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LATEST NEWS FROM MOONSHINE - The French CanalsShort notes on the following Places, roughly East to West to Brest and then North to South
Paris 48°50.86'N, 02°22.00'E
Rouen 49°26.10'N, 01°06.00'E
Honfleur 49°25.22'N, 00°14.00'E
Le Havre 49°29.40'N, 00°05.66'E
Deauville 49°21.65'N, 00°04.89'E
Dives Sur Mer 49°17'11?N 00°06'00?W
Oistreham 49°16.45'N, 00°14.88'W
Caen 49°10.97'N 00°21.24'W
Courseulle sur Mer 49°20.13'N, 00°27.82'W
Arromanche 49°20.41'N, 00°37.29'W
Port-en-Bessin 49°20.91'N, 00°45.32'W
Carantan 49°18.48'N, 01°14.25'W
St Vaast La Hogue 49°35.23'N, 01°15.80'W
Barfleur 49°40.37'N, 01°15.49'W
Cherbourg 49°38.89'N, 01°37.13'W
Cherbourg 49°38.89'N, 01°37.13'W
Omonville 49°42.30'N, 01°49.80'W
Dillette 49°33.22'N, 01°51.84'W
Carteret 49°22.66'N, 01°46.81'W
Grandville 48°49.92'N, 01°35.88'W
St Malo 48°38.45'N, 02°01.93'W
Dinan 48°27.49'N 02°02.23'W
La Rance Lock 48°37.05'N, 02°01.71'W
Plouer sur Rance 48°31.50'N, 01°59.08'W
St Briac 48°31.43'N, 02°44.92'W
Binic 48°36.05'N, 02°49.27'W
St Quai Pontireux 48°38.84'N, 02°48.98'W
Paimpol 48°46.97'N, 03°02.59'W
Lezadrieux 48°47.33'N, 03°05.92'W
Treguier 48°47.20'N, 03°13.28'W
Ploumanach 48°49.68'N, 03°29.32'W
Trebeurden 48°46.30'N, 03°35.15'W
Lannion River 48°44.04'N, 03°32.20'W
Le Dieben 48°42.77'N, 03°49.40'W
Morlaix 48°35.07'N, 03°50.10'W
Roscoff 48°44.13'N, 03°59.01'W
L 'Aber 'Wrach 48°35.98'N, 04°33.62'W
Brest 48°22.50'N, 04°33.00'W
Older marina 48°23.55'N, 04°25.70'W
R L 'Elorn 48°24.21'N, 04°20.75'W
Chateaulain 48°11.83'N, 04°05.44'W
Camaret 48°17.00'N, 04°35.00'W
Audienne 48°01.40'N, 04°32.20'W
Loctudy 47°50.40'N, 04°10.50'W
Benodet 47°52.00'N, 04°06.50'W
Anse de Combrit 47°53.90'N, 04°08.60'W
Lanroz 47°56.95'N. 04°06.75'W
Anse de St Cadou 47°56.65'N, 04°06.10'W
Belon River 47°47.90'N, 03°43.90'W
L’Orient 47°47.90'N, 03°43.90'W
Port Tudy, Isle de Groix 47°42.60'N, 03°22.00'W
La Trinitie-Sur-Mer 47°38.80'N, 03°26.70'W
Vannes 47°38.45'N 02°45.60'W
La Bono 47°38.30'N, 02°57.60'W
Port du Cruesty 47°32.50'N 02°54.10'W
Port Haliguen 47°35.30'N, 03°01.50'W
Anchorage south of Port Haliguen 47°29.40'N, 03°06.00'W
Belle Isle 47°28.67'N, 03°05.13'W
Le Palais 47°20.00'N 03°10.00'W
Sauzon 47°20.80'N 03°09.00'W
Houat 47°22.50'N. 03°13.00'W
Hoedic 47°23.60'N, 02°57.30'W
The Villaine River 47°30.40'N, 02°28.70'W
Arzal 47°30.00'N, 02°23.00'W
La Roche Bernard 47°31.20'N, 02°18.50'W
Foleux 47°34.50'N, 02°17.00'W
Piraic sur Mer 47°20.70'N 02°52.45'W
Brittany and Normandy Ports
Paris – 48°50.86'N, 02°22.00'E
The trip up the Seine to Paris is highly recommended. Finding anchorages between Rouen and Paris might be a problem for deeper draft yachts, but there are backwarters where anchoring is possible. Drawing 1.4 metres, we were able to moor alongside in various places but had to winch ourselves off the pontoon through soft mud in Les Anderles when we awoke to find the river level had dropped 4 inches. Some of the lock keepers required to see ship 's papers including CEVNI certificate. We berthed in Paris in the Arsenal marina up stream of Notre Dame where visitors were welcome, facilities excellent and local metro stations provided access to the rest of the city.
