Far from the marina and the busy anchorages, going inland by boat is always a little adventure. Each river, coastal river, ria or aber has its own personality, but all of them offer a truly original experience.
In northern Brittany there are about ten navigable rivers . Most of them can be visited by sailboats and more easily by motorboats. Some precautions are to be taken and we detail them in the article dedicated to this subject LINK.
Ille-et-Vilaine and the Rance valley
1 The Rance
The Rance River flows into the English Channel, between Dinard and Saint-Malo. The entrance is marked by its famous tidal plant. At high tide, the Rance looks like a deep arm of the sea, while at low tide, vast expanses of water are revealed. Along the way, you can admire picturesque villages, pretty malouinières, chapels or ruined castles as well as the fauna and flora. You can go up to the medieval city of Dinan where the TE is limited to 1,6m.
The Côtes-d'Armor have three maritime rivers
2 Rivers of the Trieux
After the island of Bréhat and its granite chaos, it winds through a magnificently wooded area. During this peaceful navigation, the Trieux reveals its treasures such as the domain of the Roche-Jagu castle with its gardens on the water. Natural, maritime and cultural heritage, there is something for everyone.
3 River of Jaudy or river of Tréguier
The Jaudy estuary offers the possibility to reach the small port of Treguier. A bridge will prevent sailboats from continuing further upstream, but others can reach the picturesque village of La Roche-Derrien. This river, also very forested, is rich in history and bucolic stops.
4 The Leguer
It is also called the river of Lannion. It is more modest than its big sisters, but its wooded and peaceful banks are worth a visit.
North Finistère offers 6 rivers and abers navigable from the sea
5 The river of Morlaix
From the imposing Taureau castle, we will reach Morlaix and its old port after a bucolic navigation along the meanders of the river. Inland, the landscapes change and the rock gives way to a rural setting.
6 Aber-Wrac'h
It is probably the most emblematic aber of Northern Brittany. From the lighthouse of the Virgin Island, one of the highest, to the bridge of Paluden, one passes in turn from a landscape of chaotic rocks which is transformed into an oyster park to finish in a forest river.
7 L'Aber-Benoît
Just as majestic, if not more so. Turquoise waters, production of famous oysters, and numerous mills line this ria. Its discovery is a real enchantment.
8 The Aber-Ildut
The Aber-Ildut is facing the island of Ouessant, it is the shortest and narrowest of the abers, but its small, quiet and authentic harbor is worth a visit.
9 The Elorn
This coastal river flows into the northeast of the vast harbor of Brest. The high and green banks allow to sail to the thousand-year-old city of Landerneau, an ancient flourishing port.
10 The Aulne
To the south-east of the deep street of Brest, the Aulne flows peacefully between high banks with dizzying meanders. The Landévennec ship's cemetery is quite improbable in its green setting. It is the longest river of Finistère, from the bay of Daoulas you can travel 20 miles to the lock of Guilly Glaz near Châteaulin. Beyond this lock, the canal from Nantes to Brest flows into the river and the draught is limited to 1 m while the air draught is limited to 3.2 m.
