St Cast

St Cast

Saint Cast is an excellent, new non tidal marina - opened in July 2009.

Latest newsletter - January 2012 - see http://extranet.cotesdarmor.cci.fr/Emailing/2012/DEG/Saint_Cast/news_jan...

Navigation - Approach
The port of Saint Cast is situated to the South East of Saint Cast Point, overlooked by a signal station and flanked by rocks 500 metres to the North East.
It is not advisable to pass between the Point and the Bourdinots Shelf, uncovered rocks (2 metres) situated ¾ of a mile to the North East of the Point, and signalled to the North East by a Cardinal East buoy. It is preferable is to leave the Shelf to the East before heading to the entrance of the channel to the port.

Journey to St Cast from Guernsey was approx 54nm. Head for NW Minquiers and the SW Minquiers. A buoyed channel with red and green buoys mark the entrance channel quite clearly as you arrive at the marina. We approached on a low spring tide and there was plenty of water.

There are a large number of pot buoys in the approach. Recent boats entered in good weather with bright sunshine and they were still a concern - so many barely visible - would be a gamble at night.

The marina is now open from 07H00 to 21H00 during the season (June 15th to September 15th) and from 09H00 to 12H00 and 14H00 to 18H00 off season. It has 800 places on pontoons, including 40 short/medium stay places for visitors, and approx. 180 buoy moorings, including 10 buoy moorings for visitors. The marina can take boats as large as 50ft. The marina office say there is 2m of water below datum.


Approaching the entrance. Marina wall is on the right. There are 2 green buoys which keep you away from the wall and you can see a red buoy (behind the left green one) which should be kept to port. All very simple.


Around the corner, nice wide entrance with no sill! The wave breaking pontoon on the left provides the outer "wall"

Once you get in - look for the Visitors Pontoon.

Personnel should be on hand afloat to greet incoming boats at all times throughout the week, in accordance with the high season schedule, available for consultation in the Marina Office. In any event, the VHF channel for incoming boats is available from 08h00 to 21h00 (from 07h00 as from July 1st). The boat shuttle service takes any calls if for any reason port personnel is not immediately available. Last time I was there they were in Orange and were either afloat or on the pontoon.

If you are 10m or more, turn left between C & D pontoons and go right to the end until orange 'V's start to appear on pontoon poles. If 9m or shorter, turn left after D and again go right to end but care re depth and length.

Easter 2011 update - NEWS
The harbour office is in the new 5 star shower block.
The road over the hill towards town remains closed.
The Accastillage Diffusion Chandlery has moved to new port-a-cabins at the site of the old harbour office cabins.
The car park was finished with tarmac this week.


The Visitors pontoon now has fingers! - photo by Phil Ball


New Plan for Visitors

The shower/toilet block is now completed and open and includes 18 well-appointed shower facilities with wet and dry areas, ensuite hand basins, hairdryer and electric razor plug points. Separate washbasin facilities will be available for a quick wash and brushup. All are fitted with thermostatic taps. The facility has non-slip underfloor heating, with hot water provided by solar panels, and also includes two washing machine/dryers and a dish washing area. Hairdryers are now available on request at the front desk.

WIFI is available free of charge in the Marina office. It is available on some of the pontoons but there are dead zones where the reception is difficult or impossible. For this reason the marina does not make a charge for this service.

The credit card operated refuelling berth provides a 24h/24h service, and a pumping station can accept lightly polluted treatable water as well as highly polluted residues.

We had a lovely walk along the path away from the town direction, to the next little bay, however there has been a land slip so there is a diversion around a campsite – lovely little bay, good swimming, nice picnic area and a very short walk up over the hill into town – café open in season and weekends at the moment – we didn’t sample it as we went on the Monday. Jean

Future information
The marina/town promenade is to be extended further along the marina.
A 20T boat hoist should be operational in 2012.

Groceries orders can be delivered to the marina.