Rouen – 49°26.10'N, 01°06.00'E
The docks are tidal and not very friendly for yachts. When we were there there was no yard that would lift out your mast, so we had that done in Le Havre. The best berths are up stream of the town bridge; hence the need to have dropped the mast. CEVNI rules apply in the river so you will need an inland certificate. I am told that facilities below the bridge in the docks area are improving.
Honfleur – 49°25.22'N, 00°14.00'E
This ancient port provides berths alongside the dock wall. You climb up to street level to be surrounded by seats and tables of the dock side restaurants. The pontoon outside the inner harbor is convenient. The inner harbor is more fun! Well worth a visit. A good starting place to catch the tide up the Seine to Rouen.
Le Havre – 49°29.40'N, 00°05.66'E
A major port and ferry terminal. The marina is to port inside the entrance to the harbour, accessible in all tides and weather. There are yards providing services to yachts further into the docks. We arranged for our mast to be lifted out and stored at one of these whilst we went up the Seine to Paris and. Back.
Deauville – 49°21.65'N, 00°04.89'E
Deauville and slightly less cheque Trouville on the East of the harbour are holiday towns for the Parisians. Both boast renown Casinos. The harbour includes marina berths by the Deauvlle yacht Club and a pontoon on the Trouville side. Good if expensive shopping in Deauville. Both towns have markets and there is a good fish market in Touville.
Dives Sur Mer 49°17'11?N 00°06'00?W
A reasonable marina on the site of an old factory. It is worth walking 20 minutes inland to the old town where it is commemorated that William the Conqueror set sail from the River Dives in 1066 with 600 ships to win the battle of Hastings.
Oistreham – 49°16.45'N, 00°14.88'W
The marina is through the lock gates in the Caen Canal but there is a waiting pontoon on the seaward side of the lock gate. Marina facilities are good. Lots of mid range and moule frites restaurants serving the ferry to UK clientel. A bit of a treck from the marina to the shops.
Caen 49°10.97'N 00°21.24'W
The trip up the Cean Canal to the city of Caen is highly recommended. You pass through the Pegasus bridge, famous from the D Day landings. There is a mooring place just South of the Pegasus bridge 49° 14.65 'N 0° 16.34 'W if you want to visit the very interesting museum about the airborne assault for the Normany landings. The marina in Caen is in the town centre in the midst of numerous restaurants and city center shopping. Interesting Cathedral, the burial place of William the Conqueror..
Courseulle sur Mer – 49°20.13'N, 00°27.82'W
Many Normandy harbours boast of a lock gate or sill to retain the water in the basin at low tide. Courseulle has solved the problem by digging a pit in the harbour floor. The tide dries between the pit and the harbour entrance leaving enough water in the marina for yachts to stay afloat.
Arromanche – 49°20.41'N, 00°37.29'W
Part of the D Day Mulberry harbour is still in place and it is possible to anchor inside the breakwaters, though we have not done so. The position given for Arrowmanche is NOT that of a recommended anchorage. Very moving D Day museum and a thriving tourist town ashore.
