Printer-friendly version
Send to friend
St Malo
Voyage Combinations
Please note Annabel J voyage dates in St Malo are slightly different from Eve of St Mawes by one day. If you would like to sail on AJ from Weymouth to St Malo (AJ1017), and then join Eve for St Malo Rally and sail Eve back to Cornwall (E1018), you can join a day late. Likewise If you want to sail the Brittany coast from West - East on Eve (E1017) and then join AJ for a week sailing in the Gulf of St Malo (AJ1018), then you have a spare day in hand in St Malo. We are happy to discuss possible discounts for booking more than one voyage.
Vessel location
Exact location for all voyages starting or finishing in St Malo TBA.
Joining Eve for voyage E1018, we will probably aim to be in the Basin Vauban which is a locked basin in a spectacular location just outside the city walls (see photo above). The entrance to this is right next to the ferry terminal.
Joining AJ for voyage AJ1018. This starts a day later. Location TBA.
The Goodwill Raid and St Malo Pilot Cutter Rally organisers may want us to berth elsewhere in St Malo.
St Malo - The City of Corsairs
Built on a granite island on the Emerald Coast of Brittany, the beautiful city of St Malo rises up from the rock and curves around a natural harbour. Its ancient citadel, the Cathédrale St Vincent, dominates the skyline, and sailing into the port early in the morning best captures the romance of the town.
Founded in the 6th century by Welsh monks, in the 12th century, Bishop Jean de Chatillon also transferred his bishopric to the town. But the town's murkier past is illustrated by its nickname as the City of Corsairs, so-called after its pirates, who routinely preyed upon English ships crossing the channel in the 18th and 19th centuries.
St Malo's heart is the old walled town, known as Intra-Muros or 'within these walls'. Visitors can walk round the ramparts of the city's 20-foot thick walls for one mile to get splendid views of the town and the harbour. Lower down, the city's winding streets, reminds one of a medieval maze, where you can stumble upon quaint shops, bars and restaurants. There are sandy beaches near the town, which stretch along the Northern Brittany Coast.
Top Attractions
Château de St Malo
Called the Bastille of the West, the Chateau was first the symbol of ducal power and then Royal power. It has barrack facades, now the town hall, a reservoir, a large keep and a castelet. Its towers house the Musée de l'Histoire de St Malo, where you can discover the city's fascinating past, and find souvenirs of the famous pirates Duguay-Trouin and Surcouf.
Ramparts
Head for the 15th century Porte St-Vincent to access the magnificent ramparts. The 12-foot wide walls were built over several centuries, some dating from the 12th century, and offer fantastic views of the old town's houses, the bay and the islets at the mouth of the Rance. Most of the ramparts had to be rebuilt after the Second World War.
St Malo's Cathédrale
The cathedral elegantly marks the transition between Romanesque and Gothic, and is famous for its 1160 nave vault. Admission is free, and it's open daily from 8am to 7pm.
The Grand Aquarium
The entrance fee includes a fantastic underwater ride on the Nautibus, past wrecks and a lost city.
Corniche d'Aleth
This lovely walk offers magnificent views of the city of St-Malo, the islands of Petit Bé and Grand Bé, and Cézembre. If the tide is low, consider walking along the stone-flagged path to Grand Bé islet..
Ile du Grand Bé
At low tide, this 25-minute walk will take you to Chateaubriand's tomb, marked by a simple cross. From the Ile you can get great views of the main coastline.
Nautical Shopping
Famous french photographer Phillip Plisson and his son have a gallery here (lighthouses, raging seas, fishing boats in wild seas etc.), and within the city walls are brilliant bookshops, interior design shops and traditional boat nauticalia in somewhat better taste than the Nauticalia UK mail order company.
Accommodation
See the St Malo tourism website for accommodation ideas if you want to extend your stay
www.saint-malo-tourisme.com
Getting to St Malo and Back
Ferries
The prices quoted are for Brittany Ferries but see also www.condorferries.co.uk for both high speed ferry service from Poole to St Malo, or slightly slower service from Weymouth to St Malo. Condor Ferries also serve the Channel Islands from the UK and from St Malo.
Brittany Ferry Route is Portsmouth - St Malo.
