The photographer's eye

Brittany by catamaran!

Name: Jonathan Jagot
Age: 26
Specialty: Has been sailing around the world for 13 years

Heading up the Vilaine river from Arzal to Redon.

At anchor off Belle-Île.

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Published 09/08/2024

By Jonathan Jagot

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Issue: 197

Published: sept. / oct. 2024

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During my brief escapade in France, I had the opportunity of sailing in Brittany. I knew that the feel and the climate of this region, anchored in the Atlantic Ocean and well north of the 45th parallel, would be a big change from my more familiar tropical surroundings... So I boarded a catamaran, determined to discover as many picturesque anchorages and harbors as I could - just as they are described in the local pilot guides.
I was initially surprised that I felt quite alone sailing a multihull. I did see some three-hulled racing machines, but I came across very few cruising catamarans like mine.
Why such a contrast with the West Indies and south- east Europe, where multihulls are ubiquitous? Is it because of the cooler, wetter climate? Does tradition carry more weight here than comfort and modernity? I didn’t dare ask the question, for fear of upsetting some of the salty old sea dogs...

But joking aside, it has to be said that Brittany is a great place to sail, and there’s no shortage of choice. From Saint Malo to La Trinité sur Mer, via Carantec, Douarnenez, ...

This article was published in the issue 197. To read the full article, purchase this issue or subscribe from $3/month.