Best anchorages and harbours in Atlantic coast

La paillote

Freshwater port on the north shore of Lac de Biscarrosse et de Parentis, in the Landes.

La plage des Aigrettes

Sand anchorage on the north shore of the Étang de Cazaux-Sanguinet in the Landes, one of the largest freshwater lakes in France.

• Sheltered N, NE

La poupinniere

River port on the Erdre at Nort-sur-Erdre, head of navigation before the canal de Nantes a Brest.

La vilaine

River anchorage on the Vilaine between the Arzal dam and La Roche-Bernard, rock bottom, protected from W to SE winds.

• Sheltered W, SW, S, SE

Latecoère

Lake port on the north shore of the étang de Biscarrosse-Parentis, in the Landes, named after the aviation pioneer Pierre-Georges Latécoère.

Lavau-sur-Loire

Small tidal harbour on the north bank of the Loire estuary between Nantes and Saint-Nazaire, in the Brière regional park.

Le Canon

Oyster-farming port on the east shore of the Cap Ferret peninsula, on the Bassin d'Arcachon. Rows of wooden cabins on stilts at the quayside, active shellfish trade and a handful of visitor moorings.

Le chemin

Buoy mooring in the Pertuis Breton off the Pointe d'Arçay, Vendée coast.

• Sheltered NW, N, NE

Le Cormier

Anchorage on the Jade coast near Pornic, sand and rock bottom, shelter from NE through E and from SW through SE.

• Sheltered NE, E, SW, S, SE

Le Petit Piquey

Anchorage on the eastern shore of the Bassin d'Arcachon, off the village of Petit Piquey on the Lège-Cap-Ferret peninsula, in New Aquitaine.

• Sheltered NW, N, NE, W, SW

Le Pont Neuf

Tidal harbour on the Goulet de Fromentine channel, commune of La Barre-de-Monts in northern Vendée, opposite Noirmoutier.

Le Port des Pêcheurs

Small fishing harbour tucked under the cliffs of Biarritz, between the Grande Plage and the Rocher de la Vierge, on the Basque coast.

Le port du Loiron

Small drying harbour at Angoulins, on the Pertuis d'Antioche between Châtelaillon and La Rochelle.

Les Alises

Anchorage on the north coast of the Île d'Oléron, close to Saint-Denis-d'Oléron, Charente-Maritime.

• Sheltered S, SW, W

Les Formes

Mud-bottom anchorage in the Baie de Bourgneuf, southern Loire-Atlantique, sheltered from NW and W.

• Sheltered NW, W

Lormont Bas

Small tidal harbour on the right bank of the Garonne in Lormont, across the river from Bordeaux.

Marennes

Small tidal harbour at the head of the Seudre estuary, opposite the Île d'Oléron, in Charente-Maritime.

Marennes

Oyster and pleasure port at the head of the Cayenne channel, on the right bank of the Seudre estuary in Charente-Maritime.

Meyran

Oyster and leisure port on the south-east shore of the Bassin d'Arcachon at Gujan-Mestras, Nouvelle-Aquitaine.

Mornac

Tidal oyster-farming port on the Seudre estuary, in Mornac-sur-Seudre, Charente-Maritime.

Mornac-sur-Seudre

Drying anchorage in the Seudre estuary, opposite the oyster village of Mornac-sur-Seudre, Charente-Maritime.

• Free
• Sheltered N, NE, E, SE, S, SW, W, NW

Mouillage de Gauseirans

Open roadstead off the beaches of Anglet on the Basque coast, sand bottom, exposed to the Atlantic swell.

• Sheltered E

Mouillage de Larrigade

Sand-bottom anchorage on the Landes coast in New Aquitaine, sheltered from S, SW, W and NW.

• Sheltered S, SW, W, NW

Mouillage de Le Bourg

Outer anchorage north of Saint-Martin-de-Ré on the Île de Ré, sand bottom, exposed to the westerly sector.

• Sheltered W, SW

Oudon

Small river harbour on the north bank of the Loire at Oudon, between Ancenis and Nantes in the Pays de la Loire.

Parc Fromentine

Sand-bottom anchorage in the Goulet de Fromentine, off the Vendée coast, near the bridge to Île de Noirmoutier.

• Sheltered NE, E, SW, S, SE

Parentis-en-Born

Small lake port of 4 berths on the south-east shore of the Biscarrosse et Parentis lake, in the Landes.

Plage Américaine

Sand anchorage on the west shore of Lac de Cazaux et de Sanguinet, the second largest natural lake in mainland France, in the Landes de Gascogne.

• Sheltered W, SW

Plage de Cassy

Buoy field off Cassy beach on the north shore of the Bassin d'Arcachon, commune of Lanton, 200 m from the village.

• Sheltered N, NE, E

Plage de L'Anse du Fourneau

Anchorage off the north coast of the Île de Ré, between the villages of Ars-en-Ré and Loix, in Charente-Maritime.

• Sheltered W, SW