Mouillage

Baie de Mont Saint Michel

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Shelter: N, NE, W, E, SW, S, SE
Seabed: sand
Anchoring: Allowed

Vast sand bay between Cancale and Granville, inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list for the abbey of Mont-Saint-Michel. Tidal range reaches 14 metres at equinoctial springs, among the largest in Europe.

Beach

Guide

Approach and anchoring

The bay dries over several kilometres at low water. Approach only with up-to-date charts and on a rising tide. The Mont itself is surrounded by quicksand and is not approachable by keelboat. Refuges at Granville 12.3 NM to the N and Cancale 13.1 NM to the W.

Practical

No anchorage close to the Mont. Yachts visit from Saint-Malo, Cancale or Granville. Drying anchorage possible in settled weather off the Chausey plateau to the NW.

Ashore

The abbey of Mont-Saint-Michel, founded in 966 AD, is reached by a 2 km causeway footbridge from the mainland. Cancale oyster beds and the Pointe du Grouin hiking path lie on the western shore. Granville old town sits on a rocky headland at the northern end of the bay.

History

The abbey was founded in 966 by Benedictine monks under Duke Richard I of Normandy. It served as a fortress during the Hundred Years War and as a prison during the French Revolution. Listed as UNESCO World Heritage in 1979.

Key facts

Type: Anchorage
Coordinates: 48.63571, -1.51805 (48°38.14'N 1°31.08'W)
Country: France
Shelter: Sheltered from north, north-east, west, east, south-west, south, south-east winds
Seabed: sand
Anchoring: Allowed
Services: Beach
Boaters' rating: 5.0/5
Updated: July 7, 2026