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Ep5 – From North to South Brittany

Sat 29/06 – Tue 9/7 Isle de Bréhat to Roscoff

There are two ways to reach open water from Isle de Bréhat when sailing southward. The most scenic, though slightly longer and slower route, is through the waters between the mainland and the island. This allows us one last opportunity to enjoy the rocks and inlets that reveal themselves at low tide.

The journey to Roscoff includes a nighttime stop on the Tréguier River before heading to Trebeurden, a small marina about 15 miles east of Roscoff. Trebeurden marks the end of the Côte Rose, a 10-mile stretch famous for its pink granite. It’s a peaceful place, with only a large beach and some beautiful walking routes among the pink granite rocks.

After a swift and calm crossing, we arrive in Roscoff, a typical stopover marina frequently visited by sailors en route to the south. The marina itself is about a 20-minute walk from the old town, which is famous for its onion sellers, with Monsieur Leclerc from “Allo Allo” being perhaps the most famous. The seafood here is also delicious so we enjoy a “Fruits de Mer” in Surcouf, a cosy restaurant in de village center.

The wind isn’t favorable for sailing south for several days, so we, along with other southbound sailors, are stuck in Roscoff for a while. After a couple of days, harbour life starts to wear on us, and we decide to anchor at Île de Batz. However, Linde’s painful back isn’t pleased, and Mick decides to head back to the marina before it gets too dark. The next day, most of the other sailors leave, but Linde’s back pain holds us back. Fortunately, a local therapist brings some relief, and after a few days, we are able to continue our journey.

One evening, a fleet of classic ships enters the port as a stopover on their way to Brest. it’s quite a spectacle.

Wed 10/7 – Fri 12/7 Roscoff to Camaret-sur-Mer.

A second passage by Île de Batz takes us further south. After many fruitless attempts, we finally got mackerel on our trolling line. It’s not much, just enough for a tasty appetiser.

While most other sailors opt for the marina at l’Aber Wrach, we choose a peaceful mooring buoy at l’Aber Benoit. This also saves us a few miles in the morning, allowing us to reach the “Chenal du Four” ahead of the main fleet. Timing is key once again, as the currents, especially between Ile de Beniguet and Le Conquet on the mainland, can reach up to 7 knots. There’s no wind, so we motor along with the current, making good speed. Once past Pointe Saint-Mathieu, all that remains is to cross the Rade de Brest to reach Camaret-sur-Mer. We pass some other beautiful classic ships on their way to the Brest International Maritime Festivals.

Henk and Sylvia of the Lotus, friends of our home port in Colijnsplaat, are just raising their anchor in Camaret as we drop ours—just in time to wave them off. They’re setting off to cross the Bay of Biscay to A Coruña and will later this season sail to the Caribbean. We wish them safe travels.

Camaret-sur-Mer is a gathering place for boats preparing to cross the Bay of Biscay from France, as it offers a perfect angle for departure. Other than that, there’s not much to it. However, it’s an ideal spot to restock at the local supermarket. We stay here just one night on anchor.

Sat 13/7 – Wed 17/7 Camaret sur mer to Morbihan

The Odet River is much more beautiful. As we sail upriver, mooring buoys from the local yacht clubs line the banks, but we don’t take one. We pass under the bridge and find a quiet inlet a mile further up where we just fit to anchor. We drop the dinghy in the water and explore the shallow inlet a mile further in. It is of an unreal beauty and quiet. This is the kind of place we love the most—quiet, peaceful, and remote. So, we stay an extra day at anchor.

After a night at anchor in Locmalo Bay, the anchor chain has wound itself around a rock, and we can’t pull it up. It takes some higher-level problem-solving to resolve this. Fortunately, Linde is there, and after spinning in the opposite direction, we’re thankfully free again. For the next night, we decide to play it safe and dock in Port Louis, a cozy fishing harbour near Lorient. It’s time for laundry and showers again, and we take the bus to the Intermarché for a song.

Turadh sails on with a strong breeze to Quiberon, where we anchor for two more days before entering the Bay of Morbihan to pick up Sigrid and Dirk in Vannes. From then on, we begin two weeks with visitors. More about this in our next episode.