Lying on a small hill about 5 miles up a particularly attractive river, Tréguier is one of the most picturesque and historic towns on the north Brittany coast and well worth anyone’s time.

The easiest approach is from the north-west along the Grande Passe. First identify the red buoy Basse Crublent and, leaving it a couple of cables to port, head in on 137º between the port hand Le Corbeau and starboard hand Pierre à l’Anglais. This bearing will take you on to the green Pt Pen Guézec, whereupon you turn to starboard into the river proper and head towards the characteristic white tower of La Corne on about 215º. If you can’t at first identify these marks, be prepared to use back bearings on the ones you have passed until you can.

From the north-east the Passe de la Gaine is a worthwhile short cut when going to or from Lézardrieux, but it needs decent visibility and an adequate rise of tide to negotiate the 0.5m shallows south of Les Heaux. On the inward passage, leave the east cardinal Moisie to port and continue for about a mile before turning down the Passe on about 240º to take you inside Les Heaux. There are starboard hand marks to guide you and keep you a safe distance off Les Heaux, culminating in the narrow gap between port hand Port de la Gaine and starboard hand Le Colombier. The same course will take you on to Pt Pen Guézec, from which head for La Corne.

From here the channel is buoyed all the way to Tréguier. On the way you will pass various potential anchorages with considerable appeal for independent spirits. If you opt for the marina, which lies out in the river, make sure you approach into the tide, i.e. if the tide is still making do a U-turn and come alongside the finger berths facing downstream, otherwise you may have considerable difficulty in stopping. In season the berthing master will guide you.

Cheap and cheerful eating is available on the quayside, or there are other restaurants in the centre of town 10 minutes walk away. A comprehensive seagull-on-the-shoulder type chandler lies just across the bridge. And there’s a good market on Wednesdays in the Place de Gaulle downstream of the marina.

The inner man having been attended to, you can turn your attention to existential matters. The former cathedral begun in about 1300 is an interesting and attractive church with a 15th century cloister and an openwork spire of later date. Alternatively, visit the museum devoted to Ernest Renan, son of a local fisherman, who wrote a controversial “Life of Jesus” based on the proposition that Christ’s life should be considered as an historical event like any other. The erection of a statue to Renan in the cathedral square in 1903 caused outrage among the town’s devouter citizens.

2008 Yachtpilot