Pontrieux

The lovely village of Pontrieux. If you have time, stop off at Lezardrieux and then travel up river to Pontrieux and stay overnight.

You need to leave Lezardrieux about 1.5hrs before high tide. The journey takes about 1 hour to the lock gates and after that it is non tidal. Best approached on a rising tide in case you get stuck on a sandbank. Stay on the outside of corners and the middle of the straights. No charts for this area and my Chartplotter was not accurate.

Lovely quiet village, even at the start of August (2009)


Picture by marinas.com


Let's start with some views of Pontrieux - famous for its Lavoirs (wash houses)


View across the bridge linking the 2 town "squares". The east one is a triangle, and the west one is a trapezium. The east square contains the tourist information office, which is known locally as the Eiffel Tower - because Gustav Eiffel once slept there


Leaving Lezardrieux, pass under the bridge. Note the chicane with the red port mark in line with the green starboard mark. Pass between these 2 marks


Views from the Trieux River


Approaching the Lock - keep to the right of the red buoy and pole


Looking back down the approach at low tide - that was why you have to keep the correct side of the red marks!


Inside the lock and the lock keepers office. The locks are hydraulic. They will take your rope and pass it back to you. Remember to slacken off when leaving Pontrieux and the water goes down!


Inside the lock


Mooring along side the wall. Boats point upstream, so you need to plan access from the Port side as the wall is quite high. Electric and water available. You may have to raft up


The Harbourmasters office. Facilities on the left. Only a couple of showers so sometimes a queue but very clean. Pay for showers the first day and the rest are included. Broadband is only available in the office but is free


Stephane, the ever helpful Harbourmaster. He does everything, even keeps the facilities clean


The Boulangerie is in the Town, about 15 mins walk from the moorings


The Train Station


The Steam Train goes to Paimpol each day - a good trip if you have time

http://marinas.com/view/marina/10854_Pontrieux_Marina_Brittany
http://marinas.com/view/lock/515_Pontrieux_Lock_Brittany


Pilot Guide
http://plaisance.cotesdarmor.fr/plaisance/ports.php?nom=Pontrieux
http://translate.google.com/translate?js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http...

Contact information - http://www.bretagne-info-nautisme.fr/Pontrieux.html?lang=en&retour=back
E-mail: stephane.barbet@cotesdarmor.cci.fr

Tides
http://www.letrieux.com/ECLUSE2009.htm

Map


Weather

Information
Interesting information - http://www.brittanyfishermanscottage.iowners.net/local-info.html

Also included in this article - http://www.trident-owners-association.co.uk/pai-nai-log.html

Restaurants
By the River


** La Sterne: Tel : 2 96 95 19 55. Modern restaurant on the quay with Nouvelle cuisine at a good price. 2009 update - Very good meal. Not nouvelle cuisine any more. Moules and frites for Euro 10


** Chez Jacqueline: Used to be called Café des Abattoirs (Slaughterhouse Café). The meat should be fresh! Very cheap usually including plonk and very friendly. 2009 update - lunches only. You need to book. She keeps costs rock bottom by only buying sufficent in the morning for those intending to come. August 2011 update - now closed / up for sale.


Schooner Bar - does good filled baguettes as well as other stuff. Has WiFi; believe there is a charge.

In Town (15 mins from moorings)

* La Creperie de Lavoir: Tel 2 96 95 33 00 Best crepes in the World! 2009 update - very nice meal. not much character but good location in Town.

* Chateau de la Roche-Jagu: Only open for parties reserving in advance (evenings). Can anchor off if keel can settle in mud! Look out for the 500 ton dredgers during the night! Can be a rude awakening. Anchor out of mid stream!!!


** Le Moulin du Richel: Used to be a very good pizzeria with outside tables alongside the weir in beautiful surrounds. 2009 update - Now closed and has not opened for a few years.

*** are based on value for money, good service and cuisine - with thanks to ©Stan Cleal

Le Pontrev - A good Restaurant in the town is Le Pontrev opposite the Post Office in the westermost square. Used to be run by a couple of blokes and was consistently extremely good value. A single visit under the new patron suggests a continuation of the old regime. Thanks Dave C.

La Piazza Restaurant - 18, Place Yves Le Trocquer. Tel: 02 96 11 81 29. Reservation essential. Mainly a Pizza Restaurant but other dishes available. The Pizzas are simply the best ever. 6 of us ate for Euros 105.50 inc. 4 pichets of wine. WiFi also available. (Phil 2011)

Accommodation

Le Pontrieux - we did not stay there as they were full, but if you want an English speaking B&B just off the town centre, then Gary is your man (he is English). See http://www.lepontrieux.com/

Market day
Monday 0800 to 1300 Town Square

Pilotage

If the tide is not high tide - you may need to keep to the deepest parts of the river. Normally these are at the outside of the bends. I was told that dear Dave Fletcher from Guernsey (who was Assistant Harbour Master) used to put markers down the channel each spring to help boats.

The following google maps have been recorded as they show very well where the deep water is. These is a link at the bottom of the page for the full size images. I thought it best to record them in case they had new satellite photography which was at high tide and this important information was lost.


Northern end of the river with Lezardrieux at the top - Copyright Google Maps


Northern end of the river with Lezardrieux at the top - Copyright Google Maps