After some fast-paced Scandinavian sailing in early summer, we decided to relax the pace for the second half of the season. French food, sun, and beaches lured us south to Brittany where we fell into a leisurely gear.
The French refer to the waters between England and France as La Manche, which translates to The Sleeve. The English call these same waters The English Channel. When sailing there, it often felt like 1066 was just last week. Castles and forts are everywhere and there’s no shortage of old cannons still pointed at the other side. Maybe over on Omaha Beach in Normandy the WWII history would be more front and center, but in the towns we visited in Brittany, the banter on the docks was about William the Conquerer and Harold-with-an-eye-full-of-arrow-on-his-horse-with-his-hawk-in-his-hand.
Sitting smack dab in the middle of this contested body of water are the Channel Islands which are neither here nor there. Guernsey, in this island group, was our first stop.
The Channel Islands are a tax haven. It’s clear that the business of dodging taxes supports a lavish economy and this is a wealthy place. Guernsey boasts a network of spectacular hiking trails speckled with views made famous by French artist Pierre-Auguste Renoir.
On to France!
It will surprise no one to learn that the food in Brittany was as exquisite as the landscape. This was France after all. In Saint-Malo, for instance, we were told that there was a butter store. Yes, you read that right. They also sold creamy cheeses, naturally, but the butter was the thing. In true Burke fashion, Alex got the EXTRA salty and we spread it on fresh hot baguettes to accompany our “salad” of fresh tomatoes and fresh herbs and yep, creamy cheese. Magnifique! Another delightful discovery was that many of the marinas we were in had fresh, hot baguettes delivered every morning to the marina office. For a couple of euro, we could ensure that the day started off the right way. And don’t even get us started on the crepes….it may be a cliche, but there’s a reason for that.
From Saint-Malo, Paris was only a short train ride away on a very fast train so why not a day trip? And what a great day it was! It was Chris’ first visit to the City of Lights, so we hit all of the hot spots in one action packed day on foot. To give our feet a rest we capped off the visit with a river cruise on the Seine. In a shocking turn of events it was our favorite part of the day. Here at Eagle Seven Sailing, we believe there’s nothing better than seeing a city by boat, even if it’s not your own.
August slid past easily as we sailed east along the north coast of Brittany. Extended stops were made in Saint-Quay-Portrieux, Paimpol, Trebeurden, and Roscoff. We had a delightful evening in St. Quay with the French branch of our friend and Rector Morgan’s family, sipping on aperitifs and hearing tales of their adventures in a land-based version of Sundance (a camper van). Salut et merci, Paul, Bernadette et Emma!
The entire coast of Brittany is rimmed with a spectacular foot path (like a mirror of the Southwest Coastal path in the UK, but French) which we put to good use as we made our way from one village to the next.
Beautiful beaches were easy to find along the way.
Tres jolie!
Sunny, hot, beach weather was a welcome change after the crisp air in Scandinavia. We were surprised how warm both the water and air were in Brittany compared to even nearby England. The French take their August holiday-ing seriously, and the people watching along the way was a delight. And maybe it was because they were on holiday, but all the French unfriendliness we’d been warned about (mostly in the British cruising guides) was nowhere to be seen. In fact, it became clear that the folks the locals in Brittany rolled their eyes at the most were…..les Parisiens. Allez comprendre.
Good anchorages were hard to find and we mostly spent our nights in marinas. Brittney has the largest tides in Europe. Several of our harbors dried out completely at low water. Thanks to a clever bit of engineering, a stone sill at many marina entrances kept us all floating when the sea dropped away. This also meant we could only come and go at high tide.
French “Onion Johnnies” wearing striped shirts and jaunty berets used to cycle around England selling Roscoff Onions. One of the few pleasant chapters in English/French history.
Onions aren’t the only thing growing in Brittany. It’s a lush and beautiful place that we won’t soon forget.
North to Cornwall for September
Eventually, as summer was ending, we returned to UK water where our sailing days maintained an easy rhythm.
Falmouth occupies only a small portion of the huge River Fal Estuary. (Not to be confused with Fall River, MA.) We explored a lot of it, finding many English castles and English gardens along the way.
We had a lot of wind to contend with in September. Fortunately, we found an abundance of safe, beautiful, and interesting places to anchor or moor while waiting for settled weather. The Helford River, The River Fal, The River Fowey, The River Plym, and the River Dart all provided safe harbor. Coupled with our time in the canals in Scandinavia we’ve learned that we very much enjoy the different vantage point that sailing (or in some cases motoring) a little more inland can bring.
When the winds had us pinned down, we sometimes took advantage of local rail and bus service to explore beyond where we could easily get by boat. A day trip to Dartmoor, and another to St Ives, were memorable.
Martha’s Vineyard was a surprising through line in our summer. In France, we met the crew on the classic Sparkman & Stephens sailing yacht Mah Jong with a Vineyard Haven hailing port. A few weeks later in Cornwall, we made friends with Vineyarders sailing the iconic Alden Schooner Voyager in Cornwall. Small world. Hello to Loch and Leigh!
It felt a little odd to sail into Plymouth and literally undo the work of the Mayflower.
Dartmouth was a favorite stop along this coast last year, and we were happy to return.
We had such a remarkable experience sailing Scandinavia, France, and England this past summer, we’ve decided to stick around for another season in this corner of the world. Northern Europe is not such an easy place to get to by sailboat and we’d like to make the most of our time here before sailing on. Scotland, in particular, appeals and we think that’s where we’ll point our bow towards for the summer of 2026 (also, it offers another opportunity for some canal cruising!) . Between now and then, we plan to travel off the boat to skip the dark, damp English winter. The boat is now on the hard in Lymington, England, just like she was last winter. She’ll wait for us there until we return in March.
Onwards
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Very enticing pics! Glad for your adventures. And why is it the food has my stomach growling even though I just ate?
When I look at your hull I see my own… centerboard?
I look forward to the next instalment. Fair winds, Will
Thanks Will!
No centerboard down there, just a lead keel. And not a very deep one, which of course cuts both ways.
Thank you so much, Chris and Alex, for allowing us to experience your travels in photo and descriptions. An amazing adventure! Look forward to more!!
Karima – We’re so pleased to know you’re out there reading along with us. Thank you! – Chris