Best anchorages and harbours in France

Calanque de Pouars

Narrow calanque on the southern coast of the Marseilleveyre massif, inside the Parc national des Calanques between Les Goudes and Morgiou.

• Sheltered S, SW, W, NW

Calanque du Port d'Alon

Rocky creek on the Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer coast, inside the Natura 2000 marine site between La Madrague and Bandol.

• Sheltered NW, N, NE

La Grande Grève

Sand anchorage on the east side of the Cotentin peninsula, 0.3 nm north of Barfleur harbour and 5.3 nm from Saint-Vaast-la-Hougue.

• Sheltered S, SW, W, NW

Lac d'Hourtin

Anchorage on Lac d'Hourtin-Carcans in the Médoc, France's largest natural freshwater lake at around 62 km2, west of the Gironde vineyards.

• Sheltered NW, N, W, SW

Les issambres - San perre

Sand-bottom anchorage off the shore of San Peïre-sur-Mer, in the Issambres district of Roquebrune-sur-Argens, on the Esterel coast of the Var.

• Sheltered NW, W, SW

Mouillage du Portet

Anchorage on the north-east side of Île Sainte-Marguerite in the Lérins islands, off Cannes.

• Sheltered SW, S, SE

Plage de Barcaggio

Anchorage off the northern tip of Cap Corse, facing the Giraglia lighthouse island, with sand, weed and rock patches on the bottom.

• Sheltered SE, S, SW

Plateau Cordouan

Sandbank anchorage around the Cordouan lighthouse, at the mouth of the Gironde estuary between Le Verdon and the Pointe de Grave, New Aquitaine.

Anse d'Arana

Rocky-bottom cove on the south-west coast of Corsica, between Tizzano and Porto Pollo, with shelter from N to E winds.

• Sheltered N, NE, E

Cala di Palma

Cove on the southern side of the Golfe de Sant'Amanza in southern Corsica, facing the Îles Lavezzi.

• Sheltered NW, N, NE, W

Calanque de Saint-Barthelmy

Red rock inlet of the Esterel massif on the Corniche d'Or, between Agay and Théoule-sur-Mer, mixed sand and weed bottom, sheltered from N, NE, W and NW winds.

• Sheltered N, NE, W, NW

Île du Large (Ouest)

Rocky anchorage west of the Île du Large, one of the two Saint-Marcouf islands off the east coast of the Cotentin peninsula in Normandy.

• Sheltered NE, E

Îlot de l'Îlon

Anchorage off the small islet of l'Îlon on the south side of Île Sainte-Marguerite, the largest of the Lérins Islands off Cannes.

• Sheltered N, NE, NW

Isola Piana

Anchorage in the channel between Isola Piana and the Corsican shore, in the Bouches de Bonifacio, south of Bonifacio.

• Sheltered NW, N, W, SW

Plage de Pen Guen

Sand anchorage off the Cote d'Emeraude, 1.2 nm south of Saint-Cast-Port d'Armor.

• Sheltered SW, W, NW

Punta Mortella

Anchorage on the western side of the Golfe de Saint-Florent in Haute-Corse, at the foot of the Tour de la Mortella, on sand and weed.

• Sheltered NW, N, W

Anse de Portzen

Anchorage on the north shore of the Crozon peninsula, immediately west of Camaret-sur-Mer, in the Iroise marine park.

• Sheltered NW, N, NE

Baie des Fourmis

Small bay on the Beaulieu-sur-Mer waterfront on the French Riviera, between Nice and Cap Ferrat.

• Sheltered NW, N, W, SW

Cala di Stentinu

Sheltered cove on sand at the head of the Golfe de Santa Manza, eastern Corsica, south of Porto-Vecchio.

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

Île Saint-Riom (Sud)

Anchorage on the south side of Île Saint-Riom, in the Bay of Paimpol, northern Brittany.

• Sheltered NW, N, W

La Chambre

Sand-bottom anchorage on the south coast of Île-de-Groix, Brittany, sheltered from northerly winds.

• Paid
• Sheltered NW, N, NE

Plage d'argent

Sand beach anchorage on the west coast of Corsica, south of Tizzano in the Sartenais.

• Sheltered N, NE, E, S, SE

Plage des Souzeaux - Anse Rouge

Anchorage on the north coast of Noirmoutier island, between the Souzeaux beach and the Plantier point, with around 200 moorings on mud bottom.

• Paid
• Sheltered SW, S

Punta Guale

Anchorage on the western shore of the Gulf of Calvi in northern Corsica, sand and weed bottom, sheltered from NE to SE.

• Sheltered NE, E, SE

Ile Fourmi en Saône

River mooring on the Saône near Seurre, Côte-d'Or, in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté.

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

Le Petit Rhône

Anchorage on the Petit Rhône branch of the Rhône delta in Camargue, mud bottom, sheltered from northerly winds.

• Sheltered NW, N, NE

Plage Carrée

Sand cove between Locquémeau and Beg hent on the Trédrez-Locquémeau coast, Côtes-d'Armor.

• Sheltered W, E, SW, S, SE

Plage de la Croix

Anchorage in the bay of Concarneau in southern Brittany, sand bottom, just outside the Ville Close.

Cézembre Sud

Sand anchorage on the south side of Île de Cézembre, 2.5 NM WNW of Saint-Malo in the Rance estuary approaches.

• Sheltered NW, N

El Forat

Coastal anchorage on the Côte Vermeille between Port-Vendres and Banyuls-sur-Mer, mixed sand and rock bottom.

• Sheltered W