By DIMITRI &
SYLVIE VANDEPOELE

PHOTOS:
DIMITRI & SYLVIE VANDEPOELE,
& Bertrand

Filling the gap… Raz de Sein

Due to circumstances, we had some spare time after returning from leading the annual Sea Kayak Training Camp in Croatia. We had a couple of days before returning to work due to another cancelled activity. So, we were looking to fill that gap with more sea kayaking. We love short, packed trips where we can do a lot within a limited time. It’s been years since we dreamed about playing the tide race in Raz de Sein. Off the beaten path, this tide race is relatively unknown. Search for tide races, and you will get many results, videos, and blog posts, rarely about the Raz. And this was our chance to see if this place was worth visiting.

The area
Raz de Sein is a stretch of water located near Pointe du Raz in Bretagne – France. The tide race itself lies between Ile de Sein and Pointe du Raz – many beautiful, iconic lighthouses there, some of them with interesting stories. We drove by car (about 850 km from where we live). The last couple of hours were great, treating us with the best view upon arrival over Baie des Trépassés (Bay of the Departed), where we could soak in our first impressions; La Vieille lighthouse in the very distance, Pointe du Raz sticking out of the mainland and clean swell rolling into the bay itself forming what seemed perfect surf! We were ecstatic! Sylvie found the best stay in that area, an old but fully renovated mill (Moulin de Kernot).

The plan
When we go somewhere, we rarely (read: never) go unprepared. So, we bought ourselves detailed sea charts, did research, etc. But like we know our beloved North Sea, we value the knowledge from local paddlers. Social media is helpful in those moments; we got suggestions from Jérôme (local sea kayak coach) and his teammates Bertrand and Cécile. They even proposed to join us on the first day.  We only had three days on the scene to do what we came for, which was short. The tide race was a priority; all the rest was secondary. We couldn’t be more wrong.

Day 1
We met with Jérôme, Cécile and Bertrand early in the morning at Baie des Trépassés. Upon arrival, we couldn’t be luckier with the surfing conditions! We started with some surfing, although we were there for a different reason (tide race paddling). This was an opportunity we couldn’t let slip away. A clean ocean swell that ran into the bay provided almost perfect waves of about 1.5 to 2 metres in height. So, we surfed for a bit (getting a maximum speed of 27,9km/h) before moving on. We could do some rock hopping on the way to the Raz, following the rugged coastline. A force 4/5 wind was coming from the NE in play, ensuring everything stayed interesting. We were there on a neap tide, so the current was manageable.

After making it to Pointe du Raz, we decided to play the tide races moving on to La Vieille (the Old Lady) lighthouse overlooking the area. This place’s beauty, and the interesting part for us, is that it isn’t just one tide race. There are different features to play in, rock formations of all kinds and a sea state constantly moving, changing from hour to hour. After surfing the races, we arrived at La Vieille lighthouse. I felt the urge, as always, to climb onto the static rocks emerging from the fast-moving water all around. It took me two attempts to perform a technical landing onto the rock, tethering my kayak at a higher place to prevent it from being swept away by incoming waves.

It wasn’t the easiest technical landing I did, but it was worth the trouble! I could visit the lighthouse up close and soak in the incredible surroundings. After a short visit, it was time to jump back off, and after a swift self-rescue, we were back on the way to Pointe du Raz. We followed the southern shoreline to end up in Port Bestrée, one of the very small harbours where we took a well-deserved break. A few hours later, we returned the same way we came in.

The tide was changing this time, forming bigger waves in the tide race. The tide was running against the wind this time, providing even more fun. After a long day, we ended up back up in the Baie des Trépasses. We got more out of this first day than we thought of having during the whole stay! We went to one of the local diners where we could not get around the delicious and well-known ‘crêpes Bretonnes’. Don’t you dare to call them ‘pancakes’, we did, and we’re very sorry! It was time to say goodbye to our local team! We love to meet and paddle with paddlers we formerly only knew from social media. This was one of those extraordinary occasions, and we are sure we will meet again!

Day 2
Even if you’re not on the water, the area has plenty to offer! We discovered the surroundings to see where we could launch our kayaks on the last day, and I must say that we were treated with some hidden gems. The Keriolet water mill is an example of that. We did some walking on the rugged shore north of Pointe du Raz. The view never gets boring; we haven’t seen half of it. The area is quite remote, and we were there off-season, so it’s fair to say we found ourselves alone most of the time.

Day 3
We decided to explore the southern part of Pointe du Raz, starting at Anse du Loc’h. There is a sandy beach with an easy launch and a car park with plenty of space. We did some recon on our sea charts, but we couldn’t imagine what was waiting for us. That specific area is not documented in other sea kayak videos, and yet so beautiful. It’s a good thing that we decided to go around high tide. The moment we left Anse du Loc’h, it felt like going off the grid. We weren’t to see any other human beings during the whole day, just the two of us. To our great surprise, that stretch of rugged coastline was full of small but relatively accessible caves. We visited all of them.

There is so much fun in exploring and losing yourself and time with this! A sea kayak is the only way to visit them, and our training in steering and controlling a sea kayak proved very useful. It felt like doing ballet surrounded by nature at its best! The sea on that side was calm; we were sheltered from the NE wind (still force 4-5). This was slow rock gardening at its best, moving between small and bigger formations, hugging the cliffs, and blending in the landscape.

We went again to the tide races and La Vieille lighthouse because we could. The races were calmer than days before because we were there at the wrong (or right, if you like) time. On the way back, we did all the caves and gaps again. Not the same since the water level had dropped significantly, and things felt completely different. We took a lunch break at Port Bestrée, where we had the whole, small port for ourselves. Romantic!

Recap
Go there! Definitely worth visiting, and bring your sea kayak! But be prepared; the coastline is rugged, and there are fewer entry/exit points during the paddle. Make sure to consider the relentless tide movement, and not only in the races themselves. Purchase a sea chart (obviously), but information from locals is equally invaluable. We were rewarded for a long drive and have seen more in just three days (with only two on the water) than we could imagine. This area made it onto our ‘permanent to-do list’, and we will go back for sure. To play, enjoy, surf, or just sit on the Pointe du Raz and enjoy the sunset.

Thanks
We wish to thank our temporary team, Jérôme, Cécile and Bertrand! Same counts to our neighbours of the Old Mill Kernot for their hospitality and for providing us with such a tasty breakfast right before we returned home!

Have fun and take care of each other on the water!

Make sure to check our video on the trip!