Port-en-Bessin – 49°20.91'N, 00°45.32'W
This is a fishing port with room for three or four yachts in the South East corner of the dock inside the lock gate. We called the Port Captain to open the lock gate and swing bridge but got no response so we waited for a fishing boat to pass through and took our chance at the same time to be given instruction where to go as we passed through the lock gate. We mooed up against a rickety pontoon in the corner of the dock, only to find that it had been removed by someone to paint a Verdette so we were stranded on shore. However the culprit was most amenable and put it back when he had finished his touching up in an hour or so. On a more recent visit, a small permanent pontoon has been put in place for yachts. This is a delightful 'real ' fishing village with a thriving market and lots of holiday visitors. If you can get in and there is room, well worth a visit.
Carantan – 49°18.48'N, 01°14.25'W
The approach to the river is across shallows and a bar; care may be needed in NE winds. The river leads inland through marshes and then farmland to a lock into the town dock where considerable EU money has been spent to build marina pontoons. You will be allocated a berth by the lock keeper which may be a good step from the Capitainery and facilities. Good shopping in town. There is Le Clerk supermarket 20 minutes walk out of town in Hilaire-Pettitville. A mascaret (bore) runs up the river at the beginning of the flood tide in spring tides.
St Vaast La Hogue – 49°35.23'N, 01°15.80'W
A good modern marina in a bustling seaside town. There is a secure anchorage outside the harbour accessible at all states of the tide. St Vaast Oysters are very good and available from a stall at the North end of the marina. M Goselain runs a very good delicatessen and wine shop in the town and will deliver to yachts. Some excellent restaurants and a thriving market. There is an amusing half day trip to the fort on the Island off St Vaast in an amphibious DUKW.
Barfleur – 49°40.37'N, 01°15.49'W
An old fashioned harbour where you may dry out against the harbour wall. There is a good anchorage in the pool off Barfleur but exposed from the North and East.
Cherbourg – 49°38.89'N, 01°37.13'W
A major port and naval base. High speed ferries to Portsmouth. The marina has a fair number of visitors berths, but some are on a pontoon not attached to the shore so you may need your dinghy. Good marina facilities. It is possible to anchor just outside the marina wall. Good shopping centre and provisioning; many restaurants.
Omonville – 49°42.30'N, 01°49.80'W
A possible place to wait for the tide through the Alderney Race. There are a few visitors buoys a bit exposed from the North East and not very comfortable even in a SW Wind as the swell finds its way into the harbour.
Dillette – 49°33.22'N, 01°51.84'W
Access to the marina is open at most states fo the tide and there is a waiting pontoon if not enough water to get into the marina. This makes Dillette an excellent place to wait for favourable conditions to go through the Alderney Race.
Shore side shops are a bit sparse but we had the largest and juciest moules we have ever had in the little shoreside cafe.
Carteret – 49°22.66'N, 01°46.81'W
A good sized marina protected by a wall at the top of a drying estuary. The shops are a bit of a walk away but the tourist 'petit train ' serves the thriving market in a near-by village of Barnville. An amusing morning out if you have time to spare.
St Malo – 48°38.45'N, 02°01.93'W
A walled medieval city and port. Inside the wall is humming with tourists but there is space further into the town with some good restaurants on the city walls overlooking the sea. Miles of sandy beaches and rock pools. There is a ferry terminal to Portsmouth and the Channel Islands and rail connection inland (but you have to change inland to get on the TGV. This makes it a good place for crew changes.
There is a Large marina to Starboard 48° 38.41 'N 002° 01.57 'W before you get to the ferry terminal and lock gates. This provides good berths but is a bit far out of town, especially when the bridge over the lock is open. More fun, is to lock in (can be quite a large rise at half tide), into the Marina near the city gates 48° 38.92 'N 002° 01.31 'W or alongside one of the docks through the bridge beside the city marina, if the marina is over full.
