Brest and Douarnenez Festivals Special is our blockbuster for 2020

Tue 07 Jul 20

Date

15 Day

Duration

PM070720

Trip Reference

Our Brest and Douarnenez Festivals Special is a Brittany sailing holiday like no other. There’s amazing sailing, quayside music, sensational fireworks and a series of maritime tableaux that have to be seen to be believed. When it comes to maritime festivals – this is a blockbuster!

Sail to France on Pilgrim from Brixham in Devon to Brest and Douarnenez in our 125th Anniversary year. Cruise prices include full board arrangements and admission tickets for the festivals.

Every four years more than 2,000 boats from all over the world arrive in Brest for the International Maritime Festival. Thousands of people come to admire the tall ships, working boats and original wooden heritage craft like Pilgrim. They enjoy visiting the boats, the music, street performances, the sailing parades and the amazing fireworks. There’s no better way to enjoy the festival than with your own berth on one of the most delightful participating vessels. Check out the images from past Brest festivals here.

But then, after the firework finale, we do it all over again by sailing in a grand armada onto Douarnenez for the biennial Festival Temps Fete which has been delighting visitors for 32 years. There’s music everwhere on the quayside and the incredible processions of boats. Details of the Festival are here and there’s some great images on Instagram

This cruise is one that every sailor and photographer can’t afford to miss. We sail to and from our home port of Brixham for this amazing 15 day cruise (14 nights). There cannot be a better way to celebrate summer, Brittany and heritage sailing than this!

Cruising on Pilgrim is a unique experience. Not only will you have a superb sailing holiday, but you will see how Victorian fishermen handled these heavy and powerful vessels. You will be able to assist the crew to sail Pilgrim in the traditional manner yet benefit from the modern guest facilities we have on board.

Our Brest and Douarnenez Festivals Special will not only include all the excitement of the events in Brittany, but will also mean you will be able to enjoy the spectacular coastal scenery along the way, the wonderful wildlife and the amazing feeling of just being propelled by the wind in the sails.

Main photos courtesy Benoit Stichelbaut and Alexis Courcoux.

Additional information

Dep Time / Port	12 noon, Brixham
Arr Time / Port	12 noon, Brixham
What is included	√ All onboard refreshments/meals, √ Berthing, mooring & fuel costs, √ Bunk linen, √ Festival Tickets, √ Use of lifejacket and other onboard safety gear
What is not included	× Alcoholic drinks, × Car park fees at home port, × Towels, × Travel Insurance, × Wet weather clothing
Important Notes	* Please make sure you understand our Terms and Conditions and the cancellation policy, * Travel Insurance is required which covers ‘Adventure Sailing’

Boarding & briefing

Guests are asked to embark at 11.30am so everyone can meet and be ready to begin the briefing at 12noon. The skipper and crew will then run through the plans for the trip, get to understand guest preferences and give the essential safety briefing. Information on finding Pilgrim and on parking and transportation arrangements are in the Joining Instructions and on the website.

Plan for the Trip

This all depends on the wind, the weather and the tide. We will aim to spend as much of the trip in Brittany as possible but may visit other harbours or anchorages overnight on our cross channel passages. Some night sailing will likely feature on this cruise.

Hands-on or sit back and relax

All of our guests are encouraged to help the crew sail the boat. They will show you the ropes and ask you to help. Alternatively, if you just want to enjoy the sailing and the scenery, you can sit back and leave it to others. Feedback from past guests suggests that those who get involved get the most enjoyment out of the day. Lifejackets are provided for all on board and are compulsory unless the skipper advises otherwise.

Food and beverages

You will start the trip with a brew and lunchtime snack. Each day we will serve breakfast lunch and dinner and also timely drinks and snacks. The menu will be dictated by the fresh ingredients we can source and the weather conditions and our situation from day-to-day. On the last morning we will just serve breakfast.

What to wear and bring

In summer it can still be cool out at sea so we suggest you bring an extra top layer and don’t forget the all important sun hat. You should also come prepared with wet weather gear. Don’t forget your phone or camera to capture the stunning scenery and amazing wildlife. It is important to bring sun screen to protect yourself and if you think you might need it – consider a travel sickness remedy before you set off each day- just in case.

Momentos of your heritage sailing experience

You will be invited to select from our range of regalia clothing and other momentos before you leave home and anything you order will be available to you onboard. We will also provide you with a facility to upload your photos and share them with fellow guests. After your cruise we will award your ‘Heritage Sailing Crew Certificate’ if you have chosen to help the crew sail Pilgrim