Best anchorages and harbours in Atlantic coast

L’aiguillon

Tidal harbour at La Teste-de-Buch on the Bassin d'Arcachon, used by oyster farmers and leisure boats, just south of Arcachon town.

L'Eguille

Tidal oyster-farming port on the Seudre estuary, commune of L'Eguille-sur-Seudre, Charente-Maritime, New Aquitaine.

L'Erdre

Anchorage on the Erdre river at Sucé-sur-Erdre, north of Nantes, mud bottom, sheltered from all sectors except south and east.

• Sheltered N, NE, SE, SW, W, NW

La Flotte

Buoy field off La Flotte-en-Ré on the north coast of Île de Ré, Charente-Maritime, sand bottom.

• Sheltered W, E, SW, S, SE

La Gourgue

Lake anchorage on the Cazaux-Sanguinet lake in the Landes de Gascogne, weed bottom.

• Sheltered SW

La Grande Escoure

Lake anchorage on the Étang de Lacanau in the Médoc, mud bottom.

• Sheltered SW, W, NW

La Grande Vallée

Buoy mooring area off the north-east coast of the Île de Ré, in the Pertuis Breton, opposite Rivedoux-Plage.

• Sheltered W, SW, S

La Hume

Drying harbour of 450 berths at Gujan-Mestras on the Bassin d'Arcachon, used by shallow-draught boats and flat-bottomed oyster skiffs.

La Nor

Anchorage in the baie de Bourgneuf, Pays de la Loire, mud bottom with good holding, open to westerly weather.

• Sheltered NE, E, SE

La paillote

Freshwater port on the north shore of Lac de Biscarrosse et de Parentis, in the Landes.

La plage des Aigrettes

Sand anchorage on the north shore of the Étang de Cazaux-Sanguinet in the Landes, one of the largest freshwater lakes in France.

• Sheltered N, NE

Latecoère

Lake port on the north shore of the étang de Biscarrosse-Parentis, in the Landes, named after the aviation pioneer Pierre-Georges Latécoère.

Lavau-sur-Loire

Small tidal harbour on the north bank of the Loire estuary between Nantes and Saint-Nazaire, in the Brière regional park.

Le Canon

Oyster-farming port on the east shore of the Cap Ferret peninsula, on the Bassin d'Arcachon. Rows of wooden cabins on stilts at the quayside, active shellfish trade and a handful of visitor moorings.

Le chemin

Buoy mooring in the Pertuis Breton off the Pointe d'Arçay, Vendée coast.

• Sheltered NW, N, NE

Le Cormier

Anchorage on the Jade coast near Pornic, sand and rock bottom, shelter from NE through E and from SW through SE.

• Sheltered NE, E, SW, S, SE

Le Petit Piquey

Anchorage on the eastern shore of the Bassin d'Arcachon, off the village of Petit Piquey on the Lège-Cap-Ferret peninsula, in New Aquitaine.

• Sheltered NW, N, NE, W, SW

Le Pont Neuf

Tidal harbour on the Goulet de Fromentine channel, commune of La Barre-de-Monts in northern Vendée, opposite Noirmoutier.

Le Port des Pêcheurs

Small fishing harbour tucked under the cliffs of Biarritz, between the Grande Plage and the Rocher de la Vierge, on the Basque coast.

Le port du Loiron

Small drying harbour at Angoulins, on the Pertuis d'Antioche between Châtelaillon and La Rochelle.

Les Alises

Anchorage on the north coast of the Île d'Oléron, close to Saint-Denis-d'Oléron, Charente-Maritime.

• Sheltered S, SW, W

Les Formes

Mud-bottom anchorage in the Baie de Bourgneuf, southern Loire-Atlantique, sheltered from NW and W.

• Sheltered NW, W

Lormont Bas

Small tidal harbour on the right bank of the Garonne in Lormont, across the river from Bordeaux.

Marennes

Small tidal harbour at the head of the Seudre estuary, opposite the Île d'Oléron, in Charente-Maritime.

Marennes

Oyster and pleasure port at the head of the Cayenne channel, on the right bank of the Seudre estuary in Charente-Maritime.

Meyran

Oyster and leisure port on the south-east shore of the Bassin d'Arcachon at Gujan-Mestras, Nouvelle-Aquitaine.

Mornac

Tidal oyster-farming port on the Seudre estuary, in Mornac-sur-Seudre, Charente-Maritime.

Mornac-sur-Seudre

Drying anchorage in the Seudre estuary, opposite the oyster village of Mornac-sur-Seudre, Charente-Maritime.

• Free
• Sheltered N, NE, E, SE, S, SW, W, NW

Mouillage de Gauseirans

Open roadstead off the beaches of Anglet on the Basque coast, sand bottom, exposed to the Atlantic swell.

• Sheltered E

Mouillage de Larrigade

Sand-bottom anchorage on the Landes coast in New Aquitaine, sheltered from S, SW, W and NW.

• Sheltered S, SW, W, NW