Best anchorages and harbours in France

Baie de Poulafret

Anchorage in the bay of Paimpol, 1.1 NM south-east of Paimpol marina on the north coast of Brittany.

• Sheltered W, NW

Bonne Anse

Tidal bay on the northern side of the Gironde estuary mouth, between Pointe de la Coubre and La Palmyre.

• Sheltered N, NE, E, SW, W, NW

Cala di Palu

Rocky cove on the west coast of Corsica, between the Golfe de Porto and the Golfe de Sagone, south of the Scandola reserve.

• Sheltered NW, N, NE, E, SE

Île du Large (Est)

Rock-bottom anchorage on the east side of Île du Large, one of the Îles Saint-Marcouf, off the east coast of the Cotentin.

• Sheltered NW, N, W

Île Longue

Anchorage off Île Longue in the Golfe du Morbihan, on sand, sheltered from SW, W and NW.

• Sheltered SW, W, NW

Le Canon

Anchorage off the village of Le Canon on the north shore of Arcachon Bay, on the Cap Ferret peninsula.

• Sheltered NW, N, W

Men er Beleg

Anchorage in the south-west of the Golfe du Morbihan off Locmariaquer, mud bottom, sheltered from winds from N through NE and E to NW.

• Sheltered N, NE, E, NW

Plage du canot

Small cove on the south-west side of Île de Hoëdic, just west of Port de l'Argol.

• Sheltered W, SW, S, SE

Île de la Jument

Islet in the Golfe du Morbihan near Larmor-Baden. Anchoring is prohibited in the immediate vicinity.

• Sheltered NW, W, SW

Mont Saint-Michel

Tidal anchorage in the bay of Mont Saint-Michel, Normandy, off the UNESCO World Heritage abbey island. Sand and mud bottom, shelter from NW through SE.

• Sheltered NW, W, SW, S, SE

Plage de Corsen

Anchorage off Corsen beach in the Iroise sea in Finistère, close to the westernmost point of mainland France.

• Sheltered N, NE, E

Plage de Lequin

Sand-bottom anchorage on the south coast of Porquerolles, about 0.8 NM north-east of the village harbour.

• Sheltered NE, E, S, SE

Anse de la Folaca

Sand-bottomed anchorage on the south side of the Gulf of Porto-Vecchio, south-east Corsica, about 2.8 NM SE of Porto-Vecchio marina.

• Sheltered NW, N, W

Anse du Moulin Blanc

Anchorage in the anse du Moulin Blanc, east of Brest, adjacent to the Port du Moulin Blanc marina.

• Sheltered NW, N, NE, W

Baby Plage

Anchorage off Baby Plage on the Île de Ré, in the Pertuis d'Antioche, Charente-Maritime.

• Free
• Sheltered W, SW, S, SE

Baie de Capandole

Sand-bottom bay on the north coast of Cap Corse, between Barcaggio and the Giraglia.

• Sheltered W, SW, S

Kernous

Anchorage in the Baie de La Forêt in southern Finistère, sand bottom off the Kernous shore.

• Sheltered NW, N, NE, W, E

L'ile aux moines

Visitor mooring buoys off Port-Blanc on the north-east shore of the Île aux Moines, in the Golfe du Morbihan, Brittany.

La Grande Plage

Sand-bottom anchorage on the south Finistère coast, Brittany, sheltered from SW and W winds.

• Sheltered SW, W

Port de Kerledan

Anchorage on the north coast of Belle-Île-en-Mer, between Sauzon and Le Palais, in the Morbihan department of Brittany.

• Sheltered NE, E, SE

Port Navallo

Anchorage at the entrance of the Golfe du Morbihan, on the Arzon side of the pass, opposite Locmariaquer.

• Sheltered SE, S, SW

Mouillage de Saint-Selon

Anchorage on the southern shore of the Saint-Mandrier peninsula, at the entrance to the Toulon roadstead in Provence.

• Sheltered NW, N, W

Cala di Zeri

Small cove on the western side of the Golfe de Sant'Amanza in southern Corsica.

• Sheltered S, SW, W, NW

Ile aux moutons

Small anchorage off the north coast of Finistère, near Roscoff, with a sand bottom.

• Sheltered N, NE, E, NW

Île de l'Aber

Anchorage off the Île de l'Aber on the south coast of the Crozon peninsula, in the bay of Douarnenez, Finistère.

• Sheltered N, NE, E, SE

Plage de Cap-Coz

Open anchorage on sand off Cap-Coz beach, north side of the Bay of La Forêt, Fouesnant, south Finistère.

• Sheltered NW, N, W

Plage de Saint Gingolph

Open anchorage on the French shore of Lake Geneva, between Meillerie and Lugrin, sand bottom.

• Sheltered S

Pointe st Etienne - st Chamas

Anchorage on the northern shore of the Étang de Berre, off the Pointe Saint-Étienne between Saint-Chamas and Istres, Bouches-du-Rhône.

• Sheltered NW, W, SW

Le troue du diable

Rocky cove at the foot of the Bec de l'Aigle cliffs west of La Ciotat, Provence.

• Sheltered NW, N, NE, W, E

Plage de Manec’h

Sand anchorage at the mouth of the Aven and Bélon rivers, next to Port-Manec'h in southern Finistère.

• Sheltered NW, N, NE, W, E, SW