Anchorage

Calanque de Morgiou

Shelter: NW, N, NE, W, SW
Seabed: sand, rock, algae
Anchoring: Forbidden

Calanque east of Sormiou with a small fishing port in the Calanques national park, where anchoring is limited to the sand outside a buoyed protection zone that shields the posidonia.

Water
Pontoon
Beach
Seagrass

Guide

Approach and anchoring

Anchoring is done on sand outside the line of yellow buoys, which protect the posidonia and the water off the cave, so keep seaward of them and find a sand patch among the weed, usually in about 11 to 15 m. Guards pass through but leave boats lying correctly outside the marked zone. Strong gusts fall down the cliffs in a Venturi and have dragged boats at night, so set the anchor hard. Sheltered from NW, N, NE, W and SW, exposed to S and SE swell, with wash from tour boats by day and calm at night.

Practical

Small port at the head of the calanque with a handful of berths reserved for cabanon owners and a water tap on the quay. The dinghy can be left at the head of the harbour, and the hamlet of fishermen's huts has a small bar and restaurant. No fuel, no shop, no marine services.

Ashore

A blue sea cave near the seaward edge of the marked zone draws snorkellers and fills with boats at weekends. The Cosquer cave, with prehistoric paintings around 27 000 years old, lies submerged under Cap Morgiou and is inaccessible to divers, though a full-scale replica opened in 2022 at the Villa Méditerranée in Marseille. The Sentier des Calanques leads to Sugiton and Luminy.

History

The Cosquer cave was discovered in 1985 by diver Henri Cosquer through a 37 metre deep tunnel under the cliff of Cap Morgiou.

Key facts

Type: Anchorage
Coordinates: 43.20994, 5.44751 (43°12.60'N 5°26.85'E)
Country: France
Shelter: Sheltered from north-west, north, north-east, west, south-west winds
Seabed: sand, rock, algae
Anchoring: Forbidden
Services: Water, Pontoon, Beach, Seagrass
Boaters' rating: 4.3/5
Updated: October 15, 2026