Carentan Marina, Carentan, Normandy

Position - 49º 18' N 1º 14' W

Charts, Pilots & Cruising Guides - See the following link for French Charts

Approach - After an approach from the north head for the red and white fairway buoy, position 49º 25'.51" N 1º 07' W, just outside the 5m contour. Ideally you will be there two hours before local HW. From there steer 210º(T) for 1.7miles to the mouth of the buoyed channel. Follow this channel to the mouth of the river which is marked by red and green post beacons. Keep to the centre of the river for a further 4 miles until you come to the lock. This lock is only working from 2 hours before and three hours after local HW, HW Carentan is an hour after HW Cherbourg. Onshore winds particularly from the north east make this a very hazardous lee shore on an approach is not recommended in anything excess of a F5. Tidal streams are not an issue if you time your approach correctly. When departing aim to pass through the lock 30 minutes before local HW.

Marina - Prices are charged by the area of the boat, length x beam. Included in the price are showers and water and electricity on the jetties.

Contact
VHF CH09.
Email
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Services - There is a launderette within the marina complex. Gas can be obtained at the local supermarket, 10 minutes walk away. There is a chandlery, GAM Marine, in the marina opposite pontoon K, they also offer marine engineering and can undertake repairs to rigging. The nearest sail maker is in Cherbourg. There a several banks with ATMs in the town. Cars and Bikes can be hired locally.

Eating Out - The Bar du Centre on Rue du Dr Galliard does a good cheap lunch but the place gets crowded so be there around midday. La Maritza, 4 Rue Torteron offers value for money with their plats du jour. One of the best kitchens can be found at L'Escapade in the Hotel de Commerce et de la Gare.

Local Area - Carentan lies 4 miles inland of the Baie du Grand Vey. On either side of the bay are the beaches of Utah to the west and Omaha to the east. Both these beaches, known throughout the world today, saw allied forces begin their quest to liberate Europe from Nazi occupation on the 6th June 1944. There are various cemeteries, memorials and museums along the coast marking their importance. One staggering statistic - by the end of the 6th of June 40,000 men and vehicles had been landed on Utah beach alone. The town of Carentan has a gentle pace with a feeling of space. You will find plenty of medieval architecture around the town. Carentan's spectacular church dates from the 11th century. It houses important paintings from the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. Many of these works have been recently restored. The salt marshes, the Marais, surrounding the town are a refuge for wildlife. These can be explored on foot, bike or car. Two shallow draught boats can also take you on a tour but these are very popular and require advance booking. A 30 minute train trip to the east finds Bayeux, home of the famous tapestry commemorating the Battle of Hastings in 1066. The tapestry is 61m long and is thought to have been embroidered by Kentish woman as early as 1067.