Sailing ferries to French islands
A new small-scale sailing ferry service in Brittany has started: Bag Hatoup, from Lorient to the island of Groix.
It seems to become a successful formula in France and especially in Brittany: shuttle ferry services with sailing catamarans to touristic islands. Last year we wrote about Sailcoop, sailing from Concarneau and Beg Meil to les Glénan. Since 2022, there has also been Iliens, with a service between Quiberon and Belle-Ile-en-Mer. And on 7 July 2025, Bag Hatoup started Lorient – Groix vice versa.
Bag hatoup is Breton for ‘boat with full sails’. Three young entrepreneurs used a bank loan to buy an Ocean Voyager 56 previously used for excursions. The 16-metre vessel with 80 m2 of sail can accommodate 48 passengers. The name “Trois Mailles” refers to the last sailing ferry to Groix in the late 19th century: Les Deux Mailles. For manoeuvring and lack of wind, there are two 75 HP engines.
The crossing takes 1:20 hours on average. There are two round trips a day, departing from Lorient at 9:00 and 16:30. Bag Hatoup is licensed on an experimental basis by the regional administration and the Keroman-Lorient port authority.
source: baghatoup.com
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