Treguier was described in our guide book as “A broad estuary along a long narrowing channel that meanders through the countryside up to a fascinating old town with well preserved medieval buildings”. Instead we arrived to the pounding thump thump thumb of the latest top 5 (not 40) and crowds of teenagers screaming “faster” to realise there was no mention of the HUGE travelling fun fair that completely overtakes the quiet peaceful riverside during second week of May. Local establishments shut their doors during the mayhem and our neighbouring local boat owners commented, “it’s ok, they finish at midnight”. I like a good bit of drum and bass, but the repetitive playlist of five songs with the screaming back lyrics isn’t what we had anticipated. However, night fell, and we slept largely undisturbed.
We woke to the blissful sound of birds chirping and the calming lap of tiny river water waves against the hull of our boat and then venture out (with pooch) to explore the local vicinity for a boulangerie and some clues for an evening stroll before the screaming restarts. To our surprise our eardrums are being pounded again, so loud we can’t talk to each other, this time from bell ringers who have absolutely no rhythm. We continue our stumble up the climb towards the source of disruption to find a stunning medieval town/village square with a ginormous gothic cathedral...with more holes in the spire than our boat, both by design!
As the din subsides we circumnavigate the cathedral to be taunted by a local dog on the first floor literally hanging out of the window barking at us as if we about to steal his daily dinner. Zibbi probably would given half a chance. So fair enough. He seemed cute enough, but we feared he’d fall.
The supermarket was closed at 12 even though they normally close at 12:30 until 14:30 but hey why open Monday at all... or Sunday, or a bank holiday or the day after a bank holiday if the bank holiday is on a Thursday. It starts to seem like every day is a holiday in some form in France, just some days are longer holidays than others. It’s fine, who needs milk or bread, another form of adventure I suppose. We will explore our pantry a little closer when we get back.
Upon our return the fun fair erupts but fortunately closes early, perhaps they too need rest. We meet our neighbours Serge on Planet Migo sharing with us all the details of Orca attacks around Portugal and how his rudders were attacked. We then meet Roger and Rachel preparing their new Boreal for a trip far up north complete with some serious insulation and interior heating, not to mention the cocoon like navigation cockpit which feels incredibly secure. And then a little while after we re-encounter the friendly Dutch couple on S/V Malang who we saw back in Lezardieux, also heading west then south along the French coast, no doubt we’ll see them again.
The tidal streams around northern France run up to 2 knots. That may not seem much but when the speed of the boat through the water is about 5 knots that can make a difference of 4 knots over ground. Speed over ground when the tide is against us is 3 knots and with us its 7 knots. Sometimes you can’t avoid it, on a long passage the tide will change direction after six hours. If, as we have, we need to leave a place at high water, then depending on which way you travel after the exit you’ll have tide with or against at that time. So we have had the tide against us a couple of times and that means a longer journey and in some cases more diesel. This time we can leave when we choose and carefully look at tidal streams arrival restrictions at Trebeurden and decide that 7am departure will allow us to pick up some fresh bread and have a positive tide with us for most of the journey, the risk this time is that we arrive too early and will need to drop the hook for a couple of hours while the water level rises and permits us entry into the marina over the sill. All went to plan and we tied up safely on the end of pontoon F to a pleasant surprise of just how pretty Trebeurden is, maybe we will stay a week.