Best anchorages and harbours in Atlantic coast

Port des Champs

Small drying harbour at the edge of the Bouin polders, on the east side of the Baie de Bourgneuf.

Port du Bec

Oyster harbour on the north side of the Baie de Bourgneuf, commune of Beauvoir-sur-Mer, known for its timber jetties.

Port du fort de socoa

Marina of 156 berths at the western end of Saint-Jean-de-Luz bay, below the Fort of Socoa, in Ciboure on the Basque coast.

Port du Pavé Charron

Small drying oyster and mussel harbour on the Baie de l'Aiguillon, at Charron in Charente-Maritime, at the edge of the Marais Poitevin.

Port du Pavillon

Freshwater harbour of 70 berths on the Étang de Sanguinet, north Landes, about 10 km south of the Arcachon basin by land.

Port Saint-Michel

Open anchorage off the south coast of the Le Croisic peninsula, Loire-Atlantique.

• Sheltered NE, E, SE

Port Siblu - Gastes

Small freshwater harbour on Lake Cazaux-Sanguinet, attached to the Siblu Les Viviers holiday village, on the western shore of the lake in the Landes.

Port st gildas

Marina of 288 berths at Préfailles, on the south side of the Pointe Saint-Gildas at the entrance of the Loire estuary.

Riberou

River port with 20 berths on the Seudre at Saujon, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, at the head of Seudre navigation.

Saint Vaize

River halt on the Charente, in the commune of Saint-Vaize north of Saintes, in Charente-Maritime.

St Georges de Didonne

Buoy mooring off Saint-Georges-de-Didonne beach on the south bank of the Gironde estuary, sand and mud bottom.

• Sheltered NW, N, W, SW

St Trojan les bains

Tidal harbour on the south-east coast of Île d'Oléron, in the Coureau d'Oléron channel facing Marennes, Charente-Maritime.

Trentemoult

River harbour of 42 berths on the left bank of the Loire at Rezé, facing Nantes city centre.

Vieux port

Old drying harbour at the head of the Anse de Pornic in Loire-Atlantique, overlooked by the 13th-century château de Gilles de Rais.

Yacht club basque

Sailing club pontoons at Socoa in the bay of Saint-Jean-de-Luz, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, on the Basque coast.