About this site

Piers and Lin du Pré bought their new Fleming 55 / 129, Play d'eau, in 2003.

She was berthed in Beaucette Marina, Guernsey in the Channel Islands at N49° 30’.197 W002° 30’.350 until she was sold in October 2021.

This site charts the thrilling adventures they had in her.

You can contact us here.

Where’s Play d’eau?

If the new owners have the AIS on, you can find where Play d'eau is right now.

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Recent Posts

Treguier Marina

Treguier, on the north coast of Brittany, was founded in the sixth century and still has many ancient buildings
click to enlarge

Update 3 November 2017

Jean-Jacques Furet, Harbour Master, Treguier, has pointed out some major marina improvements to the following report I made in 2013. Please read his comments which are almost at the bottom of this page.

Report dated 11 September 2013

Tréguier, on the north coast of Brittany, is one of our favourite places in which to while away a few days absorbing the beauty and stillness of a river marina and walking around the small town with its many ancient buildings dating back to the sixth century.

Hot chocolate (large) in the square sitting opposite the 14th century cathedral is de rigueur as one contemplates the difficult decision of which boulangerie to choose for your next supply of croissants.

So what was wrong with the old marina?

In a strange way, the ‘oldness’ and ‘unkemptness’ of the pontoons was one of Tréguier’s attractions. You felt something of an explorer visiting a little known and hidden away marina.

Yet, the ravages of years had taken its toll. Piles were rusted through becoming a lattice-work of holes joined by flakes of rust. Fingers were too small, too flimsy and insubstantial for many visitors and stories of fingers breaking away drifting downriver complete with yacht attached can still be heard on the jungle drums.

The cathedral in Treguier’s square
click to enlarge

Despite these inadequacies, visiting boaters kept returning, the beauty of tucked away Tréguier more than compensating for the marina risks.

That’s precisely why we kept coming back with Play d’eau, mooring up to the first or second hammerhead with its desperately suspect fingers, but having heard the distant jungle drums we would run additional warps stretching to more secure points back along the main pontoon.

So what’s new – what’s changed?

Major work has been carried out over the last year of so to revamp the marina. For example,

  • Every pile has been replaced.
  • Every piece of rotten and bent pontoon boarding has been replaced.
  • The Capitainerie’s office is new and in the marina building opposite Pontoon E’s walkway
  • Video surveillance is throughout the marina
  • The bar and marina restaurant (Le Pontoon) has had a facelift and serves good food.

…and for the arriving boater,

  • The first pontoon (E) now has a very substantial 30m x 2.5m pontoon in place of its old hammerhead.
  • Eight new and substantial 10m fingers have been installed on the north side of E.
  • The first three pontoons (E, D, C) offer the visitor berths.
  • A new 30m hammerhead on pontoon E. Remember to have your fenders set high. Play d’eau looks dwarfed! click to enlarge

  • 55 visitor berths accommodate boats lengths up to approximately 15m max.
  • Visitor berths have 16A electricity supplies and water
  • Visitors can reserve a berth by calling the HM on his mobile 0033 (0) 6 72 70 70 20
Tréguier Marina

Tréguier marina is 5nm up the beautiful Rivre de Tréguier which has some lovely and protected places in which to anchor.

42nm to the west is Roscoff, 53nm NE will find you in Beaucette Marina Guernsey, to the east by 28nm is Paimpol and St Malo at 58nm, whilst Plymouth is 100nm to the NNW.

Access to the marina is 24/7, regardless of tide. Speed limits are 5kts reducing to 3kts in the marina. Along the river you’ll pass fish and shell fish farms and I’d advise keeping speed back to 3kts even if just to keep people happy.

The Capitainerie is in the main building opposite Pontoon E’s walkway
click to enlarge

Wi-Fi is free from Netabord. If you don’t already have a code, ask at the HM’s office and car hire and taxis can be arranged through the HM office as well.

Diesel is available from the N side of pontoon E, limited from HW slack to LW slack, but not during the flood tide.

The private firms which have been operating by the marina for many years all appear to have grown and offer just about every facility you may need. Lift out (21 tonne max), mechanics, GRP work, as well as considerable amounts of storage ashore, either covered in large sheds or out on the hard standing.

The ancient three floored chandlery just over the bridge has had an extension built and every nook and cranny of the whole building bulges with chandlery and clothing. I don’t recall having seen such an vast array of boaty bits in one place.

Lin and I spent ages just looking, whilst the smell of tarred twine evoked childhood memories of looking around Jersey’s St Aubin’s chandlery with Dad in the late 1950s and early 1960s, and before you say it, yes, I’ve recently qualified for my old age pension….

Provisioning

The chandlery ‘over the bridge’ bulges with equipment from floor to ceiling – literally
click to enlarge

There’s a huge farmers’ market on Wednesdays from 0900-1300, every week of the year, which stretches from the marina hardstanding right up into the town’s square. As someone has previously commented, you can buy anything from a day old chicken to a ten year old Calvados.

