Route · 14 days · one-wayYacht charter route · Brittany & Atlantic

Le Crouesty via Ile de Groix & Belle-Ile (Le Palais).

Two weeks from Le Crouesty through the Gulf of Morbihan to Houat, Belle-Ile, Groix and Lorient. Anchorages, harbours and mooring tips for South Brittany.

The route

Day-by-day route

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Day 1

Le Crouesty → Vannes

Catch the flood up the narrows into the Gulf of Morbihan and lock into the marina at the heart of old Vannes.

Distance

9 NM

Sailing

~1.8h at 5 kn

At a glance

Route at a glance

Best season

May – October

Duration

14 days

Departure

Le Crouesty

Sailing area

Brittany & Atlantic

Route summary

Click any day to jump back to the map and see its photos, narrative and mooring tip.

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The full story

Day-by-day journey

Named anchorages, mooring notes and things to do for every leg of the week — the map follows along as you scroll.

Day 1 / 14

Day 1

Le Crouesty → Vannes

The first leg is short but it runs on the clock, not the log. Time your departure so the flood carries you through the gap between Port-Navalo and Kerpenhir, where the Jument current runs hard on big coefficients. Once inside, the water calms and the channel to Vannes winds past oyster trestles and low green shores. The marina sits right in the old town, reached through a swing bridge and sill that only open around high water, so check the timetable before you commit. Ashore, the ramparts and the wash-houses along the Marle are worth an hour, and the lanes behind the cathedral are full of creperies. We usually arrive with time to walk the walls before dinner. Buy your bread and coffee here; it is the best-stocked stop of the whole loop.

Things to do

Walk the medieval ramparts above the wash-houses

Creperie dinner in the old town lanes

Cathedral of Saint-Pierre and Place Henri IV

Provision fully at the city-centre market

Mooring tip

The swing bridge and sill into Vannes basin open only for a window around high water, so plan your arrival and departure to the published timetable. Berths are in the heart of town and fill in July, so call the capitainerie ahead.

Day 2

Vannes → Ile aux Moines

Leave Vannes on the ebb and let the current do the work down to Ile aux Moines, the largest of the Gulf islands and its prettiest. The passage is only a few miles, but the tide sets hard through the narrows off Port-Blanc, so line up your timing and keep an eye on the transit. Pick up a buoy off Port du Lerio; the holding is patchy and the fairway busy, so a mooring beats the anchor here. Rent a bike from the quay and ride out to the Bois d'Amour and the megalith at the Pointe du Trech. The village keeps a couple of good spots for a plateau of oysters. Evenings are quiet once the day-trippers catch the last shuttle back to Port-Blanc.

Things to do

Cycle the Bois d'Amour woodland path

Oyster platter at a Le Bourg terrace

Megalith and view at Pointe du Trech

Swim off Plage du Goret

Mooring tip

Take a visitor buoy off Port du Lerio rather than anchoring; the fairway is narrow and the bottom uneven. Tidal streams run strongly past the island, so approach near slack water if you can.

Day 3

Ile aux Moines → La Trinite-sur-Mer

This is the day you leave the sheltered water behind. Slip out through the Port-Navalo narrows on the last of the ebb, then set a course west across Quiberon Bay, usually a fine reach in the afternoon sea breeze. The entrance to the River Crac'h is buoyed and straightforward, and the marina lies about a mile upstream past ranks of oyster barges under the Kerisper bridge. La Trinite is serious sailing country; Tabarly kept his boats here and the Spi Ouest-France still fills the pontoons every spring. Walk the quay to read the transom names on the racing hulls. For dinner, La Maison Quintin does oysters straight off the river, and Le Chantier serves plain grilled fish from an old oyster shed across the water.

Things to do

Read the racing transoms along the pontoons

Oysters at La Maison Quintin terrace

Grilled fish at Le Chantier

Walk over the Pont de Kerisper

Mooring tip

La Trinite is a large, well-run marina with a visitors' pontoon near the fuel berth; call ahead in regatta season when the Crac'h fills fast. The river current runs briskly, so approach your berth stemming the tide.

Day 4

La Trinite-sur-Mer → Houat

Houat sits out in the open bay, and the passage from La Trinite gives you a proper sail across ten miles or so of Quiberon water. The island is small, treeless and car-free, ringed by sand. On the east side, Treac'h er Goured curves for two kilometres of white dune, and in settled westerlies it makes a glorious day anchorage. Anchor off the beach clear of the marked cable zone, or pick up a buoy at Port Saint-Gildas on the north coast. The tiny village is a ten-minute walk up from the harbour, with a bakery and one or two places for crab. In a north-easterly the beach anchorage rolls at night, so shift round to the more sheltered water off Treac'h er Salus.

Things to do

Walk the dune arc of Treac'h er Goured

Crab and langoustine in the village

Coast path around Pointe de Beg Pell

Swim off the white eastern beaches

Mooring tip

The Port Saint-Gildas buoy field has 25 to 30 visitor moorings and fills early in August, so arrive by mid-afternoon. For a settled night, anchor off Treac'h er Salus, which shelters better from the overnight north-easterly breeze.

