Our one-week cruise from Glénac to Rohan

Very happy with her cruise, Loredana shared her logbook and souvenir photos with us. So why not become a member of her crew for a few minutes as she sails from the Glénac base to Rohan.

GLÉNAC : 12/08/2023

Arriving early in Glénac, we took the opportunity to drive to Gacilly. This charming little town is full of flower-filled lanes and pretty houses with colourful shutters lined up next to each other.

For Yves Rocher fans: ‘Did you know that it all started in Gacilly?

The museum, botanical garden and hotel-restaurant are well worth a visit.

By 2pm, we were back at the base, including some major shopping. After formalities at the reception desk, we boarded the boat for an introduction and explanation of all the technical processes. To familiarise ourselves with the boat, we took a short tour and if we had any questions, we could ask the base employee. Now it's time to unload the car, put everything away and start the adventure!

GLÉNAC - REDON : 12/08/2023

As we were able to catch the boat in the early afternoon, we took the opportunity to make a short diversions to Redon. To enter the port, you have to pass through a lock with a lift bridge. This is operated by a person in the glass tower.

It can happen that no one is visible in the tower and that this person is in the café opposite. Just honk the horn and someone will appear in the tower shortly afterwards. On the way to Redon, we phoned the harbour master to see if there were any moorings available for the night. After the lock leading to the harbour, we contacted the harbour master again to find out where we could moor.

While we still had some daylight, we set off on a voyage of discovery of the beautiful houses in the port district. The abbey church of Saint-Sauveur is well worth a visit. The first day was slowly drawing to a close and we ended the evening in a local restaurant. We fell asleep surrounded by sailing boats and a few barges.

REDON - MALESTROIT : 13/08/2023

After a good night's sleep, fresh pastries from Becker's and a hot cup of coffee, we set off in earnest! Our goal for the day was to get as far as Malestroit so that we could spend the night there. With the help of the river guide and the lock-keepers, who helped us at each lock by taking the helm, we arrived safely. During our journey, accompanied by small drops of water, we met many fishermen and cyclists who always gave us a friendly wave.

At around 5.30pm, we arrived in Malestroit. It's a small town full of character, and a good example of the typical Breton atmosphere. The town has a history stretching back thousands of years, and there are hot meals to suit all tastes.

Discover itineraries in Brittany

MALESTROIT - JOSSELIN : 14/08/2023

We weigh anchor and head for Josselin. Aye Aye Captain! It's nothing new that the weather in Brittany is acting up. But what we rarely talk about is the fascinating interplay of clouds that change at lightning speed. You'll find it both poetic and relaxing to cruise along the Canal de Nantes à Brest and let the different landscapes pass you by.

The arrival at Josselin was an unforgettable moment. As you approach the last lock before Josselin, you can see the château in the distance, which is still partly inhabited by the descendants of the noble Breton family of Rohan. There are two moorings to choose from. We opted for the berth just below the château.

If you have any doubts about mooring, don't worry, everyone is very supportive and helpful. So if someone is having trouble mooring, they will always be helped. It's well known that you learn from your mistakes, and that's why we booked a place at the restaurant ‘Chez Simon’ in advance. I can't recommend it highly enough. We found the service friendly and the food modern.

JOSSELIN - ROHAN : 15/08/2023

‘Demat!’ (‘Good morning’, in Breton).

Before continuing through the jungle of locks (16 in total) towards Rohan, we took the morning to explore the medieval town of Josselin. It's well worth taking a look inside the château and admiring the magnificent gardens that surround it. With six hours of sailing ahead of us and a return to Josselin the next day, we set off.

Tip: ‘If possible, watch out for public holidays, when many things are closed and it is very difficult to find a grocery shop or restaurant that is open. On the boat, you lose all track of time and let yourself be carried along by the spellbinding scenery.

During our trip, we rarely came across other boats, and when we did, it was at midday, when the locks were closed, or in the evening, near the piers.

ROHAN - JOSSELIN : 16/08/2023

Yesterday, we arrived in Rohan at around 7.30pm, rather tired from the journey. But we were still able to take a little stroll around the little town. The evening was crowned by another celestial spectacle.

Tip: ‘The crêperie des Forges, located between Rohan and Josselin, is well worth a visit’ (Lock 43 Cadoret) Back in Josselin, we took the time to stroll around the town and enjoy the fine weather on a terrace near the Sainte-Croix district.

JOSSELIN - MALESTROIT : 17/08/2023

One last look at the château and we were back in Malestroit, our last stop before heading back to Glénac. If you're wondering whether a round trip charter might be boring because we're sailing in the same place. I can assure you it won't be!

There's so much to discover. So much that the one-way trip isn't enough to discover it all. Most of the time, we ate on the boat at midday, close to a lock. That way, as soon as it reopened, we could go through. Just past the lock is the port of Malestroit, where we moored the boat.

We freshened up briefly and treated ourselves to a delicious dinner on the roof terrace of the Du Corps de Garde restaurant. With our stomachs full and our heads full of memories, we went to bed.

Good Night!

MALESTROIT - GLÉNAC : 18/08/2023

It was almost with a touch of nostalgia that I approached this ‘last’ day, as I'll be leaving my boat today. We enjoyed the last few hours on the water and admired the lock-keepers' houses, adorned with flowers and decorations, one last time.

On arriving at the base, we met with the base manager, Patrice, and agreed to sort out the formalities for returning the boat today, so that all that was left to do was hand over the keys for returning the boat tomorrow.

After cleaning the boat and stowing most of our belongings in the car, the base manager arrived. He checked that the boat wasn't damaged and noted the actual sailing hours in order to calculate the fuel consumption we still had to pay for.

All the formalities were now completed and we had another chat with the local staff. They were always very attentive, friendly and attentive to our questions.

Book a cruise in Brittany