Frequent Destinations

This Channel Island of Jersey recently got a mention in (former Vanity Fair editor) Graydon Carter’s newsletter Airmail: “Last year, The Times of London reported on an influx of the super-rich to the Channel island of Jersey, where tax incentives, white beaches, and quaint beach houses provide a much-needed respite from the crowded shores of Italy, France, and southern Spain. ‘I went to Jersey last week,’ a friend says, ‘and it was heaven.’” Read more about Jersey’s many attractions at the Jersey Heritage website:

Nestled between England and France, Sark is known as the jewel of the Channel Islands. Car-free roads, quirky charm, secluded coves, stunning scenery, and world-renowned starry skies (there are no streetlights to obscure the dazzling heavens) are just some of the things that make Sark special. Close by lies the small island of Herm with its pristine white-sand beaches and scenic walking paths. Remember, you can’t get there by car or train…

Situated on the Brittany coast, an area famous for its excellent sailing and abundant wildlife, the centuries-old walled city of St-Malo once sheltered corsairs and pirates. Today its beautiful harbor, historic ramparts, and vibrant cafés attract visitors from around the world. Because of its excellent facilities and proximity to such culturally rich sites as Mont Saint-Michel, the Channel Islands, and numerous towns and ports steeped in history, it's the ideal location for a program that includes both yachting and cultural exploration.

The turquoise waters and an abundance of nature reserves make the islands of Guernsey great places to enjoy the outdoors, whether you are exploring the cliffs and beaches or offshore on the water.
The Islands also boast a rich heritage and culture to discover: neolithic structures, castles and fortifications from the Occupation, art galleries, and museums, including Victor Hugo’s home during his exile. Alderney is famous for its blonde hedgehogs. You might just see one on a walk.

Known originally as the Château de la Roche Goyon, today it is better known as the Fort la Latte. Construction of the pink granite and sandstone castle began in the 1340s, but much of the extant fort was built between 1690 and 1715.

The walls, gatehouses, barbican, towers, dungeons, medieval garden, and labyrinth are open to visitors. The panoramic view of the surrounding bay is spectacular.

Beauport Abbey, in Paimpol, was founded in the XIIIth century by monks from Normandy The Gothic abbey church now lies in ruins, albeit surrounded by beautiful gardens. Visitors are often surprised to discover that Beauport is one of four official Breton starting points for pilgrims setting out for Santiago de Compostella. Centuries ago, Scandinavian, Irish, and British pilgrims landed in Brittany on their way to Spain. (If you’d be interested in doing part of the Camino on a classic sailboat, get in touch.)

Saint-Brieuc is famous for its 15th-century Gothic-style cathedral and charming half-timbered houses (see above). The whole town is right out of a France tourism brochure. It also has a vibrant pedestrian shopping district with a wide range of shops as well as numerous parks and Insta-worthy outdoor cafés in the squares and streets where you can watch buskers perform. Its several expansive beaches are impressive.

The Crozon Peninsula, at the western tip of Brittany, offers a dazzling array of land- and seascapes: natural promontories, jagged headlands, beaches, dunes, moors, dramatic cliffs, rivers, forests, and mudflats that give this region a remarkable natural beauty. In fact, a nature reserve located in the peninsula’s Parc Naturel Régional d'Armorique, has been awarded the status of "Espace Remarquable de Bretagne" and includes 27 different coastal sites of “special geological and biological interest.”

Largely destroyed during WWII, Brest has managed to reinvent itself. It boasts a remarkable botanical conservatory featuring hundreds of unusual plants and exotic flowers as well as an imposing castle with fortifications designed by Vauban. First constructed and occupied by Roman conquerors over 1,700 years ago, the castle is believed to be the oldest in the world still in use. But the most popular attraction for QBE crew members is Océanopolis, a sprawling ocean discovery center with enormous aquariums and world-class oceanographic research facilities.

We’re talking about the national dish of Brittany—the ubiquitous crêpe! Most people know what crêpes are: thin pancakes made primarily with wheat flour, milk, and eggs, eaten plain or with sugar, jam, peanut butter, even Nutella. Crêpes are traditionally served as a dessert, although they can be savory, as well. Bretons differentiate sweet crêpes from savory "galettes,” made with brown buckwheat flour. Either way, we go hunting for the best!

Annual Celtic festivals, classic boat festivals, local food festivals, craft fairs, heritage festivals, farmers’ markets, various cultural celebrations, traditional music festivals, you name it. You just never know what’s going to be happening when we pull into port. But during the summer months, there’s always something going on, and we’re ready to join the party. These events are unfailingly great fun—and often educational!

We give our crew members the latitude to make some of their own navigation decisions—even the opportunity to get lost! (Just not for too long.) So, who knows where we might end up at some point? Normandy? England? Hopefully not Portugal :-). When we call a QBE expedition a unique adventure, we mean it! One thing’s for sure: it’ll be an experience your teen will never forget.