the barmaid is very easy on the eye also), and a good creperie as you go up the hill towards the town. Apart from that, I've never seen as many hairdressers in a small town.

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brians

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In Lezardrieux there is a restaurant called Auberge de ??. It was fantastic when we were last there.

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Magic_Sailor

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I would say that tides are not too much of an issue in this area (from the point of view of strength) - however, watch out on your way down if your in the Race of Alderney, Diellette, Carteret areas - they can run very hard. In any case refer to a GOOD tidal atlas and time your passages and you can't go far wrong.

From the point of view of tidal height - this is a different matter. Many harbours dry and so timing of arrival becomes more important. Your almanac will help here.

Both river entrances are rocky but fairways are pretty well marked. Be careful when entering Treguir. Make sure you are right over to the La Corne light house and look out for the SHM buoy (quite small) just inside - it marks a large (very) shoal area aftr which you switch to the other side of the river. Treguir is lovely - much better than Lezardrieux (which I thought boring).

If I can be of further help - PM me by all means.

Magic

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ROSSCO

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Where are you sailing from and how much time do you have? We did the trip last summer from the Solent to Cherbourg to Dielette to Lezadrieux to Pontrieux and back, cutting out Cherbourg on the return. The weather was not great and the wind was always on the nose or there wasn't any (sod's law of course) 2 children and 2 adults over 2 weeks. Previous year we did the river Rance, weather was better, less sailing but more relaxing. If you want to stay somewhere for a while where the children can enjoy themselves try Plouer Sur Rance. Great little marina and canoeing dinghy sailing for the children.
The reason I ask where are you coming from, is because after 2 seasons of relatively long passages with young children (now 10 11) over a 2 week period,planned well ahead and therefore not able to rely on the wind direction, I have decided this year not to plan ahead and to go wherever the wind takes us .
Whatever you decide make sure you take, North Brittany & Channel Islands Cruising Companion by Peter,Cumberlidge
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dom

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Gosh many thanks to all of you for so much useful information. My home port is Portsmouth. I totally take your point about winds. In fact what I often do when sailing to the Channel Islands is start from a Yarmoth Roads buoy which has the advantages of - being closer to the destination, making the Alderney race without a full adverse tide, with SW winds the sail becomes a fetch and it is quick and to leave. Like from the solent depending on the forecast I head somewhere between Caen and St Peter Port. Coming from a racing background I am quite happy in most conditions at sea. What I do find tricky is unfamiliar marinas with current/tidal flows. Hence, I gravitate towards Alderney, Yarmouth, St Malo, St Peter Port, Jersey and so on which are all very simple. It is also why I have to date kept clear of places like Treguier and Lezardrieux.

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tcm

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Michelin guidance

the best restaurants in france are in the Michelin Guide. Apparently it is so important to get into Michelin that they hold more than 30,000 "appeals" from restaurants every year in France alone.

There are four categories
a listing
one star = "worth a stop on you journey" to quote the guide
two stars = "worth a detour on your journey"
three stars = "worth a special journey"

amongst the "listed" category, there is also the "Bib" award for "carefully prepared food at reasonable prices" - a recent category to try and cheer up the brit restaurants with a special (lower) rating system but which are not "good" - in which case they'd get a star. So Rick Stein in Padstow frexample get a mere listing but no star, and since it's a ton of money it gets no bib gourmand either.

separetley the restaurants are also detailed for how comfy they are, denoted by how many "knives and forks" icons in the Guide. But this has nothing to do with food quality, just comfy chairs and carpet. Note that it's only with a star that according to michelin that it's a "good place to stop" so that without a star it's not quite a good enough place to stop on yr journey.

in france, there are 27 3-star restaurant (uk only 2 ) and 64 2-stars (uk 10) and 409 1-stars (uk 60). There's just one very hardworking 2-star in ireland, Patrick Gillbaud in dublin where the clients start an argument "what! call yerself a french restrant and no french onion soup!" or when an amuse bouche is presented: "take eet away - we didn't order that lot and we not paying for it!" There are just 10 1-star restaurants in scotland, and two in wales.


Anyhow, there aren't any restaurants listed for Treguier except part of a small hotel which doesn't count, and neither are there any in Lezardrieux. So of course, I haven't been near the place and obviously i expect you will want to rethink the whole idea too.

In Paimpol there are three restaurants which get a listing

or

(much better) would be to go to St Malo which has Chalut inside the walls with a star on 0033 299 56 71 58, recently displacing A la duchess Anne just inside the walls which i think used to have a star but obviously just been demoted, and it's usually a duff sauce which lets them down.


