Anchorage

Crique de Niel

4.5FranceVar

Shelter: NW, N, NE
Seabed: sand, rock, algae
Anchoring: Allowed

Small cove on the east side of the presqu'île de Giens, just south of the fishing harbour of Port du Niel, in Provence.

Beach
Seagrass

Guide

Approach and anchoring

Approach from the east, keeping clear of the rocky shoreline on both sides of the entrance. The holding is mixed: sand patches between rock and posidonia, so look for clear sandy bottom before dropping the anchor to avoid damaging the seagrass. Shelter is good from NW through N to NE, open to E and SE swell.

Practical

No services at the mooring itself. Port du Niel, 0.3 nm to the NE, is a small fishermen's harbour with very limited visitor capacity. La Madrague de Giens lies 0.7 nm to the NW and offers a larger refuge if the wind shifts.

Ashore

Two small gravel beaches sit in the cove, with a concrete path and metal handrails up the cliff from the water and good snorkelling around the rocks. The sentier du littoral reaches Port du Niel in about 10 minutes on foot, passing the salt pans of Giens and the tombolo beaches. The village of Giens has a grocery and bakery 1.5 km inland.