Dinan – 48°27.49'N, 02°02.23'W
La Rance Lock – 48°37.05'N, 02°01.71'W
Plouer sur Rance – 48°31.50'N, 01°59.08'W
The lock gate at 48° 37.05 'N 2° 1.71 'W gives entry to a large inland lake maintained to run the hydroelectric scheme, so the water level may drop suddenly; but there is plenty of water in the channel to go up to Dinan, an historical and most attractive walled city. Berthing is a bit tight between finger pontoons bow or stern on. There is a pretty rural marina half way up to Dinan, at Plouer sur Rance 48° 31.50 ' N 1° 59.08 'W amongst other possibilities to stop.
St Briac – 48°31.43'N, 02°44.92'W
You can lock into the town dock but we thought the dock a bit too commercial and close to main roads. The city of St Briac is full of character and contains some really excellent restaurants. We visited by car hired in Binic.
Binic – 48°36.05'N, 02°49.27'W
A very pretty seaside resort. Entrance to the harbour is via a lock. There is a supermarket in easy reach of the harbour. Very friendly harbour staff!
Paimpol – 48°46.97'N, 03°02.59'W
One of our favourite places. The entrance is via a number of well marked passages through the rocks. The lock is only open for a short period either side of high water and not at all at neap tides so you may get shut into the delightful place for a few days either side of the lowest neaps. Good shopping and restaurants. We listened to a concert in the village band stand from a very vigorous mid Europesn gypsy band. The tourist office has details of lots going on!
Lezadrieux – 48°47.33'N, 03°05.92'W
There are a number of good anchorages around the Isle de Brehat, depending on the wind and tide. The passage up to Lesadrieux is pretty. Be aware of cross tides in the marina. We recommend the passage on up the river at high tide to Pontrieux 48° 42.29 'N 3° 9.59 'W where you lock into the town dockside. We are told that dining Chez Jaquleine, where you are given the set menu, is a gastronomic experience.
Treguier – 48°47.20'N, 03°13.28'W
A well marked entrance into the estuary but be aware of cross tides in the entrance and numerous rocks. The river is very picturesque and leads to a marina in the town of Treguier. Be wary of cross tides entering and leaving this marina. There are good shops and restaurants up the hill n the town. We have anchored at the Southern limit of the moorings a couple of miles below the town and marina. You can also anchor in under th chateau .8 of a mile down river from the town.
Ploumanach – 48°49.68'N, 03°29.32'W
A very picturesque entrance past a Chateau on the rocks to Starboard and with a narrowish turn to Port over a permanent sill into the harbour. Mooring is fore and aft between dumbbells. Space is a bit limited but we have always found room for our 10.5 metre yacht. Very pretty walks ashore either side of the entrance. Shops in the village ten minutes walk from the harbour.
Trebeurden – 48°46.30'N, 03°35.15'W
Trebeurden has a good marina with access about 4 hours either side of high water depending on the tidal coefficient. There are visitors buoys outside the marina. By my calculations, the inner moorings would dry out at chart datum, but there is a metre of water under the outer line of moorings.
Lannion River – 48°44.04'N, 03°32.20'W
This river was shown in my 30 year old Cruising Guide as a deserted river with a few moorings. These have now extended to fill all available space. In 2004 We found a pool with a mooring in it but there was only just enough depth and we were tight between other moorings.
Morlaix – 48°35.07'N, 03°50.10'W
An enjoyable trip up the river on the rising tide to lock into the town dock and marina. This is spectacular with the town rising sharply on both sides of the river and the bridge across the top of the dock. There is a railway station on the main line to Brest so Morlaix is a good place for crew changes. The town is a good shopping centre with plenty of good restaurants. There is an anchorage at the bottom of the bay= but beware large areas of shellfish cultivation.
Roscoff – 48°44.13'N, 03°59.01'W
There is a brand new marina in Roscoff that has an all tide entrance with breakwater on 3 sides. It is just to the south of the ferry terminal and the dockmaster (who speaks English) will usually be out in a dinghy to bring you in. We 've seen lots of UK flags on boats in slips.. The town is wonderful.
