Fête de Douarnenez 2024

Roscoff bound from Plymouth on the Pont-Aven...

The walk in to Douarnenezz from the ample parking organised for the festival takes you across the road bridge over looking Port Rhu and the Musée de Pêche...

and, in true Breton hospitality style, ample covered areas in which to enjoy

all those typically simple dishes that the French do so well...

a stroll up through and over the town centre takes you via the cobbled streets...

to be greeted by a superb view overlooking the port of Douarnenez itself...

though the weather decided not to play ball for much of Saturday, so solace was sought in several of the sailors' bars that line the streets of the port...

not that a few drops or rain stop the ever-changing spectacle of classic sailing boats, most of which are either original or replicas of fishing boats from ports all around France and beyond...

hungry?, not a burger bar in sight...

the rain it raineth for sure...

half the fleet were in port...

and there was a never ending display of sculling, the preferred method of getting around the harbour...

some powered their way in...

others, like this tiny lugger, sailed everywhere...

a host of visitors lined the music quay...

along with the bigger boats in the inner harbour...

the unmistakable stern of Guide Me...

and the tall ship, Belem, which, earlier this year delivered the Olympic torch by sea from Greece to Paris

plenty of recognisable boats...

were kept entertained until the early hours of the four day festival...

during which time there is always some sort of action on the water...

such a powerful hull...

come Sunday the sun is out...

and the Parade of Sail begins...

with a glimpse of the few remaining fishing boats in the port itself, most being sardine boats these days and a handful of big freezer trawlers that seldom make it back to port...

the weather provided near perfect sailing conditions allowing all the boats to put up their full compliment of sails...

like the Cap Sizun from Audierne

a bog cheer qwent up for the passing lifeboat...

as one of the most iconic Breton lugger headed towards the quay...

wherever she goes...

the Cançalaise gets a huge cheer as she passes...

but a week ago, the Swallow graced Mousehole, Sea, Salt and Sail with her presence...

chaloupe,  An Eostig a replica of a Douarnenez sardine boat...

races past to a rousing cheer from the home crowd...

passed by the Iris Mary CK105, an East coast fishing smack built in Brightlinsea in 1912...

it's not all about the boats, there are plenty of displays of traditional maritime crafts on show like weaving and pot making...

the chance for kids to be pirates...

and, perhaps the most atmospheric experience of the whole festival...

the sound of Breton pipes being played in the traditionally dressed band, the youngest band member was aged nine...

a great accompaniment to a smoked and cured fish platter for lunch...

the classic ship, Greyhound from Sweden...

plenty for the youngsters to get their first taste of sailing, the temporary boating pool...

more sculling...

the Biche, a superbly maintained sailing tuna or Thonier boat...

this boat was the second built by students during the course of the festoval, barley a drop of water in her despite having just been launched!...

looking north and east...

towards the main fishing port...

Eric Tabarly's famous, Pen Duick...

many of the boats in the festival, like the Phoenix,  offer adventure sailing trips - just a click away!...

could be more rain...

heading for home and the softest evening light falls over the flat calm waters of Port Rhu...

then, it's back to Roscoff and aboard the Pont-Aven and a chance meeting with a fleet of Macneil vivier lorries, regular visitors to Newlyn, but this time hauling shellfish from Scotland to Spain...