Best anchorages and harbours in France

Port du Bélon

Tidal estuary port on the Bélon river at Riec-sur-Bélon in southern Finistère, between the Aven and the Laïta. The river gives its name to the Belon flat oyster, Ostrea edulis.

Rade du Croisic

Outer roadstead east of the Le Croisic peninsula in Loire-Atlantique, used as a waiting anchorage off the entrance to the Traict.

• Sheltered NE, E, SE

Vieux port de Roscoff

Drying mooring field of 69 buoys off the old harbour of Roscoff, on the Bay of Morlaix.

• Paid
• Sheltered E, SE, S, SW, W, NW

Auray - Saint-Goustan

River port of 154 berths on the Loc'h river at Auray, 7 nautical miles upstream from the Gulf of Morbihan.

Cala d'Agulia

Small rocky cove on the west coast of Corsica, south of the Gulf of Valinco, with a sand patch suitable for anchoring.

• Sheltered NE, E, SE, S, SW

Loctudy

Marina of 650 berths on the Pont-l'Abbé estuary in south Finistère, facing Île-Tudy across the river.

Penera - Nord

Buoy mooring field of 61 buoys off the north shore of Île d'Arz in the Golfe du Morbihan, south Brittany.

• Paid
• Sheltered NW, N, NE, W

Plage des Salins

Anchorage off the Plage des Salins at Six-Fours-les-Plages in the Var, just north of the Embiez archipelago.

• Sheltered SE, S, SW, W

Plas Errot

Anchorage off the Île de Sein in Finistère, mixed sand, weed and rock bottom, sheltered from SE through W.

• Sheltered SE, S, SW, W

Port Ilon

River marina on the Seine at Saint-Martin-la-Garenne, between Mantes and Vernon, in the Vexin français.

Tizzano

Small harbour of 85 berths on the south-west coast of Corsica, in the Gulf of Valinco sector, sheltered behind the Cala di Conca headland.

Vieux Port- Les Lecques

Small harbour of 203 berths adjoining the Nouveau port in the bay of Les Lecques, reserved for shallow-draught boats.

Cala di Paragnanu

Small cove on the limestone cliffs west of Bonifacio, South Corsica, sand and weed bottom, open to the south.

• Sheltered N, NE, E, SE, NW

Calanque de Bonne Eau

Small cove on the eastern shore of the Gulf of Saint-Tropez, between Les Issambres and Port Ferréol, with a sand bottom in clear water.

• Sheltered NW, N, W, SW

Campoloro

Roadstead off Port de Taverna on the east coast of Corsica, south of Bastia near the village of Cervione.

• Sheltered SW, W, NW

Giffaumont Champaubert

Main marina of the Lac du Der-Chantecoq, on the southern shore of the largest artificial lake in France, in the Marne.

île Piren

Anchorage east of Arradon, between Île Piren and Île d'Irus in the Golfe du Morbihan.

• Sheltered NW, N

La Madrague - Saint Cyr

Small marina of 400 berths on the south-east shore of the baie des Lecques at Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer, at the foot of the wooded hill of La Madrague.

La petite cale

Small sand anchorage on the Ploemeur coast of the Morbihan, west of Lomener and sheltered by the Île aux Souris.

Port de Malestroit

Inland port on the canal de Nantes à Brest at Malestroit, a medieval town in the Morbihan 40 km north-east of Vannes.

Plage du Fogeo

Sandy beach anchorage on the W side of the Presqu'île de Rhuys, just S of Port du Crouesty at the entrance to the Golfe du Morbihan.

• Sheltered N, NE, E, NW

Pointe de Pipady

Anchorage off the Mourillon headland at the eastern entrance of Toulon's Petite Rade, sand and algae bottom.

• Sheltered N, NE, W, NW

Port de Bouc plaisance

Marina of 500 berths at the mouth of the Canal de Caronte, western entrance to the Étang de Berre.

Baie de Portu Vecchiu

Anchorage on the north coast of Corsica, about 1.9 NM west of Calvi, on the approach to the Pointe de la Revellata.

• Sheltered N, NE, E, SE, NW

Baie de Sanary - Pointe Nègre

Anchorage off Pointe Nègre on the west side of the bay of Sanary-sur-Mer, Var coast, mixed sand and weed bottom.

• Sheltered E, SE

Baie du Niel Est

Anchorage on the east side of the Baie du Niel, on the Giens peninsula south of Hyères, Var.

• Sheltered N, NE, NW

Carentan

Marina of 350 berths in the Cotentin marshes, reached by a four mile canal from the Baie des Veys in eastern Normandy.

Crique Du Figuier Rayol

Small cove on the Rayol-Canadel shoreline, Var coast, sand and algae bottom.

• Sheltered NW, N, NE, E, SE

île de la Tour Fondue

Small rocky island in the Embiez archipelago off Six-Fours-les-Plages, western side of the Petit Rouveau channel.

• Sheltered NW, N, NE

Plage de Pramousquier

Open anchorage off Pramousquier beach on the Corniche des Maures, between Le Lavandou and Cavalaire-sur-Mer in the Var.

• Paid
• Sheltered NW, N, NE, W