Sheltered berths with decent tidal access are relatively rare along the north Brittany coast west of Tréguier, so the marina at Trébeurden has a lot to commend it.

Approach from the east is along the Canal des Sept Iles from which one turns in a southerly direction some way after the Bar ar Gall west cardinal buoy. The question at that point is whether to approach the entrance to Trébeurden inside the Crapaud shoal or play safe and skirt these offshore rocks, approaching the entrance from WSW.

Once you have negotiated the inshore channel outbound, from south to north, there is nothing much to it. In the other direction, however, first time round it can be confusing and there is something to be said for going the long way round. If you do decide to make a direct approach, don’t forget that many of the hazards marked on your chart may not be visible at the current state of the tide and the deep water channel may be further offshore than you think. Diligent recourse to GPS is recommended.

Having lined up the entrance, and identified the south cardinal Ar Gouredec which you leave to port, the buoyed channel into the marina presents no problems. The sill opens with a depth of 1.6m which usually occurs around HW±3 1/2 and if you have to wait there are mooring buoys in the pretty bay outside the breakwater. Times are given on the marina website under Marées. Inside there is perfect shelter and all the usual facilities.

There are perfectly adequate restaurants down by the quay or, for gourmets, in the town up the hill or on the corniche. There’s also a fine sandy beach south-west of the marina.

2008 Yachtpilot