Port

Ponton Vnf La Grande-Motte

Name: Ponton Vnf La Grande-Motte
Address: La Grande-Motte, FR

3.1La Grande-Motte, FranceLanguedoc-Roussillon

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Type: Harbour

VNF service pontoon on the Canal du Rhône à Sète at La Grande-Motte, on the eastern edge of the Languedoc coast.

Guide

Approach and anchoring

Reached from the canal side, not from the sea. Boats coming from the Étang de Thau or from the Rhône transit the canal. Low overhead clearance applies under fixed bridges on the canal, typical limit around 3 metres. Speed limited to 8 km/h on the canal. The water is shallow along the pontoon, and a draught of 1.3 metres is close to the bottom.

Practical

Short-stay pontoon operated by Voies Navigables de France, intended for transit boats on the canal rather than long-stay berthing. Stays are limited to 24 hours. No full marina services on the pontoon itself. The Port Grégau marina is 0.8 NM to the SE and the main Port de La Grande-Motte is 1.3 NM to the S for fuel, water and provisioning.

Ashore

Town centre of La Grande-Motte at roughly 1 km, with the pyramidal concrete architecture by Jean Balladur listed as Patrimoine du XXe siècle. Sandy beach of La Grande-Motte about 1 km to the south. Étang du Ponant, used for sailing and windsurfing, is immediately next to the canal.

History

La Grande-Motte was built from 1965 onwards as part of the Mission Racine plan to develop the Languedoc-Roussillon coastline for tourism. Architect Jean Balladur designed the ziggurat-style buildings. The resort received the Patrimoine du XXe siècle label in 2010.