Visiting France

Different port but same country.

I emailed the marina in St Vaast (where I keep my boat) to ask if they had any guidance on whether visiting yachts would have to check in & out via Cherbourg as it’s a port of entry and this is the translated reply.

Hello,
For the moment we have no information for stopovers but it seems unlikely that boaters will have to go through Cherbourg to be able to come to Saint Vaast.
We will keep you informed as soon as we have the procedure to follow.
cordially
Florent DULOIR


My sister who lives in St Vaast was also saying there are reports detailing how much revenue the marina had lost due to the lack of UK boats visiting during COVID. I would hope that this means that they will make it as easy as possible for visiting yachts.
 
MickeyP said:
My sister who lives in St Vaast was also saying there are reports detailing how much revenue the marina had lost due to the lack of UK boats visiting during COVID. I would hope that this means that they will make it as easy as possible for visiting yachts.
Click to expand...
Not just yachts but any visitors. I hope once the panic has died down there will be sensible agreements made that avoid or eliminate anything more than a need to carry a passport. Surely France and other EU counties do want UK citizens to travel and spend money (perhaps excluding football supporters).
 
MartynG said:
Not just yachts but any visitors. I hope once the panic has died down there will be sensible agreements made that avoid or eliminate anything more than a need to carry a passport. Surely France and other EU counties do want UK citizens to travel and spend money (perhaps excluding football supporters).
Click to expand...
I am sure that they do, but their borders are controlled centrally by the EU. I can't imagine them setting up new immigration offices in every small port. Hopefully when ETIAS goes live in 2022 marinas will be able to do whatever is necessary to check you in and out of Schengen online.
Until then, with a paper based system (stamp in a passport) I wouldn't want to risk a fine and ban on re-entry by taking the advice of "someone's sister" and then getting caught without legal entry. The existing rules are clear, and whatever the harbour master at St Vaast might optimistically hope for, you cannot enter or leave the EU there and must go via Cherbourg which would be the nearest port of entry.
 
MartynG said:
Not just yachts but any visitors. I hope once the panic has died down there will be sensible agreements made that avoid or eliminate anything more than a need to carry a passport. Surely France and other EU counties do want UK citizens to travel and spend money (perhaps excluding football supporters).
Click to expand...
I take offence to the football comment , there idiots in every place where there are peeps , boaters who may drink champagne can also be a troublesome lot .
 
I heard, but don’t know if it is true or not, that you can arrive at whichever port you like so long as you then register at a recognised port of entry to deal with the customs formalities.

From the Channel Islands perspective nothing has really changed. We weren’t previously part of the EU and still aren’t. The problem that has arisen is that there is suddenly a lot of focus and attention on entering the EU whereas previously we just flew under the radar.
 
Keith-i said:
I heard, but don’t know if it is true or not, that you can arrive at whichever port you like so long as you then register at a recognised port of entry to deal with the customs formalities.

From the Channel Islands perspective nothing has really changed. We weren’t previously part of the EU and still aren’t. The problem that has arisen is that there is suddenly a lot of focus and attention on entering the EU whereas previously we just flew under the radar.
Click to expand...
I started this thread after speaking with the Guernsey States Bexit department. Apparently, no longer are the Channel Islands viewed differently from the UK in terms of entry/exit to the EU. The summary I received stated that the matter of Port status is a matter for France to designate and put in infrastructure for customs purposes to allow entry into the Schengen area. As part of Guernsey's engagement with Normandy, post Brexit, the issue of access to smaller ports for local yachts will be part of ongoing discussion. A list of border crossing points is available on the EU website and this Regulation here - see Sea Borders further down the page: EUR-Lex - 52020XC0227(02) - EN - EUR-Lex

So at the moment, and if COVID was to allow, boats from the CIs must enter/exit from one of the designated ports.
 
Thanks Piers, that’s very interesting. Hopefully our governments will speak nicely to the small ports and get some simple arrangement in place for us.
 
Fingers crossed that common sense prevails.
I do remember in the summer of 2019 pre Brexit the issue over main port entry
was announced but within days the French agreed that customs would be delegated to
the individual marinas in Normandy and Brittany .

cheers
Tetleys
 
MickeyP said:
Different port but same country.

I emailed the marina in St Vaast (where I keep my boat) to ask if they had any guidance on whether visiting yachts would have to check in & out via Cherbourg as it’s a port of entry and this is the translated reply.

Hello,
For the moment we have no information for stopovers but it seems unlikely that boaters will have to go through Cherbourg to be able to come to Saint Vaast.
We will keep you informed as soon as we have the procedure to follow.
cordially
Florent DULOIR


My sister who lives in St Vaast was also saying there are reports detailing how much revenue the marina had lost due to the lack of UK boats visiting during COVID. I would hope that this means that they will make it as easy as possible for visiting yachts.
Click to expand...
St V was certainly quieter when we visited in the summer. Intense Covid precautions in the restaurant with masks on to walk to your table with local police apparently checking compliance but of course the street market on Saturday had the usual unmasked crowds. The restaurants all seemed busy though notwithstanding marina space being easily found as said. Marina staff all friendly though notwithstanding stress of phase 1 covid. Ferries to the island as busy as normal but again strict mask and separation on board and unmasked crowd on the return.
 
Anyone been to St Vaast this year? Planning to visit in July but do we have to go via Cherbourg on way in & out or not?

Am thinking Portsmouth - Yarmouth - Alderney - Cherbourg - St Vaast - Portsmouth, staying over 2 nights in Cherbourg & also 2 nights St Vaast.
 
You will need to go via port of entry such as Cherbourg both in and out. I don’t think St Vaast has any derogation for customs entry.
 
You also have to be at Cherbourg when someone is there to stamp you in so do check with the marina what current times are - last year no stamps after 6pm local time so if setting off in morning it’s rather inevitable that you will arrive after the stamping time and if you need an early start the next day before any stamp person arrives at 9am
 
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