Anchorage

Plage du Veillat

3.2FranceRiviera · Alpes-Maritimes

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Shelter: NW, N, NE, E, SE
Seabed: sand
Anchoring: Allowed

Sand anchorage off the main town beach of Saint-Raphaël, Var, between the old port and the Santa Lucia marina.

Beach

Guide

Approach and anchoring

Approach from the south, keeping clear of the Lion de Mer and Lion de Terre rocks offshore. Sand bottom with good holding in about 12 to 14 m, though the anchor can take two or three tries to bite, and room is limited. Shelter from NW, N, NE, E and SE; open to S and SW, when swell works in. It stays rolly through the day from passing traffic and settles at night. Swim zones marked by yellow buoys in summer, anchor outside the line.

Practical

Vieux Port de Saint-Raphaël 0.2 NM to the NW with visitor berths, water, fuel and a capitainerie on VHF 9. Port Santa Lucia 0.7 NM to the SE with 1,600 berths, the larger option for a full stopover.

Ashore

Saint-Raphaël town centre fronts the beach, all shops and SNCF TER station within 200 m. Land the tender on the beach or at the marina. Musée archéologique de Saint-Raphaël on rue des Templiers, free entry. Promenade coast path to Boulouris runs east along the red Estérel cliffs.

History

Saint-Raphaël was the port where Napoleon landed in 1799 on his return from Egypt, and again embarked for Elba in 1814. A commemorative pyramid stands on the seafront near the old port.

Key facts

Type: Anchorage
Coordinates: 43.42010, 6.76743 (43°25.21'N 6°46.05'E)
Country: France
Shelter: Sheltered from north-west, north, north-east, east, south-east winds
Seabed: sand
Anchoring: Allowed
Services: Beach
Boaters' rating: 3.2/5
Updated: October 15, 2026