As well as the many shops in the square, I’m told there’s a Super-U on Boulevard Jean Guehenno, up the steepish hill from the Pont Canada roundabout about 1.6km SW of the marina. Walking back down the hill is much easier of course!

Le Ponton – the Marina’s bar and restaurant

After a period of absence, the marina restaurant is back up and running with a clever ‘pirate’ décor which we have to admit, is really well done.

Our first meal at Le Ponton was capped off by a glass of Venezuelan rum which the Chef Proprietor M. Porgré-gilles, presented to Piers. With rum as Piers favourite tipple, he was surprised by its richness and elegance and promptly bought a bottle the next day. How long it will last is another question altogether.

You can reserve a table by calling – 0033 (2) 96 92 41 08.

Three words of caution

The first and third SHMs are lit. The second, which reaches into the channel, isn’t. More than one yacht has hit it on approach at night
click to enlarge

The first regards the final approach to the marina for which there are three green SHMs. The first and last are lit. The middle isn’t. If you follow the line between the first and third green at night, you’ll probably hit the middle SHM since it’s bang (literally) in your way in the channel.

A visiting yacht had done just that when we arrived and was having its bows repaired where the GPR had been damaged.

The second concerns the tidal flow which can move through the pontoons just as quickly, if not quicker, than that at Roscoff. It’s emphasised by the HM that mooring should only ever be attempted into the current.

The third concerns the debris the river picks up especially at spring tide and which can so easily foul your sterngear. Always check all is clear before casting off – it can save a good deal of embarrassment – see the photo below.

Our thanks for much of this information must go to HM, David Peron, who speaks such good English.

Piers and Lin
from the Nav table of
Play d’eau
Fleming 55

You can get in touch with us any time by using our Contact Form.

Spring tides wash debris down river. The HM is towing a 25′ tree trunk found wedged across the transom of a yacht
click to enlarge

The flood and ebb tides are very strong and flow through the pontoons diagonally. Always moor into the current
click to enlarge

Low tide at the marina makes it a challenge to climb the walkways
click to enlarge

At high tide walkways are easy
click to enlarge

The chandlery is bursting at the seams from floor to ceiling – literally
click to enlarge

The magnificent chandlery is just over the Treguier’s bridge
click to enlarge

8 comments to Treguier Marina

  • Roger Clark

    Found your report on Treguier Marina very interesting as I have never been further west than St Malo.

    However you have a slight problem at the bottom of the web page as the text is in vertical columns and the photographs overlap. Just thought you may not have been aware.

    Roger

  • Hi Folks what a great piece. I have been going to the North Brittany coast for 61 years and with Sally my wife for the past 23 years. Treguier is one of our favourite places. As you say the nav in the river can be a bit challenging on the flood but take your time and its great fun and a lovely river to go up. We have noticed that you found the cooperative has now added the chandelery again as it was missing for a while so we have to visit again. Thanks for a lovely reminder. perhaps see you there next year. Our boat is a Colvic Watson 32 named FeelsGood

  • Lizzie Davies

    Hi Piers and Lin, I enjoyed meeting you in Treguier at the beginning of September and on arriving home, eventually, 2 weeks ago, I passed your best wishes on to Mike and Brenda Sturman. They were so pleased to receive news of you. To quote the old cliché “what a small world”. I see you have now returned to Beaucette, have you had your last sail of the season? I have got one more sail on a Sea Dog in a couple of weeks time. The Sea Dog has an interesting configuration, dual keels (finn and bilge) and is really a motor-sailor. Fun to sail! We are off bird watching, hopefully Osprey, at Newtown Creek on the Isle of Wight. Have a good winter and, who knows, we might meet again next year!

    Best wishes to you both – Lizzie

  • Robert anderson

    Hi I have visited treguier this year 2017 July lovely place my favourite place to visit I find the marina in good order
    My first visit to Brittney
    And I’m sure first of many

  • Hi Piers and Lin, I just happened to read your report about Treguier Marina, I remember of course your stay here. I’ve found it very interesting, but it is now 4 years old. Safety has been improved, and the second green buoy (N°13) in the final approach is now lit. We also added a red sign on the rock between N°12 and N°11.

    All electricity and water terminals have been replaced in 2016.

    The restaurant “Le Ponton” is now closed, and starting in march 2018, there will be a BIO supermarket instead.

    We also plan new equipments on ponton E, new pontons and new longer fingers on upstream side.

    David and I are looking forward to seeing you again in our Marina

    Jean-Jacques Furet
    Harbour Master

    • Hi Jean-Jacques, Thank you for this information – I will make an announcement at the top of the page pointing readers to your comment.

      I’m so sorry we had to leave early. The forecast was looking dreadful and although we had a great flat and sunny journey back to Guernsey, the next day the wind blew up strongly and stayed that way for days and days. We made the right call to leave.

      We’ll definitely be back next year. Treguier is just gorgeous. Thanks again for the info.

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