Paimpol Festival Polly

Vessel:
Where: Dorset

Sorry we’re full!
This voyage is fully crewed. Check out our voyage finder to see what else we have available.

Sail from Dartmouth, head south across the channel and over to the Paimpol Festival in Brittany, France for a holiday of sailing, music and merriment.

Join Polly Agatha as she sails from her home port of Portland, Dorset to the Paimpol Festival in the Gulf of St. Malo, France. A festival internationally renowned for its maritime history, classic boats, sea shanties and music!

The winds and the tides will, of course, dictate Polly Agatha’s exact route and itinerary. She will either sail over to the Channel Islands or straight down to the French coast. From the Channel Isles, there are plenty of interesting anchorages to explore along the coast before reaching the sweet old port of Paimpol.

Polly will have ‘prime position’ in the Old Port amongst the numerous traditional boats which congregate there every two years for this great event; ideal for enjoying the atmosphere of one of the great ‘sea parties’ of the French summer.

Once moored, you’ll be able to head onto the pontoon and explore. Many of the boats will be open to the public so you can have a good look around. As the evening draws in, the music side of the festival truly comes alive. With sweet Breton cider, good French wine, and traditional music, dance the night away at the festival and return to Polly and enjoy the company of your crew and fellow shipmates on board. See Paimpol Festival website for lots more information.

The festival concludes on Sunday and on the following day Polly will begin a leisurely exploration of parts of the North Brittany coast before sailing her way back to Portland via the Channel Islands once again.

The Channel Islands are situated off Brittany on the north coast of France and are a popular sailing destination, offering favourable sailing winds and beautiful harbour stops. St Peter’s Port is the capital of Guernsey. Explore its sweet cobbled streets, Roman-esque squares bustling with cafes and quaint boutiques or even visit its 800-year-old castle. Castle Cornet grandly guards the entrance to the marina, providing a picturesque backdrop to this bustling harbour town. Sark has been named as the crown jewel of the Channel Islands and offers a truly unique location for those wanting to escape and experience true island life. Alderney is the smallest island of the Channel Island archipelago and offers visitors beautiful beaches, sheltered coves and a relaxed friendly local atmosphere. A pit stop and breeding ground for the migratory Storm Petrel, this island is teeming with birdlife and is even home of the very rare, blonde hedgehog.

Mark the skipper has lived and sailed these waters for years so you will be in safe hands. With sea shanties, brass bands, buckets of maritime history and beautiful boats, this 15-day voyage incorporating the three-day festival is a must-see experience for all abilities and ages. Paired with a Channel crossing, this really is the adventure of a lifetime!

If you would like to do a shorter version of this trip please give us a call in the office!