BOAT-COMPARATOR Guide
Lorient, the Blavet river and the Île de Groix by boat
A sheltered roadstead, a former submarine base, and the Île de Groix offshore: three ways to discover Lorient from the water.
Lorient combines a sheltered roadstead, a navigable river and an island offshore reachable in under an hour — enough to build several kinds of trips from the same departure port, depending on the day's weather.
A roadstead shaped by history
The Lorient roadstead is home to the former Keroman submarine base, an immense concrete structure built during the Second World War, still visible and striking from the water as you enter or leave the harbour.
Heading up the Blavet river
Inland, the Blavet river can be followed upstream for several kilometres in a setting far calmer than the roadstead, as far as Hennebont — a pleasant option when it's blowing hard offshore but the roadstead itself is still sailable.
Île de Groix, offshore
About 45 minutes out to sea, the Île de Groix stands out for its Trou de l'Enfer cliffs and a beach with an unusually convex shape, curving out toward the sea rather than toward the land.
Port-Louis, the citadel guarding the roadstead
On the opposite shore from Lorient, the small town of Port-Louis keeps its 17th-century citadel, which once guarded the harbour entrance — a possible stop before heading back out to sea toward Groix.
Planning your trip
Check the weather and the tides before crossing to Groix — see our Atlantic tides guide — and compare offers on the Lorient listing page on Boat-Comparator.
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