Harbour

Bandol plaisance

Name: Bandol plaisance
Address: Bandol, FR

2.5Bandol, FranceVar

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Type: Harbour

Marina of 1,600 berths on the Baie de Bandol in the Var, facing the Île de Bendor, between Toulon and La Ciotat.

Guide

Approach and anchoring

Entry between two jetties with red and green lights, open to all weather. The bay is sheltered from the mistral by Cap Sicié to the west but exposed to southerlies. 160 visitor berths. VHF 9, capitainerie on 04 94 29 42 64, open 24 hours in summer.

Practical

Fuel berth with diesel and petrol, careening area open year-round, water and electricity on all pontoons. Sanitary blocks with showers. Berths from 5 to 40 m. Tous commerces along quai du Port and place de la Liberté at the foot of the pontoons. SNCF station 400 m from the capitainerie.

Ashore

Île de Bendor, 300 m offshore, is reached by shuttle in seven minutes from quai d'Honneur. The island was bought by Paul Ricard in 1951 and holds the Espace culturel with the Exposition universelle des vins et spiritueux. The sentier du littoral runs west from Bandol to the Calanque de Port d'Alon over 6 km. Bandol AOC vineyards start at Sanary and La Cadière-d'Azur, 5 to 8 km inland.

History

Bandol grew as a fishing and wine port from the seventeenth century, shipping its mourvèdre-based reds to Marseille and across the Atlantic. The Bandol AOC was granted in 1941 and covers eight communes on the slopes above the bay.

Story

Paul Ricard, founder of the pastis label, bought the rocky Île de Bendor in 1951 for 17,000 francs and built on it a small artistic colony with a chapel, a museum and a hotel.