Port

Port de Saint-Gildas

3.3île-d'Houat, FranceMorbihan

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Maximum length: 49 ft
VHF channel: 9
Maximum draught: 1 ft

Main harbour of the Île d'Houat, in Morbihan, southern Brittany. Around 37 berths on the drying inner pool plus visitor moorings in the outer bay.

Guide

Approach and anchoring

Approach from the north into the bay of Er-Beg, two rock-strewn passes either side of Île aux Chevaux, entrance marked by green and red beacons. Inner pool dries, outer field on white buoys. The inner harbour turns away boats over about 11.50 m and no longer takes multihulls; they use a buoy or anchor in the east bay, and entry is barred with draught over 1.90 m on coefficients above 65. Moor fore and aft, buoys close enough at low water to touch a neighbour, wash from the passenger launches keeping the lines slippery. VHF 9, draught 0.5 m on the pontoon.

Practical

37 berths inside plus a large visitor mooring field outside, operated by the commune of Houat. No water or electricity on the moorings. The advertised fuel is a foot pump with cans only, with no fuelling afloat. Two showers at extra cost, on short timed slots. A launch runs crews to and from the buoys, though the welcome at the office varies. Around 7 to 12 euros for a buoy and the shuttle on a small boat, more for larger yachts. Bakery, small grocery, restaurants and crêperies in the village within 500 m of the harbour steps.

Ashore

Sentier cotier footpath around the island, about 8 km total. Plage de Tréac'h er Gouret to the east is the best-known beach, 1.2 km from the port, white sand on a crescent bay. Ecomusee of Houat in the village covers local fishing and island life.

History

Saint-Gildas takes its name from the 6th century Breton monk Gildas le Sage, who is said to have taken refuge on the island. Houat was a lobster fishing base and still lands catch at the port today.

Story

In 1951 an epidemic wiped out the lobster stocks around Houat. The islanders rebuilt the fishery by importing Canadian lobsters, releasing them around the island from the 1960s onward.