Best anchorages and harbours in Provence and Côte d'Azur

Île du Grand Ribaud

Anchorage on algae and posidonia seabed off the Île du Grand Ribaud, at the south-west tip of the Giens peninsula near Hyères.

• Sheltered NW, N, W

Marseille - MPM

Historic harbour of Marseille run by the Métropole Aix-Marseille-Provence, 3200 berths on both quays of the calanque that forms the heart of the city.

Mouillage de Jova

Anchorage in the bay of Bonporteau, west of Cavalaire-sur-Mer, sheltered from the mistral blowing down from the north and east.

• Sheltered N, NE, E, SE

Plage de Carro

Small sand-bottom anchorage off Carro at the entrance to its fishing harbour, on the Cote Bleue west of Marseille, with room for only a few boats.

• Sheltered NW, N, NE, W, E

Anse Saint Pierre

Small cove on the eastern shore of the Rade des Vignettes, near Le Pradet in the Var, with room for about two boats at anchor.

• Free
• Sheltered N, NE, W, NW

Cap Rousset

Anchorage on the north coast of Porquerolles, west of the island, off a rocky headland in the Parc national de Port-Cros.

• Sheltered N, NE, E, S, SE

Escampo-Barriou

Anchorage on the east side of the Giens peninsula, between La Madrague and Port du Niel, Var.

• Sheltered NW, N, NE, W

Plage de la Fosse

Cove on the south side of Île des Embiez, sand and rock bottom, open to the south.

• Sheltered N, NE, E

Plage de la Garrigue

Sandy anchorage in the bay of Les Canebiers, on the east side of the Saint-Tropez peninsula, Var.

• Sheltered NW, W, SW

San Peyre

Anchorage in the bay of Le Pradet on the south side of the Giens peninsula approach, Var coast, sand bottom.

• Sheltered NW, N, NE

Calanque du maure

Anchorage on the south coast of Porquerolles, inside the Parc national de Port-Cros. Sand and posidonia bottom.

• Sheltered NE, E, SE

Estagnets

Anchorage on the west side of the Giens peninsula, north of Port du Niel, mixed sand and posidonia bottom.

• Sheltered NE, E, S, SE

Porquerolles

Main harbour of the island of Porquerolles, on the northern shore, inside the Port-Cros national park, off Hyeres.

Saint Jean Cap Ferrat

Marina of 550 berths on the west side of the Cap Ferrat peninsula, between Nice and Beaulieu, sheltered by the cape from easterly winds.

Villefranche - Darse

Former Sardinian military harbour in the Rade de Villefranche-sur-Mer, between Nice and Cap Ferrat.

Baie de la Garonne

Wide bay on the south coast of Le Pradet, sand and rock bottom with posidonia, day anchorage east of Toulon roadstead.

• Sheltered NE, E, SE

Calanque de Fontagne

Small south-facing inlet on the Marseilleveyre massif east of Les Goudes, inside the Parc national des Calanques.

• Sheltered S

L'île d'Or

Small private island off Le Dramont, east of Saint-Raphaël, recognisable by its square Saracen-style tower of red porphyry built in 1912.

• Sheltered N, S, SE

Port du Niel

Small harbour of 106 berths on the east side of the Giens peninsula, in the commune of Hyères, Var.

Anse du Bon Renaud

South-facing cove on the northern coast of Île de Porquerolles, about 0.6 nm west of the village harbour, inside the Parc national de Port-Cros.

• Sheltered SE, S, SW, W

Île de Bendor

Small private island off Bandol, bought by Paul Ricard in 1950 and developed into a cultural site with a marina on its north side.

• Sheltered S, SE

Plage de Portisol

Sandy cove on the west side of Sanary-sur-Mer, Var, between Pointe Cogolin and the harbour entrance.

• Sheltered N, NE, E, SE

Plage Du Capelan

Small cove on the Île Rousse peninsula west of Bandol, southern Provence, used as a day anchorage.

• Sheltered NW, N, NE, E

Calanque de Figuerolles

Small ochre-cliff calanque on the western side of La Ciotat, with a sand and rock bottom sheltered from the northerly quadrant.

• Sheltered N, NE, E, NW

Plage De La Madrague

Anchorage off the sandy beach of La Madrague, a cove on the western side of the Baie des Lecques, between La Ciotat and Bandol.

• Sheltered N, NE, E, SE

Plage du Lavandou

Sandy anchorage off the main beach of Le Lavandou, on the Var coast between Cap Bénat and Cap Nègre.

• Sheltered SW, W, NW

Calanque de Morgiou Sud

Anchorage at the southern entrance of the Calanque de Morgiou, within the Parc national des Calanques between Marseille and Cassis.

• Sheltered NW, N, NE, W, SW

Gorges du Loup

Rocky inlet on the south coast of Porquerolles island, inside the Parc national de Port-Cros, rock bottom.

• Sheltered N, NE, E, SE, S, NW

Port de la Redonne

Anchorage off the small harbour of La Redonne-Ensuès on the Côte Bleue, inside the Parc marin.

• Sheltered N, NE, NW

Baie de Bon-Porte - Pointe du Canadel

Sand anchorage on the Var coast at the Baie de Bon Porté off l'Escalet, on the Ramatuelle peninsula just north of Cap Taillat, between Cavalaire and Saint-Tropez.

• Sheltered NW, N, NE, W, SW