Winter storage suggestions please, SW France

[brownsox]

Jessie (24ft) is currently in Pornichet just north of the Loire - we go back to her next week and have about a month more, cruising gently south, before we need to leave her for the winter. Does anyone know how easy it will be to find a place? EG La Rochelle, Les Sables?? or maybe Gironde/Garonne /Canal Lateral if the weather's ok and we get that far. We can drop the mast ourselves. We're happy to leave her in the water and have a lift out and scrub at some point, or of course storage out of the water would be great. I've searched the forum but only found mediterranean advice. Any info welcome.

 

[albineer]

Nobody's jumped in yet (or at least they hadn't when I started) so here's my two pennorth.

re the Canal Lateral
When we were planning to leave Cognac several years ago we were advised to make sure of our next berth. I think it would be prudent to phone or email ahead.The gossip was (and is) that Les Minimes was full but we didn't ask. We decided to head for the Canal Lateral when we were offered a place in the basin at Agen and I think you could possibly get a place there with Locaboat Agen. You'd need to be careful about your fenders. We were on the wall next to the road and the gel coat suffered but nobody interfered with the boat. It's now moored at the Port St Sauveur in Toulouse. It's in a locked compund. I don't know whether there are any spaces but if you think you can get that far and want the email address or telephone number PM me.

If I wanted a floating berth nearer the coast I'd try Rochefort. I like the town and had good service when we had Semiramis lifted out and antifouled. The port has a berth request form on the internet
http://www.port-rochefort.com/
The Port of Les Minimes quotes for hard standing but I don't know whether they have spaces.
If you want more on the Canal Lateral let me know.
HTH
N

 

[Ocean Hound]

Rochefort was good value and quite secure, used it for two years. Also it's an interesting trip down the river - mind the transporter bridge!. There is a good hotel near the vieux port which has an excellent restaurant and the town has a long ship building history - it's Ropeworks provided most of the ropes for Napoleans Navy. Good road/bus links to La Rochelle.

 

[brownsox]

Many thanks to both of you. We'd wondered about Rochefort which looks lovely but I'd imagined it would be too small to have space for itinerant Brits. I've sent the form in and will hope it works out.
Cheers - forum always sorts it!