AR20-11A Brest Festival Dash
A quick dash across to the Brest International Maritime Festival for a taster from this behemoth of festivals!
Adventure Summary
Join us as we dash across the English Channel to Northern Brittany and down the Chenal du Four for 3 days at the incredible Brest International Maritime Festival 2020. This giant of festivals happens only once every 4 years and once you’ve seen it you’ll understand why. The whole thing is mind boggling and is a must for any traditional or classic boat fan.
Read 10 Things I LOVE about the Brest & Douarnenez Festival “Double-Bill” by Nic Beck.
The Brest Maritime festival site itself covers kilometers of the harbour front – with multiple “villages” showing off maritime artifacts and skills from countries around the world. Stages are also dotted liberally around, showcasing every kind of music from shanties to folk rock. Bands and performers stroll the streets which are lined with a profusion of stalls selling eveything from pirate hats to freshly smoked kippers. Out in the Rade de Brest hundreds of boats from dinghies to schooners spend each day thrashing about in the sunshine whilst between the two in the outer harbour more organised parades of sail happen daily. Even at night the festival is a riot of sound and colour with evening sail parades and fireworks lighting up the quaysides.
To attend as a spectator would be exciting enough, but to attend as boat crew brings a whole new element to this festival adventure. Amelie Rose will be right there in the heart of the action and so will you. We’ll be taking part in the parades (night and day) and getting out to the Rade de Brest to sail about admiring the fleet and being admired in turn. There’s great camaraderie amongst the crews whilst tied up to the shore too – both in the basin with the other boats – and out and about in the Festival, or in the many bars and restaurants that surround the quays.
Watch the Official Brest International Maritime Festival Trailer Video here…
Added to the excitement of the fete itself is that just getting there is a glorious adventure. From Falmouth to l’Aber-Wrac’h is over 100 miles, a journey out of sight of land, to foreign shores beyond the horizon. From here we head down the famous Chenal du Four (like the Alderney Race but 10 miles long) before finally approaching the raucous party that is the festival proper.
Why not “go the whole hog” and join us for the Douarnenez leg too? Our special combined price saves you money and it will be an adventure that you’ll never forget! Click on AR20-11 Brest & Douarnenez Festival Combo to learn more.
Itinerary
You’ll be joining us in Falmouth on the Sunday night. We normally meet up to enjoy a meal at the Chain Locker & Shipwrights – a bit of a local institution and known to Team Topsail as “The Falmouth Office”.
With food and introductions complete we’ll move to the boat where you’ll find yourself a bunk, stow your gear and have a look around. Before we head to our bunks we’ll have a chat about plans for the following day and the fortnight ahead.
The exact route will depend on weather and tides but we’ll probably aim to start by heading south from Falmouth to Roscoff or l’Aber Wrac’hand then on down the Chenal du Four, with possible stops at Ile Molene or Camaret enroute to Brest.
You leave us on the Sunday at the festival to work your way back home after 3 days of festival fun. Brest is well connected via air and seaports so travel back should be a breeze.
Why not “go the whole hog” and join us for the Douarnenez leg too? Our special combined price saves you money and it will be an adventure that you’ll never forget! Click on AR20-11 Brest & Douarnenez Festival Combo to learn more.
Find out more about sailing aboard Amelie Rose by clicking the link or her picture below.
Want to find out more about what it’s like to attend the Brest (and Douarnenez) festivals
aboard the Amelie Rose?
Read John Huber’s account of our 2012 Adventure.
Read Nick Beetham’s story of his adventure to the 2016 festivals.
Browse the Brest Festival Website here.
Booking Enquiry Form: AR20-11A Brest Festival Dash
Price
Join
Leave
Duration
Status
What’s included in the price?
- An individual berth (there are
sometimes double berths available – but these cannot be guaranteed) - Pillow (you’ll need to bring a pillow case)
- Stowage space for a reasonable amount of personal gear
- All food provided aboard
- Non-alcoholic beverages provided aboard
- Individual lifejacket and tether
- Boat Fuel
- Mooring Fees
- Professional Skipper
Optional Extras
- Hire Wet Weather Gear
- Hire a Sleeping Bag
How to book
- Use the Booking Enquiry Form to send us an enquiry, (or you can ring us, or use the live chat option below, right).
- We’ll check the availability of the berth(s) and respond via email to any queries you raise.
- Our response email will contain links to our online booking forms and details of how to pay the 30% deposit or full balance. (If it’s less than 6 weeks before the start of your adventure then the full amount will be due.)
- Fill in online booking form(s) for you (and any others in your group).
- Pay the Deposit by Bank Transfer or Credit/Debit Card.
- We’ll send you a confirmation as soon as we receive the forms and deposit.
