Harbour

Port du Bélon

3.9Riec-sur-Bélon, FranceMorbihan

Maximum length: 49 ft
VHF channel: 9
Maximum draught: 6 ft

Tidal estuary port on the Bélon river at Riec-sur-Bélon in southern Finistère, between the Aven and the Laïta. The river gives its name to the Belon flat oyster, Ostrea edulis.

Guide

Approach and anchoring

Entry from the sea through the Port Manec'h buoyed channel then up the Bélon river. Come in within about 2 to 3 hours of high water, or from mid-tide on the rise, as the estuary is shallow and not well scoured and the charted depths at the entrance are optimistic. Strong tidal streams run in the river. VHF 9. Max draught 1.9 m on the moorings at low water springs.

Practical

About 350 moorings on buoys and trots in the river, none with water or power. The visitor buoys at the entrance are for boats over 12 m, while smaller boats take the buoys further north on the village side. A single agent looks after several ports and is not always on the VHF, so pick up a free visitor buoy and pay later, around 20 euros a night. Landing by dinghy at the Port du Bélon slipway with water there, no fuel berth. The nearest bakery and Cocci supermarket are 2 to 2.5 km at Moëlan, and the agent may drive crews and their shopping back. Oyster farms line both banks.

Ashore

Chez Jacky on the right bank serves Belon flat oysters and seafood platters straight from the parks, and booking ahead is advised, with a simpler open-air oyster restaurant just up the hill. A fishing boat sells langoustines and lobster at the small quay from about 4.30 in the afternoon. The GR34 coastal path crosses the river by ferry in summer between Port du Bélon and Kerfany-les-Pins, reaching the beach 1 km south.

History

The Belon oyster trade is documented from the 1860s when Auguste de Solminihac set up the first parks on the river, using the mix of fresh and salt water to finish oysters with a distinctive hazelnut taste.