Harbour

Doelan

Maximum length: 39 ft
VHF channel: 69
Maximum draught: 8 ft

Ria harbour on the south coast of Finistère at Clohars-Carnoët, Brittany, between Le Pouldu and Merrien.

Guide

Approach and anchoring

Entrance between two leading lights, green on the east shore and red on the west, on a 13 degree heading inbound. Maximum draught 2.5 m on the moorings. The harbour staff come out in a dinghy, guide boats to a buoy and pass their lines through the bow and stern buoys. Call ahead on VHF 69, though it is not always answered. Swell builds in strong southerlies, when the berths off the harbour office and those furthest up the ria are the more sheltered.

Practical

8 visitor buoys in the inlet. Merrien ria 1.7 NM NW and Brigneau 2.6 NM W as neighbour shelters. Fish sales on the quay, but no bakery: a bread deposit and a takeaway in the village, so arrive with provisions aboard. Around 18 euros a night on a buoy, and the stopover passport is accepted.

Ashore

GR34 coastal path follows the cliff tops on both banks of the ria, loops to the Plage du Kerou beach 1.5 km east. Canned sardine cannery Courtin on the east quay still in operation. The restaurant Le Rive Gauche has a master restaurateur, book a table a few days ahead. Paul Gauguin stayed at nearby Le Pouldu in 1889.