The community of Arzal lies on the opposite side of the sea lock. It's not much, but the real value to us was the plethora of boating-related businesses. Three chandlers, several yards and the largest hard-stand area for boats in these parts. We had heard lots of good reports from other cruisers who left their boats there for the winter. As much as we hate to admit it, the cruising season is coming to a close and we’re on the search for a suitable spot to park déjà vu for the winter. Arzal is not so much a destination as it is a pit stop for boaters. For all the positives of the place, the lack of a supermarket and no public transport are real disadvantages. There was also a distinct lack of charm we’ve come to expect, but that is being picky. Perhaps we may find something better upriver.

The Vilaine has a character all its own. Unlike anything I can recall in the states, the river is maybe 200 to 300 yards wide and cuts through the surrounding hilly countryside in lazy arcs punctuated with a few arrow-straight stretches. The banks are a dense thicket of trees and bushes with the occasional house poking through. Jagged rock outcroppings remind you not to stray too close to the sides, although the depth is sufficient for any normal boat. Once we cleared the hustle and bustle of Arzal and the lock, the river seemed like a world away from any civilization. Early morning mist was still in the air as we slowly motored upriver. We saw a few of the traditional fishing boats nosed-into the bank. These are most often anything that floats that is between 15 and 30 feet in length and can carry an outboard. The business end is the A-frame derrick rig hanging off the back of the boat. A square net is hung from each corner by a flexible pole - the opposite ends of which come together, all connected to the cable from the derrick. The whole rig is rather ungainly hanging off the back of the boats. It doesn’t appear much engineering went into the system either as several of the boats looked perilously close to capsizing, even when there was nothing in the nets!

The village of La Roche-Bernard is just four miles or so from the sea lock at Arzal. One of several “Petites Cites de Caractere” in Brittany, it shows its distinction proudly for the visitor. Picture-book pretty does not do it justice. The thriving artist community in the heart of the old town draws the tourists in, but it’s the rest of the place they fall in love with. We were quite taken too. Little cobbled streets, ancient funky buildings and more shops than you can shake a stick at keep your interest. For me, the tiny old harbor kept my interest with the traditional wooden Brittany sailing craft. We later learned that the artist community also extended to traditional boatbuilding, with several examples floating in the harbor. The “big boat” marina is on the river around the corner from the old harbor and thoroughly modern. We stayed a few days and discovered the large supermarket, several banks and all the conveniences of a modern town. For such a tourist destination, La Roche-Bernard appears to have lots of people who actually live and work there.

The modern marina at La Roche-Bernard also operates a hard-stand storage yard for boats across the river. We took a walk across the suspension bridge to visit and were quite impressed. A large shop building, mini-chandlery and nice toilets/showers are all part of the package if you choose to store your boat there. We spotted several cars with Great Britain plates in the car park and were told lots of Brits drive down and leave their car while spending the season sailing in France. The best part was the significantly lower quote we received for winter storage compared to Arzal. We left feeling pretty good that a piece of this cruising puzzle was likely solved.