Introduction
Bénodet guards the mouth of the Odet, often cited as one of the most beautiful rivers in Brittany. A well-known seaside resort in Cornouaille, the town faces Sainte-Marine on the opposite bank, the two linked by an elegant bridge. It is a comfortable, well-equipped port of call, an ideal starting point for the nearby Glénan Islands, and the gateway to a magnificent trip up to Quimper between wooded banks nicknamed the “gorges” of the Odet.
Bénodet’s position at the centre of maritime Cornouaille makes it a convenient base: the Glénan Islands, Concarneau, Loctudy and the archipelago are all within short passages.
Approach & access
The mouth of the Odet is approached through a buoyed channel between the rocky plateaux that fringe the entrance. The harbour is accessible at all states of the tide, but the bar and the river current call for attention, especially at large tidal coefficients (spring tides).
Practical notes — The Odet’s current can be significant in the channel and off the harbours; take it into account when manoeuvring in harbour. The trip up to Quimper depends on the tide and on your draught: check the heights of tide and the favourable time. Beware of the rocks at the entrance in reduced visibility. Harbour details to be confirmed with the harbour offices.
Harbour & anchorage
- Bénodet harbour — visitors’ pontoons on the east bank, well equipped, accessible at all states of the tide.
- Sainte-Marine — harbour full of character on the west bank, opposite Bénodet; a quieter atmosphere.
- At anchor / on buoys — options along the river as you go upstream, depending on the zones and the tide.
Services ashore
Bénodet is a fully serviced port of call:
- Harbour offices, water and electricity on the pontoons, fuel.
- Toilets, showers; boatyards and repairers nearby.
- Full provisioning: shops, a supermarket, a market in season.
- Boat services and excursion boats (trips up the Odet to Quimper, shuttles to the Glénan Islands in season).
Things to see & do
- The trip up the Odet to Quimper — one of the finest river passages in Brittany, between wooded banks.
- Sainte-Marine — its little harbour and its atmosphere.
- The Pyramide lighthouse and the beaches of Bénodet.
- Quimper — the historic city at the end of the river, to explore during a stop.
During the course — Bénodet is an ideal base: harbour manoeuvres in the current of the Odet, a trip up the river on the tide, then out to the Glénan Islands or Concarneau. A good balance between coastal sailing and an offshore leg.
