Anchorage

Etang de Berre

Shelter
SW, W, NW
Seabed
sand
Anchoring
Allowed

Anchorage on the Étang de Berre, a 155 km² brackish lagoon west of Marseille connected to the Mediterranean by the Canal de Caronte at Martigues.

  • Beach

Guide

Approach and anchoring

Enter the lagoon through the Canal de Caronte at Martigues, which carries commercial traffic for the Fos oil terminal. Keep to the marked channel, VHF 12 for port control. Air draught limited by the bridges on the canal, check clearances before transit.

Practical

Sand holding throughout the lagoon, depths of 6 to 9 m in the central basin. Shelter from SW, W and NW sectors, which are the prevailing mistral quadrants; exposed to the SE marin. Port de Ferrières 2.7 nm south and Club Nautique de Martigues 3 nm south for services.

Ashore

Martigues, known as the Venice of Provence for its three waterfront districts, sits at the southern outlet. The Musée Ziem holds Félix Ziem's marine paintings of the lagoon. The mistral often brings wind well above 30 knots into the basin, which the local sailing clubs use for training.

Key facts

Type
Anchorage
Coordinates
43.45064, 5.05674 (43°27.04'N 5°3.40'E)
Country
France
Shelter
Sheltered from south-west, west, north-west winds
Seabed
sand
Anchoring
Allowed
Services
Beach
Boaters' rating
3.9/5
Updated
July 7, 2026

Getting there

Etang de Berre lies at 43°27.04'N 5°3.40'E, that is 43.45064, 5.05674 in decimal degrees.

Boaters' reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to share your experience of Etang de Berre.

Write a review

Frequently asked questions

Which winds is Etang de Berre sheltered from?

Etang de Berre is sheltered from south-west, west, north-west winds.

Can you anchor at Etang de Berre?

Yes, anchoring is allowed at Etang de Berre.

How do boaters rate Etang de Berre?

Etang de Berre is rated 3.9/5 by boaters on BoatMap.

Explore the region

Nearby cities

The free boat navigation app

Official nautical charts, marine weather, GPS and 50,000+ marinas and anchorages with reviews. All in one app, ready to sail.

BoatMap app on three phones: navigation, anchorage details and marine weather
Download on the App StoreGet it on Google Play
Etang de BerreOpen in BoatMap