Mid June 2016 – Lezardrieux and Perros Guirec

16th June – Thursday – To Lezardrieux (pronunciation still up for debate)

A long hard slog to Lezardrieux from Guernsey.  We set off at 05:30 and arrived at 17:00 BST.  There was a 2 metre swell with the wind on the nose.  The wind was also very cold, though it did brighten later.  We were relieved to arrived in Lezardrieux, which is a Class A (all states of the tide harbour), excellent for the weary sailor.  We moored on the hammer head, and as the days passed we realised it was a good and bad decision.  Good, because the other pontoons were very short and many people struggled on arrival.  Bad because we were asked to make a space on the hammerhead to allow other expected visitors.  They did not arrive, but all the large boats wanted to try their arm at using the space which was proved to be only large enough for a 10m boat.  Mick had to use his scariest stare to ward off a 15m chancer.

Lezardrieux harbour is on a river and as such has the most charming approach.  Our berth had a beautiful riverside view.

We collected a substantial amount of weed around the rudders on our way here.

17th June - Friday

A small but perfectly formed market appeared in the High Street today, framed by a charming church.

18th June – Saturday

Mick serviced the engine.  Ironically, one boat turned up crewed by an American who was born in Bolton.  And we had drinks on Albatros with Richard, born in Burnley, and Marianne who are both now from Northern Ireland.  We had a jolly few days guarding our pontoon, as they were the boat at the other end of the hammerhead, and enjoyed swapping sailing stories.

The weather was quite cold and overcast during our stay so we did not explore as much as usual.

A small folly by the riverside.

It is possible to go further up the river to mooring buoys, which seemed popular, maybe next time.

Lezardrieux Marina

There is a marina with a sill used by locals and we used the visitors mooring outside.  29 Euros per night.  There is a Friday Market, up the hill on the High Street. A Super U supermarket at the end of the High Street (signposted) and an excellent Boulangerie again on the High Street.  Near the marina sailors are well catered for with Chandlers and Yacht servicing.  Wifi was very poor.  The facilities near the office are poor, slightly better ones are to be found around the harbour-side.  Disaaaster - my hairdryer blew up.  A bang and smoke, I threw it in a skip, from where the captain retrieved it for the plug!

21st June – Tuesday – To Perros Guirec

We were told about Perros during our first years travels and decided to take a look.  People are put off because of the sill and gate access at neap tides, but we are glad we took the chance to visit.  There are a few days a month when there is not enough water to enter or leave.

29 miles with at 10:00 start, arriving to the anchorage (marked on the charts) at 15:00.  There was a slight swell and no wind, early morning drizzle to start and mist which cleared. 

We anchored until 18:30 when the gate opened.

The wall is not visible at high water.  Boats enter to the left of the marina control tower, between the large concrete posts.

Same view at Low Water.  Crikey.

We were met by Maryvonne and Jean-Pierre on yacht ‘Impression Soleil Levant’ who had overtaken us on the way to Lezardrieux from Guernsey and had taken a photograph of Fleur.  They asked us on board for drinks and we had a very pleasant evening discussing sailing in England and France.  A very enjoyable evening with great hospitality and warmth.

22nd June – Wednesday

A small market appeared near the marina.  We walked up into town, which is pretty, with many nice shops and restaurants. 

Perros Guirec town centre.

15th Century Church in the town centre.

23rd and 24th June – Thursday – Referendum Day

What a pickle, whichever way you voted.

Friday

The Friday town market, which has signposts around town, to make sure everyone knows about it, was on three levels on three car parks, linked by paths, which also had stalls.

25th March – Saturday

We walked to Ploumanach after several people had said we must go.  It was a 1 and a half hour walk, through town and up and out on the top road.

We diverted through Clarte and stumbled upon this charming old church, Notre-Dame de la Clarte.

Built in 1445, it has beautiful stone carvings on the outside and a very simple interior. 

We followed the signs for Centre Ville and the Beau Chateau to emerge by the waterside to view the remarkable ‘granit rose’, literally rose coloured granite, piled boulder on boulder in amazing formations.  Sadly the camera does not show the pink colour that you witness through sun glasses.

There is a walk through the boulders which emerges at the port, which is separate from the small town.

We are told these are the most expensive visitor moorings in Brittany.

You do have to negotiate the boulder lined channel and the sill (above) to reach the moorings, and there are no pontoons.  We have already decided that our lives would have to be in peril to attempt this channel in our precious Fleur.

The bus ‘Le Marceaux’ was a sight for sore legs, from March to 24 June it is free.  But it was only one euro to take us back to Perros Guirec Town.  Another small bus operates to the port.

26th June – Sunday

Today we walked to two beach resorts in ‘la commune de Perros Guirec’.   Follow the road west along the coast and just keep walking, it is a little hilly, but worth the effort.  The first beach you come to is Trestrignel.  The beach was deserted today, but we both commented how busy we thought it would be mid-season.

View East in Trestrignel

View West in Trestrignel.  After a nice sit down we set off for Trestraou.  At the top of the hill just outside Trestraou, you find yourself near to the centre of Perros Guirec Town.  Aim down the hill and Trestraou Plage appears through the pretty granite houses and trees.

View west at Trestraou Plage.

View east at Trestraou Plage.

Trestraou is a fully fledged holiday resort and was buzzing with day-trippers.  A well deserved ice-cream and people watching, gave us a rest for the walk back.  Ice-cream or bus, ice-cream won.

The hill home makes the ice-cream calorie neutral.  Now orientated you can also nip through town back to the port.

Fleur in her visitor mooring.

Brian and Kathy of ‘Itinerant Child’ invited us for drinks, we have the same type of boat and it is always great to swap ideas and sailing stories.  Happy sailing to you both.

Perros Guirec Marina

159 euros, 7 days for the price of 5, although we only stayed 6 it was still worthwhile.  The marina office is in a small chateau near the jetty entrance. Well appointed Unisex showers and separate toilets (at the rear) are located in the basement.   The wifi is poor.  There are two bakers shops near the port with more in town.  Restaurants and shops surround the harbour-side and up in the town centre.  There are 2 x Carrefour supermarkets in the town, small but more than adequate.  A small market near the port on Wednesday and a full town market on Friday mornings.  A bus to Lannion has the nearest large supermarket.

We will definitely return here.

Next stop Roscoff.