Day 5

Houat → Hoedic

Hoedic lies only a few miles south of Houat, so this is a morning of easy sailing and an afternoon ashore. The island is even smaller and quieter than its neighbour, a low carpet of heath and dune with a handful of houses at the centre. Pick up a buoy in Port de l'Argol, the little harbour on the west side, or anchor off in calm weather. There are no cars and barely a shop, which is rather the point. Walk out to the old Fort d'Hoedic and the chapel, then down to the Plage de la Vierge for a swim. Evenings here are about as still as sailing in France gets. Bring what you need from Houat; provisioning on Hoedic is thin.

Things to do

Explore the restored Fort d'Hoedic

Swim at the Plage de la Vierge

Walk the heath to the lighthouse

Sundowner on deck in total quiet

Mooring tip

Port de l'Argol offers visitor buoys but little shelter in strong westerlies, so check the forecast before committing to a night. Provisions are minimal, so top up food and water at Houat first.

Day 6

Hoedic → Belle-Ile (Le Palais)

Belle-Ile earns its name and its reputation, and the crossing from Hoedic runs about fifteen miles across open water, so pick a settled window. Le Palais is the island's front door, a working harbour under the great star-shaped Citadelle Vauban that Louis XIV's engineer built to hold the approaches. It gets crowded in season; expect to raft three or four deep on the outer pontoons, or lock into the inner basin when the gate opens near high water. Once tied up, the town has everything after days on the outer islands: chandlery, markets, a cinema, and proper restaurants. Tour the citadel ramparts for the view back over the masts. Hire bikes or a car here if you plan to see the wild south coast and the Aiguilles de Port-Coton.

Things to do

Tour the star-shaped Citadelle Vauban

Bike to the Aiguilles de Port-Coton

Market shopping on the quay

Cinema or a proper restaurant dinner

Mooring tip

Le Palais fills fast in July and August, so arrive before midday and expect to raft several boats deep on the visitor pontoons. The inner basin gate opens only around high water, so time it or take an outer berth.

Day 7

Belle-Ile (Le Palais) → Sauzon

You could almost walk it, but sailing round from Le Palais to Sauzon is the nicer way to arrive. Sauzon sits at the head of a narrow tidal inlet on the north-west coast, a curve of pastel houses and a slim lighthouse at the entrance. Most of the harbour dries, so visitors pick up fore-and-aft moorings on the trots in the channel; the deeper berths at the outer end stay afloat. It is calmer and more genteel than Le Palais, made for a slow afternoon. Walk the coast path out to the Pointe du Cardinal, then come back for dinner. The Hotel du Phare on the quay has a terrace over the water and does the day's catch simply and well.

Things to do

Coast path to the Pointe du Cardinal

Dinner on the Hotel du Phare terrace

Photograph the pastel quayside houses

Walk out to the harbour lighthouse

Mooring tip

Most of Sauzon dries, so take a fore-and-aft trot mooring in the channel and check you have the depth over low water for your draft. The outer moorings stay afloat; ask the harbourmaster where to lie.

Day 8

Sauzon → Ile de Groix

This is the longest single hop of the trip, roughly twenty miles of open Atlantic from Belle-Ile up to Groix, so leave early and watch the forecast for anything in the west. Groix rewards the effort. Port Tudy, on the north coast, was once one of France's great tuna ports, and the stone quays and old canning sheds still frame the basin. The marina is popular and takes no reservations, so you raft up where the harbourmaster points you. Ashore, walk or cycle out to the Plage des Grands Sables, a rare convex beach that shifts shape with the currents. The island keeps a tuna festival in its bones and a good line in seafood. We like the quiet of Port-Lay, the tiny cove just west of the main harbour.

Things to do

Cycle to the convex Plage des Grands Sables

Wander the old canning sheds at Port Tudy

Sunset walk to tiny Port-Lay

Seafood on the Port Tudy quay

Mooring tip

Port Tudy takes no bookings and rafts boats deep in season, so arrive by early afternoon and be ready to lie alongside another yacht. The outer trots roll in northerly swell; the inner basin is calmer if there is room.

Day 9

Ile de Groix → Lorient

Groix to Lorient is a gentle seven miles, so there is no rush off the mooring. The entrance to the bay is wide and well marked, but the ferries and fishing boats keep you alert, and the ebb can run hard in the channel. Lorient is where French offshore racing lives. The old German submarine base at Keroman now holds the Cite de la Voile Eric Tabarly and a pontoon full of IMOCA and Ultim campaign boats; you can often watch a crew working on a foiling giant. The city-centre marina is handy for provisioning and a night off the islands. It is not pretty in the postcard sense, but for anyone who follows the Vendee Globe it is close to a pilgrimage. Restock the boat here before turning south again.

Things to do

Cite de la Voile Eric Tabarly museum

See the IMOCA and Ultim racing pontoons

Tour the Keroman submarine base

Full provisioning run in the city

Mooring tip

Lorient has several marinas; the city-centre pontoons are the most convenient for shops and the train. Watch the strong ebb and the commercial and ferry traffic on the way in, and call ahead in race weeks when berths vanish.

