On France’s north coast, just south of the famous Normandy beaches, lies the Brittany Peninsula which is blessed with dozens of quaint seaside towns and many good harbors. But, the one hitch is the massive tides that rise and fall 20 feet twice a day. In some of the harbors, the mooring fields dry out completely at low tide so your boat has to be able to rest safely on its own bottom.
The larger harbors and river mouths have locks for entry and exit which open on regular schedules. So, timing your arrival to make an open lock is one of every day’s challenges while cruising from town to town.
Cruising rural northern France is a chance to see the local culture and enjoy the local foods and wines without the press of tourists you’ll find in more popular destinations. Instead, you will enjoy life like a Frenchman with boulangeries, cafes, bistros and weekend open markets to explore.
Englishman Gilbert Park decided to make Brittany his summer cruising destination aboard his 28 foot cabin cruiser Let’s Go.. The problem was, his wife Marie does not enjoy open water cruising and thus crossing the English Channel from their home port in Plymouth, England, was out of the question.
Instead, Park would make a solo run across the channel to the islands of Guernsey and Jersey before heading to the peninsula for a week of short hop cruising. Once he got to Brittany with a week to spare before Marie arrived in St Malo to join him, he decided to have a “seven ports in seven days” solo adventure.
That it turned out well is an understatement. Bretons, as the locals are called, were welcoming, the towns and cities charming and, of course, the food and wine were spectacular,
You can read Park’s full story of his week on Brittany Coast here.
