Colin’s report June 2025
Camaret was a big disappointment for us. One of the most expensive marinas and the poorest facilities.
The location is great, being a very good stopping point for anyone heading from North to Southern Brittany. But if you stop at Brest marina, you will have much better facilities, better moorings and it is less expensive. Especially if you need to fuel.
That said, the Marinas person in the RIB was excellent and showed us where to moor and the walks around the headland are some of the best in the world. When you get part of the way around, I suggest you do not head for the wall which leads to the Semaphore building, as I don’t think you can get past the wall. You are better off maintaining your height and heading for the Manoir Saint-Pol Roux, the Alignments de Lagatjar and then the Monument aux Bretons de la France Libre cross.
The main problems are the surge which affects the boats in the outer marina and the very poor facilities in the german bunker. There is a floating breakwater and despite being on the inside, it had no effect on reducing the surge. No doubt the surge is as a result of the swell out to sea so may be reduced with some wind and weather directions, but it was not windy while we are there. The use of nylon ropes and snubbers can help reduce sharp movements but you have been warned.
Your fenders need to be really low on the breakwater, touching the water I would suggest – slightly higher on pontoons but still low. Everyone got caught out by this whether on motor boats or yachts.
The cleats are old and strange and difficult to tie to.
It is a fair walk into Town and there are some good restaurants there.
Fuelling is in the harbour on the south side, run by a separate company. They only had a phone number so I was not able to find any information. I would recommend Brest for fuelling.
Update Report June 2024 by Gavin May
There is an office both in the inner and outer marina, but they alternate as to which is open, at least on our visit in June. The outer marina has some bikes to loan for an hour so you can peddle your way to get those morning croissants. The inner marina Facilities are still very small and very communal, the outer more spacious but both could use some major upgrades. Although the blue marked pontoons in the inner marina on E are for visitors (but not the part with red and white chain facing the town which is for the Vedette), I notice the very active dory putting folk on either side so a call on VHF 09 may secure you an inner marina place after all, boat size dependent. Water pressure on the pontoon was very low indeed, and note the power seems to cut off (after a day?), so you will need to push the button by your plugged-in cable.
By the fishmonger is a semi-shed, and out by the outer office, where you can register and self-hire electric bikes, a bit like Beryl Bikes, I guess.
Should you be a shellfish nut, other than the fishmonger and the supermarket, then out past the chandlery is both a simple bar and a landing shed that may be of interest!
Note that public transport is limited in destinations and unbelievably infrequent, and I believe taxis have to come from nearby Crozon.
If you walk the coast path north and then west to Pen Hir there is a small WW2 museum (afternoons only, I think) and if you continue further, then a cheerful bistro/creperie at Veryac’h beach. It is a fine walk.
Camaret is very much on the Tourist route in season, so if you fancy some moules frites for lunch, be early!
Great 2016 video by John Boyle which includes a visit to Camaret – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrxgDPjNJ8Q
YouTube video of our entering the inner (Notic) marina in 2019 – https://youtu.be/29yPaGWyewU
Camaret sur Mer is on the west coast of Brittany. A long run from the Channel Islands but a good stop off point if heading for Southern Brittany. It is located at the southern end of the Chenal de Four and the northern end of the Raz de Sein.
There are actually 3 marinas at Camaret. The main one for visitors is as you arrive on the right. There is the marina office and some facilities nearby. It is about a 15min walk to the Town but is an interesting walk as you pass the old church and tower.
The Notic marina is mostly for local boats but there is space for a small number of smaller boats. Approx 7 boats can fit down the side of the pontoon and 9 boats at the end on fingers. There is a sign saying there is 1m of water on a Mean Spring low water (coefficient of 100) and we are told this refers to the Town end of the pontoon. There are yellow buoys marking the shallow area. Also make sure you keep to the right of the red pole at the start of the Notic marina. There is a separate marina office at the top of the ramp and basic, shared facilities. You get given a code “Port Camaret Gratis” WiFi. Very convenient for the Town.
Website https://www.comptoirdelamer.fr/magasins/camaret-sur-mer/
This is a useful Port Plan in English https://www.port-de-camaret.sitew.com/fs/Root/5ipd7-img024.pdf
The old church and the tower are well worth a visit. The tower is the Tour Vauban and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Two marinas, one slightly outer, the other more inner, with the inner being right in the town. Communal toilets and showers if that concerns you.
After Brest and, say, Trebeurden, this does not feel like a port or a marina- now you feel you are in a true harbour. Baker, mini supermarket and fishmonger pretty much on the quay and behind are side streets of painter’s galleries and when the evening sun starts to set across the moorings who knows, the artist in you might think of the light in St Ives if you have that flair. It is not hard to see why this is a popular place to stop between the Races to recuperate and replenish reserves. Good walk out to the headlands.
Gavin May kindly provided the above report – 2021
Gavin May report 2022
Facilities are still communal and a bit too basic maybe and the electronic doors need a huge heave to open (no, I was not locked in after all as the charming 10-year-old girl showed me!). Others have said the facilities at the outer marina are not up to scratch at all, but we didn’t experience them.
The inner marina office is now closed, so stroll out to the outer marina to check in, but they will pop by in their rib any way.
There is a pretty decent U supermarket now; walk passed all the cafes and then one street back.
I am afraid the ageing charismatic wooden fishing wrecks have become…well, somewhat unsightly wrecks!
In the inner harbour, the outer fingers and pontoons market in blue on the decking, are for visitors but do not miss that red cardinal 75 metres off the pontoon. Locals tell me it is a regular event to see someone stranded at 35 degrees waiting for the tide to come back in and right them again.
Tides
The slack water for the Chenal du Four and Raz passages are as follows:
Chenal du Four – High water Brest +30mins and High water Brest +5.5 hours
See https://www.sailingalmanac.com/Almanac/Navigation/chenaldufour.html with useful marks
Raz de Sein – The books say High water Brest -1hr and High water Brest +5 to +6hr hours. Slack water lasts for around 30mins. However, you need to check the tide tables to see when it will be slack water as the times often quoted in the books does not seem to be accurate.
Tides
The Cameret web site is https://www.camaret-sur-mer.com/
Interesting articles
https://nimrodoceanlord.com/places-we-have-visited/brittany/finistere/camaret-sur-mer/
Tides
Contact information
Quai Toudouze, 29570 Camaret-sur-Mer
Tél. : 02.98.27.89.31
Fax: 02.98.27.96.45
E-mail: capitainerie@camaretsurmer.fr
See https://www.noonsite.com/Countries/France/Cameret-sur-mer
Fuelling – run separately – call 02 98 27 91 03
Walks
The GR34 passes the marina and there is a nice walk around the headland with good views. For a good 2 hour walk, follow the GR34 route until you get to the derelict old manor house and then walk inland and you will see some interesting druid stones. From there you can walk back to the marina in about 12mins.