Colin’s report May 2025
The entrance to Lorient is interesting and an impressive Citadel overlooking the entrance.
The passage is quite straightforward and used by major shipping and ferries (and submarines in the old days).
We chose Port Louis following the Digimap Marinas recommendations.
The facilities are good, clean and water is a good temperature. Washing and drying facilities are available and there is even music playing in the facilities.
Submarine Pens
We caught the ferry B2 (it was B10 for that time) which said it was going to Port des Indes which is in the middle of Lorient, but did stop at Port de Peches as planned.
The ferry to Lorient and the Port de Peche runs every 30mins and does start quite early.
A 30 min walk to the Submarine pens on a not very attractive route and then the ticket office was hard to find. It is in the Eric Tabarly building.
The only way to see K3 is on a guided tour which sadly is in French only apart from mid summer. It was great to see the inside of the Submarine pens but the tour was quite boring with an hour of talking.
We visited the Flore S645 submarine and Submarine museum which was good and you are provided with headsets for the submarine “tour”. A visit to the on site, good creperie completed out visit.
The walk back and the boat went well. In July and August there is a more direct boat which is the B8 and goes closer to the Submarine pens.
Ile de Groix
We went to Ile de Groix by ferry. Fortunately, they have started going direct from Port Louis to Groix earlier this year which was very convenient. The ferry comes from Lorient and stops on Port Louis on the way. Lots of people got on so it appears to be a good initiative. See Ile de Groix report if you wish to visit on your boat.
See https://digimapmarinas.com/home/marinas/west-southern-brittany/lorient/
Gavin May 2024 update
For some reason I thought this was rather new, but my Idiots Guide reminds that the Spanish started a citadel here in 1590 and Louis X111 generously gave his name to the port in 1637 where it became France’s spice route port to wealth. Hence the name.
It is a logical stop, and probably why it is fairly busy here, and I suggest you don’t take a generous-sized berth unless you want to untie and move!
The only thing I can add from previous notes is that the very smart-looking Eric Tarbaly exhibition of Sail, and the nearby Submarine Museum are open- tickets for the latter are at the Sail Museum. The ferry runs across to the Port de Peche, from where it is 30 minute pretty unattractive walk, out of season, but a direct ferry runs in high season.
The cafes at the end of the Visiteur pontoon are usually playing some music, note—market on Saturdays in the streets in the town.
If you have been here once, you will certainly be back.
Fuel in the marina opposite, June 24, E 1.81 and the pump is reasonably fast!
Gavin May report 2022
A small village with a flag stone main street, baker 100m from the marina, walled ramparts to walk along. There is a lifeboat museum nearby, and a short ferry trip across to the nearby WW2 submarine base (closed early summer 2022) and a major build centre and exhibition of Sail. Buses and small ferries run around the whole area for a fixed fee, so it is very easy to get about. If you need to stock up, the No16 bus outside the Capitainerie is 7 mins to a medium Intermarche supermarket with a butcher and fishmonger etc.
It is a nice place with a fun market spilling into the streets.
Port de Plaisance de Port-Louis
There are a number of marinas up the estuary towards Lorient
Official site
https://www.ports-paysdelorient.fr/fr/ports/le-port-de-port-louis
https://www.ports-paysdelorient.fr/en/harbours/port-louis-marina
https://www.sellor.com/sites-equipements/ports-de-plaisance/port-louis
https://www.france-voyage.com/cities-towns/port-louis-20625/marina-port-louis-22916.htm
Brittany Tourism information – https://www.brittanytourism.com/discover-our-destinations/southern-brittany-morbihan-gulf/unmissable-sites/port-louis
Information about Lorient – https://www.morbihan-tourism.co.uk/home/discover/morbihan/the-main-destinations/lorient
https://www.francethisway.com/places/a/port-louis-morbihan.php
Contact Information
VHF Channel 9
Open all tides
Ferry to Ile de Groix from Lorient
There appears to be a direct ferry service from Port Louis most days – see https://www.escal-ouest.com/en/Offres/isle-of-groix/
The timetables are at the marina office. This appears to be the ferry service (English version) https://oceane.breizhgo.bzh/en/line/ile-de-groix/
Tickets – https://tickets.compagnie-oceane.fr/
The Oceane terminal is at the end of the pier – located at Rue Gilles Gahinet 56100 Lorient
Lorient does have a train station so if you need to get to Saint Malo or Paris, you can catch the train there. The Saint Malo train goes through Rennes and takes approximately 3 hours.
The Submarine base and Museum is near the Port de Peche at Base de Sous-Marins
Tides https://maree.info/97
Restaurant – https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurants-g293817-Port_Louis.html
Wifi is open – no code required