Wintering in SW France? Help please.

[Oscarpop]

If we get a little bit of luck, we should be in the position to become liveaboards over the next few months.

We propose to spend this summer sailing our boat around South West France, then either returning to Kent ,or Wintering in France.

We do however need to fly to Australia for a couple of months between October and December for my partner and I to visit her family.

At the moment, we only plan to return the boat to Kent because, so far in the 8 years I have berthed there, it is safe to leave the boat unattended for a couple of months.

Can you please advise whether you have recommendations for marinas in South West France for over wintering?Gated and relatively secure from Winter storms.

Does anyone else work like this and fly off for months, or does it show poor judgment?

many thanks.

 

[vyv_cox]

Rochefort is a superb place to leave a boat for winter, totally secure afloat although you can haul out, very close to the railway station that gets you to La Rochelle for the TGV. La Rochelle almost as good but not quite so secure and with occasional lapses in customer relations, like suddenly throwing all the visitor boats out to stage a boat show.

We have left our boat in a variety of locations throughout Europe for winter for the past ten years or more. Perfectly normal behaviour.

 

[Oscarpop]

Many thanks Vyv.

So leaving a boat unattended for say eight weeks over winter wouldnt be the stupidest idea?

 

[vyv_cox]

Nothing stupid about it if you trust the boatyard. We have been back in Greece for a couple of weeks, last here beginning of August last year, along with many other owners. Boat perfectly OK, ours ashore but many afloat. We were at Rochefort for six months, visited once in winter. Same in Bastia, Corsica and at Leucate in France, not to mention the past six or seven years in Greece not visiting in winter.

 

[blueglass]

Many thanks Vyv.

So leaving a boat unattended for say eight weeks over winter wouldnt be the stupidest idea?

not in the slightest, have done this many times (winter and sometimes summer) In SW France we used the marina on Ile Frioule (Off Marseille) several times without issues. Its not gated as such but any thieves have to get off the island with their booty which is a big deterrent.

 

[charles_reed]

I've tried Rochefort - excessively popular and busy, therefore expensive - I'd recommend a far more economically priced and extremely secure mooring in Marans - up the Niort, through the canal and into the old port complex.

I spent a winter there - monthly cost, including water and shorepower was the equivalent of £25. The Police Chief is also harbourmaster!!

Always presuming you're actually meaning SW France and not spreading geographically as many appear to be doing, because you can probably find a more secure and cheaper alternative in the N Aegean or even Bouches du Rhone.

Marans has the advantage of la Rochelle and cheap (& nasty) flights back to the UK. Marseille & Rochefort are a difficult (or expensive) trip to the local airfields.

 

[artemis07]

We spent one winter at Rochefort a few years ago. I highly recommend it, it had a 15 ton crane, a mast removal crane, a technical area and a secure area for boat storage ashore. There wasn't much security but I haven't heard of any problems. The marina is in an old dock accessed at high water (+\~ a few minutes) through gates. La Rochelle is the nearest airport. The town is an old French naval town which was heavily fortified against the English. Good shops, good market. It would be wise to book well in advance.
When we were there the river flooded which flooded the marina/dock. Extra precautions were required but no damage was incurred.

 

[Sea Devil]

Even in Australia, Trinidad, USA I have left my boat(s) for several months and flown home to (lately La Rochelle in France). Very normal thing to do. I must confess that when it was to more than around 3 months I have always hauled.

What you will not get in a marina like La Rochelle is much in the way guardianship by the marina people. Security is not that good but actually in the 6 years I was berthed there I never heard of a boat being broken into... It is possible to haul in La Rochelle and there are several boatyards that will store it in secure accommodation. If it is not too big and heavy it's also possible to haul and be put in a secure compound in Rochefort. Afloat there is fine too as the place is so small the marina manager will email you if there is a problem.

In the general area there are several other marinas like Sables-d'Olonne. The big advantage of La Rochelle is that the airport is a 12€ taxi ride away and there are daily flights to London.

Have a look at my web site for pictures of what a storm can do to boats in any French west coast marina - my pix are all La Rochelle but all the ports except perhaps Rochefort suffered similar damage - Wintering a boat afloat does have risks