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the Hôtel Vauban, my favourite
place to eat. While the town quay has
many fi ne restaurants, the Vauban’s
family atmosphere and traditional
cooking give a perfect end to the day.THE BREST NARROWS
From L’Iroise you skirt the long
north shore with its bays, beaches
and steep-to cliffs, entering the narrow
Goulet de Brest off Petit Minou
lighthouse. This strategic cut was
crucial to the growth of Brest as a naval base because French
ships anchored inside the Rade could be defended from hostile
ships – especially the British Royal Navy – by heavy batteries
that could sweep the whole strait. The Goulet also had its own
natural defences with a string of rocky shoals dividing the
entrance into two much narrower channels. You emerge into
the spacious reaches of the Rade de Brest, the combined estuary
of several sleepy rural rivers, which you can explore from one
of Brest’s comfy marinas.
Marina du Château: This well-appointed yacht harbour lies
below the ramparts of Château de Brest, a sturdy fortress that
has been added to since Roman times. Turning in past a
mile-long breakwater, head just west of north for half a mile
and then double back between the inner moles to enter a large
sheltered basin. The visitors’ berths are straight ahead on either
side, but larger boats go alongside the long pontoon to starboard.
Marina du Moulin Blanc: A couple of miles east in a pleasant
shallow bay, Brest’s original marina is my favourite, with
attractive landscaping and some interesting new buildings.
Facilities are fi rst class and there are bars and restaurants
on site, including Le Tour du Monde with its sunny veranda- a popular meeting place for moules-frites and a chatter
over jugs of cold rosé.
Next to the marina are the distinctive white domes of the
Océanopolis centre, an award-winning aquarium extravaganza
covering all aspects of marine life and habitats, particularly
in Brittany. As well as the dramatic walk-through aquariums,
there are displays on local tides and currents, and examples of
all types of sea fl ora and fauna presented with French fl air.
Moulin Blanc is a safe and convenient place to leave a boat
between cruising stages or as a base
for a couple of seasons. It’s easy to catch
a train east along the coast to Morlaix
and Roscoff from where regular ferries
run to Plymouth.THE AULNE RIVER
The Aulne estuary opens into the south
fork of the Rade de Brest, a peaceful
stretch of water which soon leaves the
city behind. Quite wide at fi rst, the
banks draw together past Landévennec
and its elegant abbey. The river loops around this peninsula
between wooded banks and you pass rusting naval ships in a
graveyard bend. Then you curve into a steep-sided reach where
a striking new bridge eclipses the old, disused crossing. If you
are bound for Châteaulin basin, aim to pass these bridges at
half-fl ood. It’s nine miles from here to the lock, which operates
two hours each side of HW Brest, from 0730-2100.Escape the bustling
ports with a meander
along the tranquil AulneFort de Bertheaume,
PlougonvelinmMoulin Blanc Marina in
Brest is a safe spot to base
yourself for a few seasons