So revered is Michelin that it is perfectly acceptable to carry the Guide in a read it at the table. I think it is a bit much the way SWMBO does things like just pop in to a recently-dumped restaurant to ask directions to the recently-promoted one, but it seemed no problem at all, and quite understandable to everyone in the know that if you are after a decent restaurant, no star means no visit.

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CliveG

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Hi

We went to Lezardrieux last July and had some fun locating the Nord Horaine North Cardinal buoy that marks the entrance channel.
We were looking for a large sea going buoy.
We started to disbelieve our plotting and the GPS.
When we finally found it, it was a small stick buoy no higher than 2m.

The proper Buoy was found leaning up against a quay near Lezardrieux!
Hopfully our French Cousins have got around to replacing it.

As has been said, the tide runs quickly through the outer ends of the marina at Lezardrieux.
It is a good place to practice you ferry gliding.
Don’t wait for someone to tell you where to moor.
You will wait till next week.
Just moor as convenient and report to the Marina Office.
O, and the nearest Customs office is in Paimpol.
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sophia

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Very much enjoyed a meal at Auberge du Tregor in Treguier last summer - good food - good ambience and reasonably priced - an old granite building in a side street directly opposite the Church. Good market across road from the quay Wed a.m.
We have found that unless you go right up the Trieux to Pontrieux, it is easier to find shelter in the river Jaudy - and Treguier has more buzz than Lesardrieux.
Can also recommend Paimpol - if you arrive in time for the lock. If you don't and fetch up further east you can access St Quay Portrieux at any state of the tide.
Bon Voyage



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roger

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With a 30 ft boat you can do Treguier to Dartmouth in 17 hours and so just about in daylight. I'm less happy about the reverse direction as the latter end of the journey when you are tired is less simple.
One does tend to get dawn fogs in both Lesardrieux and Treguier approaches so its waypoints all the way up the river.
Dont go beyond the pontoons at Treg. at low water - there are some nasty old bridge piers. Instead of using the marina you could anchor at the previous corner - I've seen lots of boats do that - depends on your anxiety level.
Its worth visiting the treasury of the cathedral at Treg.
The shell fish shop just before you get to the main square does very good shellfish lunches -nothing else.
The market at Treg. is great but I cant remember which day it is. It happens on the quay, the main square and the little one on the way up the hill. There are all sorts of cooked foods to try which should please your crew. There was one stall selling spuds fried in pork fat with crispy bacon and sausages. It was heart attack on a plate for adults but smelt superb.
Rigth at the top of the town close to the railway station is an unpretensious prix fixe restaurant where the locals go. Its cheap.

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ColinR

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I think Lezadrieux is much the easiest and lots more to explore with kids, nice beaches round Brehat and its worth going up the river past the marina for peaceful nights anchored in stunning surroundings and locking into Pontrieux for a day or two. Treguier is a bit trickier at the entrance and the river is beautiful but does not offer so much ashore until you get up to Treguier. If the tide doesn't suit for the marina anchor in the bend in the river just below the chateau. Its lovely and an easy dinghy trip up to the marina and town. i woke up one morning there with a porpoise investigating the anchored yachts.

Dont be too daunted by all the rocks on the chart. Plan things carefully and its not difficult. Lezardrieux is a huge entrance and it all makes sense as you enter.

Colin

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DepSol

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In Lezardrieux got from port to the bottom of the hill before going up to the town. Moulin de la gallette excellent for everything steak salads sea food Beer say hi to Yvon Julieene the owner for me. Very friendly very busy and you prob will need to book at peak season.

Go to Paimpol also some good restaurants along the front.

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JamesS

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You've chosen two lovely spots. Pesonally I've found the marina at Lezardrieux has gone down hill over the past years. They tend to stick you on the end of the pontoon in the raging torrent.

If you don't wish to go ashore (not such a good idea with children on board) then there are some good moorings about 1 mile downstream of the marina.

Similarly, in Treguier there are some good anchorages just downstream of the marina near the chateau.

When in Treguier, do make sure you visit the chandlery just upstream of the marina and across the road bridge. Every sailing widget you could wish for especially if you've got an old wooden boat as it's full of wooden blocks and fittings.

By the way, If you are planning to use the channel (Passe de la Gaine I think) between Treg and Lez don't be put off by some of the reports in various pilots. Given good viz, a rising tide and planning it's quite straightforward.

Enjoy your trip.

Cheers

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