Ile d'Ouessant

Johnwin · 06 July 2007, 13:50

We will be Northern Brittany for three weeks in august

.

I fancy a trip over to the Ile d'Ouessant, can any of our French friends give me some advice on good slips to launch from and any other hints

Trugarez

bernithebiker · 09 July 2007, 18:50

I have never been to Ouessant myself yet, but have heard that it is very wild and rugged and beautiful. We plan to go soon. As for launching, the furthest up that I have launched is at Landevennec (we live in Quimper). There is a basic slip here, that only works at Hitide +/-2hrs. There is a much better one further upriver at Tregarvan which is usable at any tide (and very quiet and like most slips round here, free).

Have you considered islands further south? Ile de Groix is excellent, the Glenan Isles are tropical (on a sunny day!) and we are off to Belle Ile this Sunday.

Not much help, I know, but better than a poke in the eye!

www.frenchberry.fr

Johnwin · 09 July 2007, 21:11

Hi Berni

Thanks for the reply, looking at the charts and the available slipways the plan has changed already, I may try Audierne to the ile de sein, the slip at Esquibbien looks accessible most states of the tide. I'll have a look at the islands suggested and will probably change my plans again.

I will also be visiting the Ile de Batz and the Ile de Brehat, neither of which are very demanding passages. (you could swim it at low tide

)

PS nice chateau

Richard B · 09 July 2007, 21:53

Hi John,
You may already be aware that a French port is like a French town.... the town must have the la mairie, le tabac and la boulangerie, and le port must have la capitanerie and la cale de mise a l'eau!
The tourist boats for Ouessant depart from le Conquet (www.leconquet.fr) a charming town which has plenty of facilities. However, you may prefer to depart form Lanildut on the Aber Ildut. It's many years since I've been there but I remember the facilies being excellent. You can find a plan of the port here: http://porscave.free.fr/articles.php?lng=fr&pg=57
The sea between that part of the coast and Ille D'Ouessant can get quite serious, even in the middle of summer. Should make for an interesting passage.

BTW we've recently been to Ile De Batz as well.... you wouldn't want to swim that passage.... helluva tide race!

I can also second Berni's suggestions.

Bon Voyage!

bernithebiker · 10 July 2007, 06:34

Interesting - you are getting closer to my neck of the woods. In fact Esquibien is just next to one of the houses that we rent (the one on the left of the website, at Primelin). Primelin also has a pretty good, very sheltered slip.

Audierne is a very nice port/town, never busy, even in August.

Ile de Sein is also highly recommended, although pretty small. Be careful of the currents here - they are some of the most dangerous in Europe if you go between the Pointe de Raz and Sein. You can watch the one man fishing boats fishing for bass in these turbulent waters - brave stuff! This is where the big boss of Michelin drowned last winter.......

Seeing as you are in this area, you should try going down the Odet river which comes out at Benodet, and then go over to the Glenan islands - both stunning.

Watch out though - the weather here has been much worse than normal lately, but today the sun's out!

www.frenchberry.fr

Johnwin · 10 July 2007, 19:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by bernithebiker

Seeing as you are in this area, you should try going down the Odet river which comes out at Benodet, and then go over to the Glenan islands - both stunning.

Watch out though - the weather here has been much worse than normal lately, but today the sun's out!

www.frenchberry.fr

Thanks Berni
We might give that a go. Can you recommend a good slip to get on the Odet?

Johnwin · 10 July 2007, 19:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Richard B

Hi John,
You may already be aware that a French port is like a French town.... the town must have the la mairie, le tabac and la boulangerie, and le port must have la capitanerie and la cale de mise a l'eau!
The tourist boats for Ouessant depart from le Conquet (www.leconquet.fr) a charming town which has plenty of facilities. However, you may prefer to depart form Lanildut on the Aber Ildut. It's many years since I've been there but I remember the facilies being excellent. You can find a plan of the port here: http://porscave.free.fr/articles.php?lng=fr&pg=57
The sea between that part of the coast and Ille D'Ouessant can get quite serious, even in the middle of summer. Should make for an interesting passage.

BTW we've recently been to Ile De Batz as well.... you wouldn't want to swim that passage.... helluva tide race!

I can also second Berni's suggestions.

Bon Voyage!

Thanks Richard.

Did you take the ferry to the Ile de Batz or did you have your boat with you?

Your right about the seas around there, I had a Breton lighthouse calender a year ago, some of the photographs were spectacular,

bernithebiker · 10 July 2007, 21:08

John - by far the best slip for getting onto the Odet is at Gouesnach. Halfway down the main road between Quimper and Benodet, turn right till you hit the river. Good slip, very few people, no problem to park. Here the river is amazingly natural - no houses apart from a few chateaux.

Watch out for extra high tides though - I flooded my car here last year.....!! Parked it up quite high, and came back to find water up above the door sills.....

That photo by the way - looks to me like it's taken from the Pointe du Raz, with Ile de Sein in the background.

www.frenchberry.fr

MarkWildey · 10 July 2007, 21:17

Richard

Sometimes it's calm!

On the way through the first time there was a wall of water with the fishing boats sat on the other side in the calm. Just had to run along the wall until we found a gap and shoot through before it closed.

Cheers

Mark

Aningoul · 13 February 2008, 15:25

God hears you, Richard B! Bonifacio has many boulangeries, many bars and many restauranrs, but not any slepway but one impossible to reach through narrow passage! He has two very good and free of payment up to 2007, both turned close this year ; let's see at the next elections. Salut vieux!

Pablo · 14 February 2008, 15:39

Here's a web site that should be able to help you for the slipways (CAles de Mise à l'Eau or CAME) http://www.capbreizh.com/

I don't know that end very well. I'd be better équipped to help you if you come further south, i.e. Belle-ile, Houat, Hoedic, Yeu, etc...

Pablo · 15 February 2008, 18:11

I know few of you speak French but the pictures in the film i'm putting on are impressive stuff. It's the Raz de Sein, between the coast and the isle of Sein.

http://video.google.fr/videoplay?doc...du+raz+de+sein

havener · 15 February 2008, 18:47

Pablo,

Thanks for that - I've only been away a few weeks and that film's just made me feel very homesick.

Pte de Raz and Le Loch - the most wonderful place in the world.

Luckily I'm back soon.