The Telephone number for the Marina Master's office is +33 (0)296 810 443. The Marina Master, Dominique DELAMOTTE (+33.(0)607.631.092 mobile) and his assistant, Virginie LECLERC (+33.(0)296.810.443), stcast.plaisance@cotesdarmor.cci.fr are on hand to provide advice and assistance whenever required.

Above information kindly provided by Keith Martin, Ports Concession, Côtes d’Armor C.C.I. and modified by the editor (Colin)


Visitor moorings. Note "V" on the poles


New Marina office and facilities. Great new facilities are now open - photo by Phil Ball end of June 2010

Each person has their own wet and dry "bathroom". A great idea


Very nice walk way to the Town. Looks new and well lit with blue LED's at night. Only for walking - not cycling. To cycle, there is a one way system over the hill which is quite steep! Walk takes about 10/15 mins and ends up at St Cast beach. Town is very nice with a pedestrian area in the road behind the beach road. Lots of restaurants.


Lovely walk on a new promenade from Marina to St Cast - no cycling!


The pedestrian area of St Cast town


St Cast signal (VTS) station


Plan of the port


The lovely beach of St Cast

Main information
http://www.cotesdarmor.cci.fr/en/content/view/full/266

Contact info - http://www.bretagne-info-nautisme.fr/Saint-Cast-Le-Guildo.html?lang=en&r...
E-mail: stcast.plaisance@cotesdarmor.cci.fr
http://babelfish.yahoo.com/translate_url?doit=done&tt=url&intl=1&fr=bf-h...

Tourism web site
http://www.saintcastleguildo.fr/index.php?lang=en

Weather Forecast
http://france.meteofrance.com/france/meteo?PREVISIONS_PORTLET.path=previ...

Tides
http://tide.frbateaux.net/54

The Marina being built & other info
http://www.cotesdarmor.cci.fr/fr/Contenu/Infrastructures-et-equipements/...
http://www.yachtingmonthly.com/news/426044/new-marina-in-brittany
http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthread.php?t=205317
http://marinas.com/view/marina/8496_Saint_Cast_Le_Guildo_Marina

A web site - but no real information last time I looked
http://www.tripsailor.com/pois/6362098-marina-ane-de-saint-cast

Some Forum chat
http://www.ybw.com/forums/showthreaded.php/Number/2339754

Accommodation etc
http://www.visitfrance.co.uk/accommodation-map.cfm?place=Saint-Cast-le-G...

What to do
http://www.gitesandmore.co.uk/Places%20to%20visit%20in%20Brittany.htm#St Cast le Guildo

Restaurants

There are 3 restaurants at the marina at the top of the ramps. They are fine - but they are in a big square building which looks a bit out of place.

The proprietors of the three marina restaurants consider that their high season opens on July 1st, and therefore prior to that date they are open rather less during the week. However, as from July 1st and until at least August 31st, they will be open 7 days a week. This lack of restaurant availability in the marina was recognised by the town council, and it was for this reason that they invested in the construction of a new pedestrian way along the beach linking the marina to the town, where nearly all restaurants and shops are open throughout the year.

Le Cafe Face - No food reports yet
Report from September 2010 - Le Cafe Face was the most expensive for coffee and and was scrappy (mucky tables, uncomfortable chairs and lots of dog ends under foot)

The first bar/restaurant on the marina site

Newport - had 2 very good meals there - our favourite. Extensive menu with Pizzas, pasta, steaks, moules, crepes and other meats and fish.
Eric is in charge and is very helpful and speaks very good english. Gets busy.

Newport

Eric - the boss man with a hat - used to work in Jersey!