Day 10

Lorient → Ile de Groix

Turn back out to Groix, but this time treat it as a day on the water rather than a harbour stop. In a westerly the anchorage off the Plage des Grands Sables on the east coast is hard to beat, a sweep of pale sand shelving into clear green shallows. Drop the hook off the beach and row ashore for a swim and a walk to Locmaria. If the wind swings into the east, tuck instead into the lee on the south side or go back to a buoy at Port Tudy. This is a good spare day to slow down, do a little maintenance, and let the crew off the leash. Time your evening move so you are settled before the sea breeze dies and the anchorage empties out.

Things to do

Anchor and swim off Plage des Grands Sables

Walk to the village of Locmaria

Snorkel the clear green shallows

Lazy lunch at anchor

Mooring tip

In westerlies the Grands Sables anchorage is calm and sandy; in easterlies it becomes untenable, so move to the south coast or into Port Tudy. Set the anchor well, as the tide turns the boats through the day.

Day 11

Ile de Groix → Belle-Ile (Le Palais)

The leg back to Belle-Ile covers the same twenty miles of open water, but in the prevailing westerly it usually runs the other way from day eight, downwind and quick. Poled out or under gennaker, you can eat the miles before lunch. Le Palais will feel familiar now, and a second night lets you see the parts of the island you missed. Rent bikes and ride the wild south coast to the Grand Phare and the needle rocks of Port-Coton, where the swell breaks white against the cliffs that Monet painted. If the harbour is full again, the anchorage off the citadel is fair in offshore winds. Provision for the run home; the outer islands ahead are thin on shops, and the Gulf is still two days away.

Things to do

Bike to the Grand Phare lighthouse

See the Aiguilles de Port-Coton cliffs

Second look around Le Palais old town

Provision for the outer islands

Mooring tip

As on day six, Le Palais is busiest at midday; a mid-morning arrival off a fast downwind leg helps you find a raft space. In steady offshore wind the anchorage below the citadel is a quieter alternative.

Day 12

Belle-Ile (Le Palais) → Houat

A short reach east brings you back to Houat, and with the outer legs behind you there is no reason to hurry. This is the trip's last real island day, so make it count. If the wind holds in the west, anchor off Treac'h er Goured again and spend the afternoon on that long white beach, or take the coast path right around the island in a couple of easy hours. The village bakery does a good far breton if you time it before the shelves empty. Grab a buoy at Port Saint-Gildas for the night, or lie off Treac'h er Salus if the breeze backs north. Watch the forecast closely now; tomorrow's run into the Gulf wants a reasonable window and a fair tide at the entrance.

Things to do

Last swim off Treac'h er Goured

Coast path loop around the island

Far breton from the village bakery

Sunset drinks at Port Saint-Gildas

Mooring tip

Take a Port Saint-Gildas buoy for the night and settle early, as the field fills in high summer. If the wind backs into the north, the anchorage off Treac'h er Salus is the calmer choice for sleeping.

Day 13

Houat → Le Crouesty

The last full leg takes you back across Quiberon Bay to Le Crouesty, the big marina just outside the mouth of the Gulf. It is an easy sail in normal conditions, ten miles or so, often a beam reach in the sea breeze. Crouesty is a deep-water port that stays open on all tides, so there is no gate to catch on arrival, which makes it a relaxed place to end the sailing. Once berthed, walk round the headland to Port-Navalo for a last look at the Gulf entrance and the fierce current running through the narrows. The marina has fuel, water and a chandlery for anything you need to square away. If the boat is due back clean and full, this is the evening to start, not tomorrow morning.

Things to do

Walk the headland to Port-Navalo village

Watch the current race through the narrows

Refuel and top up water at Crouesty

Farewell seafood dinner at the marina

Mooring tip

Le Crouesty is a large all-tide marina, so arrival timing is easy, but call the capitainerie for a visitor berth in peak weeks. Fuel up on arrival to avoid the morning queue on handover day.

Day 14

Le Crouesty → Le Crouesty

The final day is deliberately loose. Most charters hand the boat back this morning, so it is really an insurance day against a blow that might have stranded you on the islands. If the weather has been kind and you are ahead, use it. A short potter up to Port-Navalo and a swim off the Gulf beaches makes a gentle last morning before you clear the cabins. Otherwise, this is time for the unglamorous end of a trip: strip the bunks, run the last of the provisions into a lunch, settle the fuel and the paperwork, and check nothing has crept under a floorboard. Two weeks around these islands leaves most crews already plotting the next loop. Le Crouesty makes an easy place to say goodbye to the boat.

Things to do

Short morning sail to Port-Navalo

Final swim off the Gulf beaches

Strip bunks and clear the cabins

Settle fuel, water and paperwork

Mooring tip

Keep the boat on its Le Crouesty berth for the handover and confirm the check-out time with the base. If you take a short morning sail, be back well before the agreed return so the crew can inspect on schedule.

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