The passage inside the Isle de Batz is well marked but subject to strong tides. There are visitors buoys at the Eastern end of this but these can be exposed to the North East at high water. Depending on tidal conditions, some yachts go alongside the harbour wall.
L 'Aber 'Wrach – 48°35.98'N, 04°33.62'W [Approximate]
A good all weather port. The marina has quite few visitors berths but may be crowded by visiting races and rallies. There a quite a few visitors mooring buoys off the marina. Good restaurants ashore and bread is available at the Cafe du Port, but other shopping is a mile and a half up the hill. There is a bus in the Summer months. An alternative is to go up the river 48° 35.37 'N 4° 31.31 'W and lie alongside fore and aft dumbbells. There is a very nice restaurant beside the bridge over the top of the navigable river but beware of having to carry the dinghy across mud flats if you tarry too long over your meal.
Brest – 48°22.50'N, 04°33.00'W
Older marina – 48°23.55'N, 04°25.70'W
R L 'Elorn – 48°24.21'N, 04°20.75'W
Chateaulain – 48°11.83'N, 04°05.44'W
Brest has two marinas. The new marina in the Commercial docks 48° 22.67 'N 4° 29.50 'W is well placed for access to the town. It was open for business in June 2009 but shoreside facilities had not then been completed.
The Older marina at 48° 23.55 'N 4° 25.70 'W is a large sprawling complex with a lot of building work on shore in 2009. It is not easy to pick up the Port and Starboard lights at the entrance to the marina at night as they are amongst many shore lights. Shops are a bus ride away in town. I am told the adjacent Aquarium is well worth a visit.
We spent one quiet night on a mooring in the Northern river, R L 'Elorn at 48° 24.21 'N 4° 20.75 'W a mile or so above the bridge and there is probably room to anchor just above this, but the river shoals rapidly further up.
The Southern river, L 'Aulne, provides a good trip inland to lock in to Chateaulain 48° 11.83 'N 4° 5.44 'W a very pleasant market town.
Camaret – 48°17.00'N, 04°35.00'W
There are a number of mooring buoys, white ones for visitors, and two marinas. The outer one has good space for visitors but is said to be uncomfortable in Easterly winds. The fist pontoon of the inner marina is reserved for visitors as is the outside of the Western pontoon. Be aware of the warning towards the inner end of this pontoon of a rock at 1 meter depth. This is a holiday / tourist village with good provisions and a number of restaurants.
Audienne – 48°01.40'N, 04°32.20'W
A very useful place to wait for the right tide for the Raz du Sein. There are mooring buoys in the Ainse de St Evette but these are uncomfortable / untenable in strong Easterlies. The entrance to the harbour can be dangerous in strong onshore winds. The marina up the River Goyen can cope with yachts up to say 12 metres on the hammerheads of the pier and boats up to10 meters on the pontoons. Call on the Capitainary Channel 9 or phone 0298750493 to confirm availability. The marina is dredged to about 2 meters and the approach channel nominally to 1 meter but it looked pretty dry at low water. Directions to enter are: On entry leave 25 meters between the breakwater and your boat. When the West to East quay bends a bit to the North, head for red and white chevron markers on the Fish Factory. Turn a right angle to port at the fish factory head. Pass within 3 m3tres of the boats on the quay to Port, and keep close to the marina pontoons. For the return journey, there are red and white chevron markers on the pier on the reciprocal course to the approach to the Fish Factory head, but by that time the Capitanary should have given you a plan.
Loctudy – 47°50.40'N, 04°10.50'W
Good visitors’ berths on outer pontoon and first pontoon but beware the outside berths on the outer pontoon if it blows up from the SE. Take care over the bar at low water in strong onshore winds. Good chandlery and yard facilities and marina restaurant. Shops are ten minutes walk and a reasonable supermarket five more minutes out of town. Excellent fresh fish at 5.30 pm every evening at a stall in the fishing harbour, landed from that day’s fishing. We have been up to Pont L’Abbe at the top of the river and dried out against a wall. The Capitainary at Loctudy gave us a plan. Pont L’Abbe is a very nice little town and well worth a visit by bicycle from Loctudy if you do not want to take the ground, bicycles available from the Capitainary.