Le P'tit Mousse tel 02 96 41 96 31. Le Port, 22380 Saint Cast
Located close to the marina in the rather utilitarian looking quay-side building, this restaurant offers great food and great service. We enjoyed fresh oysters and smoked duck as our starters and scallops with noodles finished with a rich foie gras sauce for our main course. The food is uncomplicated and excellent. The staff are fantastic and we enjoyed several late night drinks with Sylvan, chef and the rest of the team. This is the last season that Sylvan will be running Le P'tit Mousse. He has obviously decided to sell while the business is doing well and if the future owners keep on the existing staff, I am sure it will contine to be a good eatery next season. Damon 2011

Reported as being very good. Another report said it was better than average and probably the more up market of the 3 restaurants. Cheapest for Coffee (Sept 2010)

La P'tit Mousse

Lots of Restaurants in the Town


At the far end of the pedestrian area, you can turn left back to the beach, straight on (left road in picture) to a couple of restaurants inc La Casa, or right to the Tourist information, supermarket, 2nd bakery and marine shop


On the right of the above photo was the main bakery in the town - opens at 7:00am (7:30am off peak)
The only bakeries we could find for the early morning croissants were in the Town.


Tourist Information centre


The super market


Marine shop - has most items


The 2nd bakery

La Casa

La Casa
Very nice inside an pleasant staff. Good choice of menu and fair price. Food was fine - nothing special. Pay at the bar. Was full by the end of the evening. Last meal we had there, Tournedos Rossin was only OK, but Veal was very good. Tel no 02 96 41 83 36

Les Halles

Les Halles
This restaurant offers good quality local food with a few little tasty twists. We had the tempura prawns to start and the Plancha D'Espanyol as our main course, which was an impressive construction consisting of (in ascending order) salad leaves, prawns, mussels, toasted bread with garlic butter and sardines. Others in our group had steak, mussels and an open burger. Damon 2011

Richard reported a good meal at Les Halles in the main shopping area of the town of St Cast - Menu is more up market than La Casa

Le Bonheur est dans le Blé
Right next to Les Halles lies the creperie Le Bonheur est dans le Blé. This is the place to go for a real taste of Brittany. Chose one of the fantastic galettes as your main course and enjoy it with one of their fantastic dry Brittany ciders. Finish your meal with one of their equally tasty crepes and you will have had a great night out. The staff are very friendly and the atmosphere is informal and relaxed with several families enjoying a meal at the time we visited. It seemed this place was full all day but we managed to get in on a Monday night without booking. Highly recommended! Price range: around 12 euros for a galette, 7 euros for a crepe and 7 euros for a 75cl bottle of cider. Damon 2011

Le Jardin Delice 23, Bd Duponchel, 22380 St Cast. Tel: 02 96 81 05 27.

Le Jardin Delice
Now in its second season, Le Jardin offers what I think is the best food in St Cast. It is a little off the beaten track, located at 23, Bd Duponchel (keep walking past the pizzeria La Casa and the gendarmerie!) but is worth the extra few yards. We chose the 28 Euro 'Gourmand' menu (menus available at 23, 28, 35 and 45 Euros) and chose the oeuf cocotte with foie gras, the pave du bouef and the duck with mango. The tart tatin with salted caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream was to die for!

The restaurant is divided into two areas; a very small dining room and a covered outdoor space. The decoration, furniture and finishes are excellent and help create a wonderful courtyard atmosphere. The staff are friendly and welcoming and not at all pushy. We went on a Tuesday night and it was lucky that we booked at lunchtime, as every table was full and around a dozen potential diners were turned away. Thoroughly recommended but booking essential! Damon 2011

4 of us ate off the 27 Euro Menu Gourmand and ended up paying 35 Euros/head. Excellent meal, friendly staff, sat outside in their small 'garden' area. Phil
We enjoyed a really lovely lunch in town at Jardin Delice, no. 20 on the tourist map, lovely courtyard, excellent food, good service and very reasonably priced. Jean 2010

Ker Flore restaurant
We went twice last year which is at the top of the hill in Le Bourg has a new direction and is in the 2011 Michelin Guide. It is excellent, had the 27 Euro menu. It's about 40 minutes on foot from the marina, well worth a visit http://www.kerflore.com/restaurant-saint-cast-guildo/?lang=gb David reported (2011)