Prices can change so use the search to look up your own prices and availabilty for Ferries on www.brittany-ferries.co.uk and for 'vehicle' select foot passenger. You can book on line.
BOOKING TIPS: The website says that the reclining seat (cheapest) option for foot passengers can only be booked in advance on the day time services (typically £39 plus £5 handling fee in summer 2010). They will sell you a reclining seat on the overnight passages, but only once they have sold all their cabins. HOWEVER, it appears than you can currently book reclining seats on the overnight service to St Malo - see prices below. Or you can book a 1-2 person cabin with en suite facilities for quite a bit more.
If you want to rough it in a reclining chair overnight you can usually find a quiet part of the ship to sleep on the floor with your sleeping bag, which is far more comfortable than sleeping upright the reclining seat. You won't be the only passenger doing this !
Voyage E1017 (Brest - St Malo)
Suggested ferry service outward to Brest
There is a day time ferry which sails on Mon 26th July (1500hrs - 2130hrs) but we assume most of you would rather arrive in Brest in daylight. If you want to go for the cheaper late evening option, just let us know your plans. You will be given the skippers mobile phone number.
Departs: 2300hrs Sun 25th July 2010 Plymouth (overnight leaving day before)
Arrives: 0700hrs Mon 26th July 2010 Roscoff (for Brest)
Price: £31 plus £70 for 1-2 person cabin (quote 22/12/09)
Suggested Brittany Ferry back from St Malo
NB please note it is Plymouth- Roscoff route and PORTSMOUTH - St Malo. Nothing in life is easy.
Departs: 1030hrs Mon 2nd August 2010 St Malo
Arrives: 1815hrs Mon 2nd August 2010 Portmouth
Price: £40 plus £5 handling fee.
Voyage E1018 (St Malo - St Mawes) Suggested Ferry to St Malo for Eve voyage
Departs: 2030hrs Sun 1st Aug 2010 Portsmouth (Overnight service leaving day before)
Arrives: 0815hrs Mon 2nd Aug 2010 St Malo.
Price: £51 plus £5 handling charge for reclining chair (more for cabins) - quoted 22-12-09
For Annabel J Voyage AJ1018 (St Malo - St Malo)
Outbound ferry
Departs: 2030hrs Mon 2nd Aug 2010 Portsmouth (Overnight service leaving day before)
Arrives: 0815hrs Tues 3rd Aug 2010 St Malo.
Price: £51 plus £5 handling charge for reclining chair (more for cabins) - quoted 22-12-09
Return Brittany Ferry
Departs 1030hrs Sun 8th Aug 2010 St Malo
Arrives 1815hrs Sun 8th Aug Porstmouth
Price: £51 plus £5 handling charge for reclining chair (more for cabins) - quoted 22-12-09
Getting to Portsmouth Brittany Ferry Terminal
Address: Wharf Road, Portsmouth, Hants, PO2 8RU. Tel: 0871 244 1402
By car: From London, take the M3 or A3. From the Midlands take the M3 to the A34, and from the South West take the A31. From Bristol and south Wales take the A36. These roads lead to the M275, from which an exit road leads directly to the port.
By train: There are train services between Portsmouth and London Waterloo, taking 85 minutes. There are also services between London Victoria and Portsmouth passing through Chichester, Brighton and Gatwick. From Cardiff the train passes through Salisbury and Bristol. Portsmouth stations include Portsmouth & Southsea and Portsmouth The Hard Interchange, both of which are close to the Port. A shuttle bus runs from each station between the months of May - September, outside of these months a taxi should be taken from outside either train station at a cost of around £5
By coach: Regular coach services go from Portsmouth to London Victoria and Heathrow Airport. From London on-bound connections can be made to the rest of the UK.
By foot: It takes approximately 20 minutes to walk to the ferry terminal from the town centre and 30 minutes from Portsmouth & Southsea train station.
Parking at Portsmouth Terminal
The car park is inside the port. Use the left hand lane at the entrance to the car check-in area, and then follow the signs. Disabled parking is available on the ground floor. Luggage trolleys are available for a £1.00 deposit. 516 spaces. The maximum height for vehicles in the car park is 2.2m high. Payment for the car park is made upon exit.
The car park is privately run by APCOA (i.e. expensive !) who can be contacted 02392 873378.
