Best anchorages and harbours in France

Miramar

Anchorage off the village of Miramar on the Corniche de l'Estérel, between Théoule-sur-Mer and Saint-Raphaël, facing the red porphyry cliffs.

• Sheltered N, NE, E, W, NW

Plage aux Dames

Anchorage on the eastern shore of Lac du Bourget in Savoie, the largest natural lake entirely in France, with a sand bottom.

• Sheltered NE, E, SE, S, SW

Plage de Châtillon

Anchorage at the north end of the lac du Bourget in Savoie, weed bottom, sheltered from E through W via S.

• Sheltered E, SE, S, SW, W

Pointe De L'esquillon

Anchorage below the red porphyry headland of the Esterel massif, on the Corniche d'Or between Théoule-sur-Mer and Miramar.

• Sheltered NW, N, NE, W, E, SW, SE

Postermen

Anchorage in the Rade de Brest north of the Crozon peninsula, sand and mud holding, useful shelter from westerly weather.

• Sheltered SW, W, NW

Ficajola Side East

Rock anchorage on the east side of Ficajola cove, in the Gulf of Porto on the west coast of Corsica.

• Sheltered NE, E, S, SE

L’eguille/seudre

River anchorage on the Seudre estuary in Charente-Maritime, mud bottom, opposite the oyster village of L'Éguille-sur-Seudre.

• Sheltered W

Penn ar créac'h

Buoy mooring in the Aber Benoît, on the north Finistère coast of Brittany, inside one of the long rias that cut into the Pays des Abers.

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

Pointe du Menhir

Rocky anchorage off the Crozon peninsula in Brittany, just north of Morgat in the baie de Douarnenez.

• Sheltered NW, N, NE

Porh Penhoët

Rocky anchorage on the north coast of Belle-Île-en-Mer in Brittany, 1.1 NM NW of Sauzon.

• Sheltered W, SW, S, SE

City mooring

River halt on the Yonne in the walled town of Villeneuve-sur-Yonne, between Sens and Joigny in Burgundy.

Collu di Griffiu

Anchorage on the Agriates desert coast in northern Corsica, sand bottom.

• Sheltered NE, E, S, SE

Ménez Perroz

Mooring in the ria of the Aber Wrac'h, north-west Finistère, close to the village of Perroz.

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

Plouescat

Small drying harbour on the north coast of Finistère, Brittany, serving the commune of Plouescat in the Bay of Kernic.

Pointe de Julien

Sand-bottom anchorage off the Île du Levant in the Hyères archipelago, Provence, sheltered from NW, N, NE and E.

• Sheltered NW, N, NE, E

Port de Moissac

River port on the Canal latéral à la Garonne at Moissac, Tarn-et-Garonne, at the junction with the Tarn river.

Porto Novo South

Southern arm of the Golfe de Porto Novo on the east coast of southern Corsica, 5 NM south of the Golfe de Porto-Vecchio entrance.

• Sheltered SE, S, SW, W

Aigues Mortes

Inland port of 125 berths on the Canal du Rhône à Sète at Aigues-Mortes, at the foot of the medieval ramparts, in Occitanie.

Caen

Wet basin in the centre of Caen at the head of the Canal de Caen à la Mer, 92 berths, max draught 3.4 m.

Halte de Bessan

River halt on the Hérault between Agde and Pézenas, mud bottom, all-round shelter.

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

Île Louët

Single mooring buoy off the islet of Louët in the baie de Morlaix, Brittany, beside the Château du Taureau.

• Free
• Sheltered NW, N, NE

Pointe du Cosmeur

Anchorage off the Pointe du Cosmeur in the Bay of Morlaix, northern Brittany, with sand and mud holding.

• Sheltered SW

Port de Nonsard

Inland marina of 280 berths on Lake Madine, in the Meuse department in Grand Est, at the foot of the Cotes de Meuse.

Réserve de Saparella

Anchorage on the west coast of Corsica in the Gulf of Valinco, off the Saparella coastline north of Porto Pollo.

• Free
• Sheltered NE, E, S, SE

Tahiti Beach

Anchorage off Plage Tahiti on the Cap Ferret peninsula in Arcachon Bay, sand bottom with rock and seagrass patches, sheltered from N, NE and E.

• Sheltered N, NE, E

Grand port d'Aix-les-Bains

Freshwater marina on the east shore of Lac du Bourget in Savoie, the largest natural lake in France, with 920 berths and 2 m maximum draught.

Jaux

Small river port on the Oise in Hauts-de-France, about 2 nm southwest of Compiègne.

Le Resquilladou

Rocky anchorage on the coast between Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer and Les Lecques, sheltered from the northern and eastern quadrants.

• Sheltered N, NE, E, SE

Roch Toul

Rocky anchorage on the north-west coast of Belle-Île-en-Mer, 1.7 NM west of Sauzon.

• Sheltered E

sud baie solana

Anchorage on the west coast of Corsica south of Girolata, mixed sand, rock and seagrass bottom, inside the Scandola marine reserve perimeter.

• Sheltered NE, E, SW, S, SE