Best anchorages and harbours in France

Île du Pilier

Anchorage off the Île du Pilier, a small granite island northwest of Noirmoutier in the Bay of Biscay.

• Sheltered W, SW

Marseille - MPM

Historic harbour of Marseille run by the Métropole Aix-Marseille-Provence, 3200 berths on both quays of the calanque that forms the heart of the city.

Mouillage de Jova

Anchorage in the bay of Bonporteau, west of Cavalaire-sur-Mer, sheltered from the mistral blowing down from the north and east.

• Sheltered N, NE, E, SE

Plage de Carro

Sand-bottom anchorage off the beach at Carro, on the Cote Bleue west of Marseille, at the western tip of the Martigues peninsula.

• Sheltered NW, N, NE, W, E

Port de Girolata

Hamlet and anchorage on the west coast of Corsica, inside the Scandola nature reserve, accessible only by boat or mule track.

Port Eugène Ceccaldi

Marina of 200 berths at Sant'Ambroggio, in the commune of Lumio, on the Balagne coast of Corsica.

Punta Nera

Anchorage on the west coast of Corsica, in the Scandola natural reserve sector, roughly 2.3 nm NW of Girolata.

• Sheltered N, NE, E, S, SE

Saint Géran

Anchorage off the Saint-Géran beach on the Côtes-d'Armor coast, north-west of Saint-Cast-le-Guildo in Brittany.

• Paid
• Sheltered N, W, NW

Saint-Dizier

River port on the Canal entre Champagne et Bourgogne at Saint-Dizier, Haute-Marne, with 20 berths and up to 1.8 m draught.

Tromba

Anchorage on the west coast of Corsica near Tizzano, south of the Gulf of Valinco, sand and rock bottom, shelter from N through NE.

• Sheltered NW, N, NE

Anse de Minaccia

Small cove on the western shore of the Gulf of Ajaccio, south Corsica. Mooring prohibited under local prefectoral order.

• Sheltered N, NE, E, SE

Anse Saint Pierre

Small cove on the eastern shore of the Rade des Vignettes, near Le Pradet in the Var, with room for about two boats at anchor.

• Free
• Sheltered N, NE, W, NW

Baie du port

Anchorage in the lower reach of the Jaudy estuary, downstream of the town of Tréguier, on the Trégor coast of northern Brittany.

• Sheltered NW, W, SW

Cap Rousset

Anchorage on the north coast of Porquerolles, west of the island, off a rocky headland in the Parc national de Port-Cros.

• Sheltered N, NE, E, S, SE

Escampo-Barriou

Anchorage on the east side of the Giens peninsula, between La Madrague and Port du Niel, Var.

• Sheltered NW, N, NE, W

Grande Cornée

Inland anchorage in Grand Est on a canalised reach, mud bottom, fully sheltered from wind by the riverbanks.

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

Guidel

River marina on the Laïta estuary between Morbihan and Finistère, 220 berths upstream of the Guidel-Plages bar.

Halte fluviale de Montmerle-sur-Saône

Free river halt on the left bank of the Saône at Montmerle, Ain, roughly midway between Mâcon and Lyon.

Plage de la Fosse

Cove on the south side of Île des Embiez, sand and rock bottom, open to the south.

• Sheltered N, NE, E

Plage de la Garrigue

Sandy anchorage in the bay of Les Canebiers, on the east side of the Saint-Tropez peninsula, Var.

• Sheltered NW, W, SW

Plouër-sur-Rance - La Minotais

Inland marina of 240 berths in the Rance estuary between Dinan and Saint-Malo, protected by the tidal power station dam.

San Peyre

Anchorage in the bay of Le Pradet on the south side of the Giens peninsula approach, Var coast, sand bottom.

• Sheltered NW, N, NE

Anse des Blancs-Sablons

Wide sandy bay north of Le Conquet, at the western tip of Finistere, used as a fair-weather anchorage before or after transiting the Chenal du Four.

• Sheltered NE, E, SE, S, SW

Brouel Sud

Open anchorage south of Brouel point, on the southern shore of Île d'Arz in the Gulf of Morbihan.

• Sheltered N, NE, E

Cala Longa

Deep Corsican cove on the Bouches de Bonifacio, east coast of the southern tip, 1 nm SE of Sant'Amanza bay and 3.4 nm east of Bonifacio.

• Sheltered NW, N, W, SW

Calanque du maure

Anchorage on the south coast of Porquerolles, inside the Parc national de Port-Cros. Sand and posidonia bottom.

• Sheltered NE, E, SE

Estagnets

Anchorage on the west side of the Giens peninsula, north of Port du Niel, mixed sand and posidonia bottom.

• Sheltered NE, E, S, SE

Pen Cadenic

Anchorage on the north shore of the Pénerf estuary in southern Morbihan, Brittany, on the approach to the village of Le Tour-du-Parc.

• Sheltered NW, W, SW

Plage de Kaolins

Anchorage off the Kaolins beach at Ploemeur on the southern Brittany coast, west of Lorient.

• Sheltered N, NE, E

Pointe du Grand Mont

Anchorage off the Pointe du Grand Mont on the west coast of the Rhuys peninsula in southern Brittany, on rock and sand.

• Sheltered N, NE, E