Benodet – 47°52.00'N, 04°06.50'W
Anse de Combrit – 47°53.90'N, 04°08.60'W
Lanroz – 47°56.95'N, 04°06.75'W
Anse de St Cadou – 47°56.65'N, 04°06.10'W
The Odet river has two good marinas and the possibility of anchoring or picking up a buoy further up the river. The St Marina marina on the West bank is probably less subject to cross tides than the Benodet marina on the East bank where great care must be taken berthing if the tide is running, recommended that you wait for slack tide. Benodet has all the facilities you would expect from a major yachting centre. St Marina is a small holiday village with one rather expensive delicatessen, a few restaurants and surprisingly no regular ferry across the river to Benodet. Up the river we recommend anchorages at the junction of the Anse de Combrit to the river, opposite Lanroz and our favourite in the first or second pool of the Anse de St Cadou, but beware a rocky ledge in middle of the first pool which extends from the South bank half way across the pool, and check tidal hights. We stayed afloat (drawing 1.4meters) at low water in the second pool at tides coefficient 70. We had perhaps 0.5 metres under the keel at low water.
Belon River – 47°47.90'N, 03°43.90'W
Raft up on Visitors Buoys having negotiated the shallows at the river mouth. A renown restaurant, Chez Jacquie, is on the North bank overlooking the moorings. You may have to book to get in The famous Belon Oysters are just as good in the less pretentions restaurant a bit further up on the South bank.
L’Orient – 47°42.60'N, 03°22.00'W
Marinas at Kernevel, Port Louis, Locmiquelic, Pen Maine and in the L’Orient town centre. Locmiquelic is a good place to leave a yacht. The Town Centre is an amusing if noisy berth. We were kept awake much of one night in the music festival by new Orleans jazz played on Breton instruments. The railway station is not too far away so it is a good place for crew changes. There a some good secluded anchorages up the Blavet river and it is possible to go on up to Hennebont where there are a few for and aft moorings and a short stay pontoon
Port Tudy, Isle de Groix – 47°38.80'N, 03°26.70'W
Port Tudy, the main port in the Isle de Grois is a small fishing port in this delightful small island with a 10 minute hike up the hill to get supplies at a wonderful Breton village, le Bourg. There is a very good supermarket 500 metres from the village which is closed on Thursdays. There are a number of restaurants and bike rental shops surrounding the port. The pontoons in the outer wet harbour of Port Tudy are good for yachts up to about 11 metres but are close together so a bit of a squeeze to get into. Larger yachts lie to buoys in the outer harbour, but yachts tend to be crammed together and subject to swell in an offshore night sea breeze. Beware the huge ferries which come and go. There is an alternative anchorage at Loc Maria 49 37.5n 003.26.5W on the South Coast that gives good protection in all winds but those with South in them. This is a very picturesque spot with a small restaurant ashore but a hike up the hill to get supplies.
La Trinitie-Sur-Mer – 47°35.30'N, 03°01.50'W
A major yachting centre with expertise in all aspects of boats
Golfe de Morbihan – 47°32.90'N, 02°55.30'W [Approximate]
Vannes – 47°38.45'N, 02°45.60'W
La Bono – 47°38.30'N, 02°57.60'W
Port du Cruesty – 47°32.50'N, 02°54.10'W
An inland sea which could offer many days of exploration. Tides run strong in the entrance and in bottlenecks within the Morbihan. It is well worth a trip right up to Vannes where you lock into the town dock in the middle of a most attractive market town. We left the boat here successfully for one winter. Another favourite place is La Bono up the Auray river. If the visitors moorings at Bono are crowded you can pick up a buoy just south of Le Rocher and walk 15 minutes to Bono for restaurants and shops. Port du Cruesty just to the West of the entrance to the Morbihan has a large marina and is a major yachting centre.
