- Maximum length
- 45 ft
- VHF channel
- 9
- Maximum draught
- 5 ft
Drying river marina of 125 berths on the west bank of the Gironde estuary, at Pauillac in the Médoc, about 30 nautical miles upstream from Royan, where boats take the ground at low water.
Guide
Approach and anchoring
Approach on the Gironde, a tidal estuary with strong currents of 3 knots or more, strongest on the ebb. Time arrival within about 2 hours either side of high water, as the harbour is heavily silted and boats take the ground at low water. Enter close along the sheet piling at the end of the jetty, almost doubling back at the corner of the walls. Maximum draught 1.8 m on the inner berths, less when it has silted, so ask the office before committing. A large yellow waiting buoy lies about 200 m NW of the marina, where boats sometimes raft up. Channel buoyed as part of the commercial route to Bordeaux. VHF 9.
Practical
125 berths on pontoons renewed in 2021, water and electricity alongside. Showers and toilets at the harbour office, old but clean. The staff step and unstep masts in about an hour, which makes this a handy technical stop between the ocean and the Canal du Midi. Monthly rates are low, about 350 euros in high season for a boat of around 10 m. Town centre of Pauillac immediately behind the quay, with bakeries, wine shops and restaurants, a Carrefour, Intermarché and Lidl within 10 to 15 minutes on foot, and a launderette in the centre. Saturday market and fish market near the Intermarché, Sunday car boot sale beside the marina, cinema opposite the port.
Ashore
Maison du Tourisme et du Vin on the quay, tastings from the Médoc appellations. Château Lynch-Bages at 2 km, Château Pichon-Baron at 3 km, and Château Mouton-Rothschild at 4 km, all open for visits by appointment. Véloroute de l'estuaire passes along the quay.
History
Pauillac was the last deep-water stop on the Gironde before the Atlantic and served as the pilot station for ships sailing to Bordeaux from the 18th century. The transatlantic liners of the Compagnie Générale Transatlantique called here until the 1950s.
Key facts
- Type
- Harbour
- Coordinates
- 45.19861, -0.74337 (45°11.92'N 0°44.60'W)
- Town
- Pauillac
- Country
- France
- Maximum draught
- 5 ft
- Maximum length
- 45 ft
- VHF channel
- 9
- Phone
- +33 6 21 86 48 93
- Boaters' rating
- 3.8/5
- Updated
- October 15, 2026
Getting there
Pauillac lies at 45°11.92'N 0°44.60'W, that is 45.19861, -0.74337 in decimal degrees. Call the harbour on VHF channel 9 before entering.
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Write a reviewFrequently asked questions
What boat length does Pauillac accept?
Pauillac accepts boats up to 45 ft.
Which VHF channel for Pauillac?
Pauillac answers on VHF channel 9.
How do boaters rate Pauillac?
Pauillac is rated 3.8/5 by boaters on BoatMap.
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