Price
Join
Duration
Leave
Status
Price
Join
Leave
Duration
Status
Adventure Summary
Join us as we dash across the English Channel to Northern Brittany and down the Chenal du Four for 3 days at the incredible Brest International Maritime Festival 2020. This giant of festivals happens only once every 4 years and once you’ve seen it you’ll understand why. The whole thing is mind boggling and is a must for any traditional or classic boat fan.
Read 10 Things I LOVE about the Brest & Douarnenez Festival “Double-Bill” by Nic Beck.
The Brest Maritime festival site itself covers kilometers of the harbour front – with multiple “villages” showing off maritime artifacts and skills from countries around the world. Stages are also dotted liberally around, showcasing every kind of music from shanties to folk rock. Bands and performers stroll the streets which are lined with a profusion of stalls selling eveything from pirate hats to freshly smoked kippers. Out in the Rade de Brest hundreds of boats from dinghies to schooners spend each day thrashing about in the sunshine whilst between the two in the outer harbour more organised parades of sail happen daily. Even at night the festival is a riot of sound and colour with evening sail parades and fireworks lighting up the quaysides.
To attend as a spectator would be exciting enough, but to attend as boat crew brings a whole new element to this festival adventure. Amelie Rose will be right there in the heart of the action and so will you. We’ll be taking part in the parades (night and day) and getting out to the Rade de Brest to sail about admiring the fleet and being admired in turn. There’s great camaraderie amongst the crews whilst tied up to the shore too – both in the basin with the other boats – and out and about in the Festival, or in the many bars and restaurants that surround the quays.
Watch the Official Brest International Maritime Festival Trailer Video here…
Added to the excitement of the fete itself is that just getting there is a glorious adventure. From Falmouth to l’Aber-Wrac’h is over 100 miles, a journey out of sight of land, to foreign shores beyond the horizon. From here we head down the famous Chenal du Four (like the Alderney Race but 10 miles long) before finally approaching the raucous party that is the festival proper.
Why not “go the whole hog” and join us for the Douarnenez leg too? Our special combined price saves you money and it will be an adventure that you’ll never forget! Click on AR20-11 Brest & Douarnenez Festival Combo to learn more.
Itinerary
You’ll be joining us in Falmouth on the Sunday night. We normally meet up to enjoy a meal at the Chain Locker & Shipwrights – a bit of a local institution and known to Team Topsail as “The Falmouth Office”.
With food and introductions complete we’ll move to the boat where you’ll find yourself a bunk, stow your gear and have a look around. Before we head to our bunks we’ll have a chat about plans for the following day and the fortnight ahead.
The exact route will depend on weather and tides but we’ll probably aim to start by heading south from Falmouth to Roscoff or l’Aber Wrac’hand then on down the Chenal du Four, with possible stops at Ile Molene or Camaret enroute to Brest.
You leave us on the Sunday at the festival to work your way back home after 3 days of festival fun. Brest is well connected via air and seaports so travel back should be a breeze.
Why not “go the whole hog” and join us for the Douarnenez leg too? Our special combined price saves you money and it will be an adventure that you’ll never forget! Click on AR20-11 Brest & Douarnenez Festival Combo to learn more.
Find out more about sailing aboard Amelie Rose by clicking the link or her picture below.
Want to find out more about what it’s like to attend the Brest (and Douarnenez) festivals
aboard the Amelie Rose?
Read John Huber’s account of our 2012 Adventure.
Read Nick Beetham’s story of his adventure to the 2016 festivals.
Browse the Brest Festival Website here.
What's included in the price?
- An individual berth (there are
sometimes double berths available – but these cannot be guaranteed) - Pillow (you’ll need to bring a pillow case)
- Stowage space for a reasonable amount of personal gear
- All food provided aboard
- Non-alcoholic beverages provided aboard
- Individual lifejacket and tether
- Boat Fuel
- Mooring Fees
- Professional Skipper
Optional Extras
- Hire of Wet Weather Gear
- Hire of a Sleeping Bag
How to book
- Use the Booking Enquiry Form to send us an enquiry, (or you can ring us, or use the live chat option below, right).
- We’ll check the availability of the berth(s) and respond via email to any queries you raise.
- Our response email will contain links to our online booking forms and details of how to pay the 30% deposit or full balance. (If it’s less than 6 weeks before the start of your adventure then the full amount will be due.)
- Fill in online booking form(s) for you (and any others in your group).
- Pay the Deposit by Bank Transfer or Credit/Debit Card.
- We’ll send you a confirmation as soon as we receive the forms and deposit.
Booking Enquiry Form: AR20-11A Brest Festival Dash
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Topsail Adventures Ltd
Phone: +44 (0)800 773 4264
Email: ahoy@topsail-adventures.co.uk
Post: Amelie Rose, Harbour Office, Bucklers Hard Yacht Harbour, Beaulieu, Hampshire, UK. SO42 7XB.
Registered Company Number: 6000046
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