Port Haliguen – 47°29.40'N, 03°06.00'W
A large marina as a useful staging post South of the Quiberon Peninsular. The visitors pontoon is quite a walk from the facilities.
S E Quiberon Peninsular – 47°28.67'N, 03°05.13'W
Places to anchor in this part of France are quite rare. We found this one after a midnight arrival at the end of a trip from the Azores. We were tired and didn 't fancy the hassle of getting out warps and fenders in order to berth in a strange marina. With the wind in the west and forecast to veer NW for a couple of days it offered good shelter.
From La Teigneuse lighthouse we followed the channel towards Port Haliguen marina. When about three cables east of the waypoint given we turned inshore and dropped anchor in about 5m at LW. We found sand, good holding and no swell or rolling. It was so good we stayed a couple of nights before going on to La Trinite.
The only drawback is from the local airstrip. The anchorage is in line with the flight path! It would be possible to go closer inshore, where there are a few small boats on moorings.
Belle Isle – 47°20.00'N, 03°10.00'W
Le Palais – 47°20.80'N, 03°09.00'W
Sauzon – 47°22.50'N, 03°13.00'W
Le Palais: Either lie between buoys in the outer harbour or lock into the inner basin which is a bit dusty but has access to good showers and heads in the adjoining camp site. A good shopping centre. Many restaurants. Lots of historical interest, tracing the history over the ages of British occupation and return to France. Fun hiring bikes or motor scooters to explore the Island. Sauzon: Pick up mooring buoys or raft up. This is a much quieter place than Belle Isle but exposed from the NE.
Houat – 47°23.60'N, 02°57.30'W
The harbour is open to the North. There are good anchorages off sandy beaches on the West and South sides of the Island but care must be taken on the approaches to these past outlying isolated rocks and in strong tides.
Hoedic – 47°20.70'N, 02°52.45'W
It is possible to anchor in the mouth of the small harbour but open to Northerly winds. We found over 2 metres at low water mid range tides but not sure the anchorage would be good at low water springs. Some local boats were tucked in behind the Western breakwater but these berths may well dry out. Care must be taken on the approaches past outlying isolated rocks and strong tides
The Villaine River – 47°30.40'N, 02°28.70'W
Arzal – 47°30.00'N, 02°23.00'W
La Roche Bernard – 47°31.20'N, 02°18.50'W
Foleux – 47°34.50'N, 02°17.00'W
Take care crossing the shallow approaches in strong on-shore winds. The lock at Arzal opens on the hour morning and evening and with longer gaps in the middle of the day. Opening times are colour coded due to the tide. I was told that for a yellow opening there is less than 1.5 meters but not sure if this is a sill in the lock or elsewhere. It is a great scrum to get into the lock at busy times. The lower gates are open and boats enter the first half of the lock but are held back by a lifting bridge over the middle of the lock. Don’t be put off it is seems to be full at first; when the bridge goes up all will surge forward about 30 meters and those still outside the lock jostle to get in. You will need all your fenders! Once through, there is a marina with fuel and visitors berths at Arzal. There is another marina at La Roche Bernard 5 or so miles up the river which is a very attractive town but a bit of a hike up hill to the shops. Another 5 miles up the river Foleux has marinas either side of the river and is I am told an excellent place to leave or over-winter a yacht. We have anchored over night another mile or so up river where the gorge opens into farmland in a wonderfully peaceful spot with not a light in sight at night. The trip up to Redon is most enjoyable and berths are available in the Redon town basin. You have to phone in advance to one lifting bridge between Foleux and Redon.
Piraic sur Mer – 47°23.00'N, 02°32.70'W
One of our favorite spots. The marina entrance is over a sill. A delightful maritime village, if a bit touristy, with good restaurants and a market several days a week. The fish stall in the market, which is the same business as a small shop just short of the supermarket, provides excellent fresh fish daily. It is about ten minutes walk from the marina to the centre of the village.