Best anchorages and harbours in France

Golfe de Girolata Nord

Anchorage in the northern part of the Golfe de Girolata, west coast of Corsica, within the Scandola nature reserve perimeter.

• Sheltered N, NE, E, W, NW

Kerners-Bilouris

Marina of about 380 berths on the south side of the Rhuys peninsula, in the bay of Kerners between Arzon and Sarzeau, inside the Gulf of Morbihan.

Le Douhet

Marina of 300 berths on the north-east coast of the Île d'Oléron, near Saint-Georges-d'Oléron.

Le Mimbeau

Sand spit anchorage at the northern tip of the Cap Ferret peninsula, inside the Bassin d'Arcachon in Gironde.

• Free
• Sheltered E, SE, SW, W

Marine de Morsiglia

Anchorage on the west coast of Cap Corse, 0.3 nm south of Centuri and below the village of Morsiglia, in northern Corsica.

• Sheltered N, NE, E, SE

Montech

Halte fluviale on the Canal latéral a la Garonne at Montech, Tarn-et-Garonne, at the foot of the disused Montech water slope.

Plage de l'Arnérault

Sand-bottom anchorage off the north coast of the Île de Ré, just east of La Flotte.

• Free
• Sheltered W, SW, S, SE

Port Goulphar

Narrow rocky inlet on the south coast of Belle-Île-en-Mer, below the cliffs of Bangor, on the Côte Sauvage.

• Free
• Sheltered N, NE, E, NW

Sète

Deep-water port of 820 berths at the foot of the Mont Saint-Clair, linking the Mediterranean to the étang de Thau and the Canal du Rhône à Sète.

Anse de Fabrégas

Cove on the south coast of the Six-Fours-les-Plages commune, between Cap Sicié to the west and the Saint-Mandrier peninsula to the east.

• Sheltered NW, N, NE, W

Anse de la Figuera

Cove on the west Corsican coast north of the Gulf of Ajaccio, with a mixed bottom of sand, rock and Posidonia.

• Sheltered SE, S, SW

CN Franceville

Drying harbour on the Orne estuary at Merville-Franceville-Plage in Normandy, opposite Ouistreham.

La Corderie - Île de Bréhat

Anchorage on the west side of Île de Bréhat, between the main island and Île Logodec, with sand and mud bottom.

• Sheltered NW, N, NE, E, SW, S, SE

La Mare Règue

Rock and sand anchorage on the Estérel coast between Agay and Le Poussaï, in the red porphyry cliffs west of Cannes.

• Sheltered N, W, NW

Le Brusc

Harbour of 900 berths on the west side of the Cap Sicié peninsula, opposite the Embiez archipelago, in Six-Fours-les-Plages.

Le Vieux-Moulin de Vernon Pontoon

River pontoon on the Seine at Vernon, beside the Vieux-Moulin, a 16th century timbered mill built on the piers of the medieval bridge.

Luzeronde

Anchorage off the sand beach of Luzéronde on the north coast of the Île de Noirmoutier, west of L'Herbaudière.

• Sheltered NE, E, SE

Pen-Mané

Marina of 150 berths in Locmiquélic, on the east bank of the Lorient harbour, facing the city across the Blavet estuary.

Pointe du Figuier

Headland on the western side of the Morgiou calanque, south of Marseille, inside the core zone of the Parc national des Calanques where anchoring is prohibited.

• Sheltered NW, N, NE

Portocciolo

Small cove anchorage on the east coast of Cap Corse, just south of Santa Severa.

• Sheltered NW, W, SW

Viviers

Small river port on the Rhône in Ardèche, 20 berths, below the medieval town of Viviers.

Baie de Port Man

Deep bay on the north-east tip of Port-Cros, inside the national park and one of the most sheltered anchorages on the island.

• Sheltered NW, W, SW, S, SE

Biesheim

Alsatian river port on the Canal du Rhône au Rhin, Grand Est, close to Neuf-Brisach and the Rhine.

Golfe de Girolata Sud

Anchorage on the southern side of the Golfe de Girolata, western Corsica, within the Scandola nature reserve zone inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 1983.

• Sheltered E, S, SE

Golfe Juan

Bay on the Côte d'Azur between Cap d'Antibes and the Îles de Lérins, opposite Vallauris and Juan-les-Pins.

• Sheltered NW, N, NE, E, SE

Halte De Beaulieu Sur Loire

Twenty-berth canal halt on the Canal latéral à la Loire at Beaulieu-sur-Loire, Loiret, between Châtillon-sur-Loire and Belleville locks.

Paimpol

Tidal harbour on the north coast of Brittany, in Côtes-d'Armor, at the head of the Bay of Paimpol, sheltered by the Île de Bréhat archipelago.

Plage de Guerzit

Rock-bottom anchorage off the Plage de Guerzit, Plougasnou peninsula, north Finistere in Brittany.

• Sheltered NE, E, SW, S, SE

Plage de la Gaillarde

Anchorage off the Plage de la Gaillarde between Saint-Aygulf and Les Issambres, eastern Var. Mixed sand, rock and posidonia, shelter from NW to SW winds.

• Sheltered NW, W, SW

Pointe de port Ladron

Anchorage off the south-east shore of Île d'Arz, inside the Golfe du Morbihan, mud bottom with good holding.

• Sheltered W, SW, S