From Lesconil to Belle Ile – Le Palais, but not for us…
The timing we had for entering the harbour of Le Palais (“the Palace” ) was as follows:
- High water was at 22h00,
- Harbour locks opening 2 hours before high water,
- Locks operating until 22h00.
These two last infos, we gathered from the harbour and city websites.
We would have to arrive in Le Palais between 20h00 and 21h00.
Our route was quite straightforward: 8 miles south-east to round the Glénans archipelago, then alter course, adding a little more east, for the remaining 45 miles to Le Palais.
As again and again, we couldn’t use our sails: whatever wind there was, was against us.
On a long passage with no definite schedule, you would take your time, tacking and tacking again, making little progress at slow speed, behaving like a patient sailor, waiting for better wind conditions.
When, on the contrary, you are bound by tides and harbour locks, you have no other choice than to motor.
Leaving the charming city of Lesconil at 10h00, we motored ten and a half hours, before turning west into the harbour.
Approaching Belle Ile in the sunset was a nice view. We looked forward to have a walk in the nice (or supposedly so) town of Le Palais.
We radioed the harbour to announce our arrival and ask for a berth.
They answered we would have to tie up to other boats in the fore-port, since the locks would not open till the next morning!
Le Palais, Belle Ile
We were surprised, as that was not what we had understood. Bad information, due to bad synchronisation between the infos on the net and the reality.
We got even more disappointed when we found out that the boats we were tied to had no access to shore.
So, we could see the lights of the city, but we would stay on board. No bar, no restaurant, no shower, no toilets, no electric power. No way to get any groceries, and we had ran out of beer.
There was an enormous ferry next to us, very noisy.
Un ferry dans le port
In a way, it would be economic, not having an opportunity to spend money.
But the next morning, a girl from the harbour office came up in an inflatable rib, and asked us if we had been to the office.
“What for?”, I asked.
– To pay for your stay”, was the stupid answer.
– What would I have to pay for? We used no water, no shower, no electricity. We didn’t event occupy a harbour berth!”
– Well you were inside the harbour walls. If you didn’t want to pay, you should have anchored outside.”
– But we came in because the locks should have been opened!”
– What do you think, the lock-keeper would work that late?”
– OK, I will pay you, how much will that be?”
She kind of measured the boat, and came up with 16 euros.
“But you have to go to the office”, she said.
– How are we supposed to do that?! We have no tender, we are here like two bums, we couldn’t even have a beer in town! Am I supposed to swim to the office?”
It’s a fact, that China Blue looked like an old derelict boat in comparison to the other yachts to which she was tied to.
Looking somewhat exasperated, she eventually told us to… just leave!
Which we did, waving her good bye as we crossed her dinghy on the way out!
I remember Palais – I think we had to walk over all the boats to get to the shore! We were with our kids so they went for groceries as they got fed up aboard. Too popular a destination especially French holidays – mad!
As I replied in your post of the page before, this time sailing up to Roscoff we were very friendly welcome by the port staff, and everybody has been helpfull. The young women drive their dinghies like kids on bicycles, they pushed China Blue around so we could depart more easily. We moored outside before departure, to be ok with the tide at the Raz de Sein. While moored, they would come and get you in their dinghies if you call them, take you to town and bring you back, for free! Of course, better coming there off season, to enjoy the magic!