Best anchorages and harbours in Provence and Côte d'Azur

Calanque de l'Escondelle

Cove on the western flank of Île de Pomègues, Frioul archipelago, facing the open sea off Marseille.

• Sheltered E, SE, S

Île du Grand-Rouveau

Anchorage off the Île du Grand-Rouveau, a rocky islet west of the Embiez archipelago in the Var, topped by a 19th century lighthouse.

• Sheltered NE, E, SW, SE

La Gracieuse

Sand-spit anchorage on the east side of the Golfe de Fos, at the tip of the Gracieuse sand bar, sand bottom.

• Sheltered NW, W

Marseille - SNM

Yacht club marina of 544 berths on the north quay of the Vieux-Port of Marseille, founded 1887.

Pointe du Canouvié

Anchorage on the eastern side of Île des Embiez, sheltered from the west wind between the island and Le Brusc.

• Sheltered SE, S, SW, W

Saint-Mitre

Anchorage on the western shore of the Étang de Berre, off Saint-Mitre-les-Remparts, Provence.

• Sheltered SE, S, SW

Calanque de Ratonneau

Anchorage on the north side of Ratonneau island in the Frioul archipelago, off Marseille, with sand bottom.

• Sheltered NW, N, W

Plage Saint-Clair

Anchorage off Saint-Clair beach on the eastern shore of Le Lavandou, Var, with sand bottom and shelter from N, W and NW winds.

• Sheltered N, W, NW

Baie des Roches Bleues

Sand-bottom bay on the south coast of the Saint-Tropez peninsula, between the Pilon anchorage and Saint-Tropez harbour.

• Sheltered N, NE, NW

Les îles Paul Ricard

Anchorage between the islands of Les Embiez and Le Gaou, off Six-Fours-les-Plages in the Var.

• Sheltered SE, S

Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhône

Lock-gated port of 340 berths at the mouth of the Grand Rhone, on the western edge of the Camargue, linking the Rhone waterway to the Mediterranean.

Calanque du Blé

Small rocky cove on the south side of the Giens peninsula, west of Port du Niel, in the Var.

• Sheltered NE, E

Calanque Longue

Narrow calanque on the west coast of Île du Levant, inside the Port-Cros national park.

• Sheltered W, SW, S

Nice - Lympia

Historic harbour at the foot of Colline du Château in Nice, 450 berths, tidal-free Mediterranean basin with 4.1 m maximum draught.

UNCD Marseille

Union Nautique et Cercle des Dériveurs club basin inside the Vieux-Port of Marseille, 100 berths, max draught 2.4 m.

Grande Calanque

Anchorage on the east side of Pomègues in the Frioul archipelago off Marseille, sand bottom.

• Sheltered NW, N, W

Les pierres hautes

Anchorage on the south side of île Sainte-Marguerite, îles de Lérins off Cannes, sand bottom.

• Sheltered N, NE, NW

Port Privé Marco Polo

Private marina of 239 berths on the canals of Port Grimaud, on the Gulf of Saint-Tropez in Provence.

Saint Tropez

Marina of 734 berths on the south side of the Gulf of Saint-Tropez, eastern Var coast.

La Seyne sur Mer

Marina of 300 berths in the inner part of the bay of Toulon, on the western shore known as the Petite Rade.

Saint Pierre des Embiez

Marina of 750 berths on Île des Embiez off Six-Fours-les-Plages, maximum draught 3 m, owned by the Ricard family since 1958.

Anse des Fosses

Cove on the east side of the Cap Ferrat peninsula, just south of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, Alpes-Maritimes.

• Sheltered NW, N, NE, W

Le Béal

Anchorage off the Île Sainte-Marguerite, in the Lérins archipelago off Cannes.

• Sheltered NW, N, W

Saint-Gilles

Inland mooring on the Canal du Rhône à Sète in the Gard, at the edge of the Petite Camargue.

Sainte Marguerite Débarcadère

Landing pontoon on Ile Sainte-Marguerite, largest of the Iles de Lerins off Cannes, with 1 short-stay berth.

Port de l'Ayguade - Hyères

Marina on the east coast of the presqu'île de Giens, in the commune of Hyères, Var, on the Rade d'Hyères facing the île de Porquerolles.

Antibes - Port Vauban

Marina of 1 500 berths at Antibes between Nice and Cannes, known for its Quai des Milliardaires reserved for superyachts.

Baie de Cousse

Open bay between Sanary and Bandol, sand and rock bottom, day anchorage in settled weather.

• Sheltered NE, E, SE

Cannes Marina

Large inland marina at Mandelieu-La Napoule on the Siagne river mouth, 1769 berths, Côte d'Azur.

L'Ayguade

Anchorage off L'Ayguade on the north shore of the Île du Levant, the easternmost of the Îles d'Hyères.

• Sheltered NE, E, SE