Navix

A pleasure-boat company on the Gulf of Morbihan, with sailings from Vannes, Port-Navalo, Locmariaquer and other ports on the south coast of Brittany. It runs cruises round the gulf with a stop at the Île d'Arz, the Île aux Moines or both.

Who they are

Navix is a simplified joint-stock company, NAVIX S.A.S., headquartered at the Parc du Golfe de Vannes (9 Allée Loïc Caradec) and registered in the Vannes commercial register. Its website says it has more than a century of experience and presents itself as the first tourist maritime company of the Gulf of Morbihan, although it gives neither the founding date nor the owners' names. All its cruises are commentated by the crew.

Its fleet is eleven passenger boats, from 18 to 31 metres long and with 120 to a little over 300 seats, among them the Mor-Bihan, the restaurant boat on which it does lunches and dinners on board. Any of them can be chartered whole for groups, companies, weddings or associations, with a tailor-made quote.

Destinations and ports

Most of the offer is on the Gulf of Morbihan: the tour of the gulf with stops at the Île d'Arz and the Île aux Moines, the cruise round the gulf without a stop and the lunches and dinners on board. Outside the gulf, Navix goes to Belle-Île-en-Mer and to the islands of Houat and Hoëdic, and runs trips on the Étel ria. The departure ports are many: Vannes, Port-Navalo, Locmariaquer, Auray Saint-Goustan, Le Bono, Étel, La Trinité-sur-Mer and, on the Loire-Atlantique coast, La Turballe and Le Croisic. Not all destinations leave from all ports, and the website devotes a page to each port.

The company publishes a leaflet each year with dates and times; in July and August it adds Sunday lunches and Saturday dinners from Vannes. The website does not publish a closed calendar for the regular season, so you must check the specific dates when booking.

Boarding, children and animals

Navix recommends arriving at the quay 20 minutes before departure; places not taken 10 minutes beforehand may be given to those waiting. All passengers need a ticket, including those who travel free. Minors go with their parents or an adult; unaccompanied under-14s may be refused, and ages 10 to 14 are only admitted alone with signed authorisation, a booking 24 hours ahead and the captain's approval. Dogs and cats travel free, on a lead or in a basket, but not on the restaurant boat. The captain may change routes or stops for safety, and in bad weather the company may refund the ticket or move passengers to another boat.

Bookings and cancellation

You book online at navix.fr, by phone on +33 2 97 46 60 00 or at the ticket offices in the ports; they also sell gift vouchers. Date changes are free up to 24 hours before. For an individual ticket, cancelling eight days or more ahead costs 5%, between seven days and 24 hours 55%, and with less than 24 hours nothing is refunded; on the restaurant boat the penalties are higher from seven days. Refunds are requested by email at [email protected], not at the ticket office. When booking online you can take out cancellation insurance.