Anchorage

Baie de Lampaul

Shelter: N, NE, E, SE
Seabed: sand
Anchoring: Allowed

Main bay of Ouessant island on its south-west side, sand bottom, with a variable number of visitor moorings laid by the Parc naturel marin d'Iroise.

Mooring buoys
Visitor buoys
Beach

Guide

Approach and anchoring

Approach from the SW between the Pointe de Porz Doun and the Île de Keller. Strong tidal streams in the Fromveur and Chenal du Four on approach, up to 8 knots at springs. Sheltered from N, NE, E and SE winds. Fully open to the SW swell of the Atlantic, untenable in westerly weather. Even in N to SE winds the Atlantic swell works in and needs several days of calm to settle. Where the moorings and the aquaculture leave room, anchoring is good on sand in about 14 to 17 metres. The moorings are reported to suit boats under 10 metres, and a larger yacht was seen dragging off one in a 20 knot northerly, so check a mooring before picking it up.

Practical

The visitor buoys are free but fewer than the bay once held, recently only 6 or 7, and they fill fast, so most crews anchor. No pontoon: land the tender at the stairs of the landing stage beside the SNSM slipway, never on the slipway itself, and leave a long line for the big tidal range as the stairs cover at high water. The small fishing harbour dries at low water. No fuel at the water, though the village garage sells 98 petrol. Grocery, bakery and restaurants in Lampaul within 400 m, plus bike rental and showers at the campsite a 10 minute walk off.

Ashore

Coastal path GR34 loops around the island, 45 km total. Crêpes à l'Ouest by the church sells takeaway galettes into the early afternoon. Phare du Creac'h at 2.5 km from Lampaul, one of the most powerful lighthouses in Europe, houses the museum of lighthouses and beacons. Écomusée du Niou Uhella at 2 km on local Ouessant dwellings.

History

Ouessant has been a mandatory routeing point for shipping since the 1970s with separated traffic lanes off the island. The Créac'h lighthouse, commissioned in 1863, was for decades the landfall light for vessels entering the Channel from the Atlantic.