Best anchorages and harbours in France

Rohu

Anchorage off the Pointe du Rohu in the golfe du Morbihan, sand and weed bottom.

• Sheltered N, NE, E, SE

Anse de la Catena

Anchorage of around 30 boats at the entrance of the Bonifacio fjord, Corsica, on the north side of the calanque.

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

Mouillage du golfe du Morbihan

Anchorage in the golfe du Morbihan, Brittany, sand bottom, sheltered from NE, E, S and SE winds.

• Sheltered NE, E, S, SE

Anse er Goret

Small cove on the west side of the Rhuys peninsula in the Gulf of Morbihan. Eight moorings, sand and weed bottom.

• Free
• Sheltered NE, E, SE

Bénodet

Marina of 493 berths at the mouth of the Odet, south Finistère, opposite Sainte-Marine on the west bank.

Cala della Chiesa North

No-anchoring zone on the north side of Cala della Chiesa, Îles Lavezzi, Corsica, inside the Bouches de Bonifacio natural reserve.

• Sheltered NW, NE, W, E, S, SE

Carry le Rouet

Marina of 570 berths on the Côte Bleue, 25 km west of Marseille, in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur.

Quilles

Small harbour of 14 berths on the Corniche de Sète, south of the city of Sète in Occitanie.

Saint-Florent

Marina of 1015 berths at the head of the Gulf of Saint-Florent, on the western side of Cap Corse in Haute-Corse.

Toulon Darse Nord

Marina of 372 berths along the northern quay of the port of Toulon, directly in front of the old town and the Carré du Port.

Anse du Cavalier - Pointe de Boyardville

Sand anchorage off the Pointe de Boyardville on the east coast of Île d'Oléron, facing the Pertuis d'Antioche.

• Free
• Sheltered SW, W, NW

Cercle Nautique

Small club marina on the Hérault near Agde, 0.2 NM south-west of Cap d'Agde, Occitanie.

Meschers-sur-Gironde

Small marina on the right bank of the Gironde estuary between Royan and Talmont, 260 berths, max draught 2 m, VHF 9.

Plage de Grimaud

Open anchorage off the beach of Port-Grimaud at the head of the Golfe de Saint-Tropez.

• Sheltered N, SW, W, NW

Plage du Grand Lanroué

Day anchorage off the Grand Lanroué beach on the Presqu'ile Guérandaise, west of Piriac-sur-Mer in Pays de la Loire.

• Sheltered N, NE, E

Pointe de la Ris

Sand anchorage close to the Pointe de la Ris, just south of the marina of Bormes-les-Mimosas on the west side of the Cap Bénat.

• Sheltered N, SW, W, NW

Porz Leien

Anchorage on the north coast of the Île de Batz, facing the Channel, in the Finistère archipelago off Roscoff.

• Sheltered N, NE, E

Vetricella

Sand bottom anchorage in the Golfe de Valinco on the south-west coast of Corsica, sheltered from N, NE and E winds.

• Sheltered N, NE, E

Anse de Maupas

Shallow anchorage on the north shore of the Anse de l'Aiguillon, Pays de la Loire, at the western edge of the Marais Poitevin.

• Paid
• Sheltered N, NE, E, W, NW

Anse de Testarella

Cove on the southern coast of Corsica, between Pianottoli-Caldarello and Bonifacio, opening south onto the Bouches de Bonifacio.

• Sheltered NW, N, NE, W, E, SW, SE

Cala di Muru

Anchorage on the western shore of the Golfe de Valinco, south-western Corsica, between Porto Pollo and Campomoro.

• Sheltered N, NE, NW

Halt Nautique

Small river halt on the Saône near Mâcon, Bourgogne Franche-Comté, with 6 berths for river cruisers.

La Linière

Sand anchorage on the north coast of Noirmoutier island, between L'Herbaudière and Noirmoutier-en-l'Île.

• Sheltered SW, S, SE

Launay

Anchorage in the baie de Paimpol in Côtes-d'Armor, north-east of the access channel to Paimpol. Sand bottom, sheltered from NW, W and SW.

• Sheltered NW, W, SW

Pagny Sur Meuse

Small halt of four berths on the Canal de la Marne au Rhin ouest at Pagny-sur-Meuse, west of Toul in Lorraine.

Petite Rade

Sand anchorage in the outer roadstead of Les Sables d'Olonne, just south of the harbour entrance, on the Vendée coast.

• Sheltered NW, N, NE, E

Plage des Vergnes

Anchorage on the right bank of the Gironde estuary in Charente-Maritime, mud bottom off Les Vergnes beach.

• Sheltered N, NE, E, SE

Port Lyvet

River marina of 258 berths on the Rance, at the upstream entrance of the Chatelier lock, about halfway between Saint-Malo and Dinan.

Sauzon - Avant port

Outer anchorage of Sauzon on the north coast of Belle-Île-en-Mer, the largest island off southern Brittany.

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

Anchorage upstream of Valence

River anchorage on the Rhône upstream of Valence, in the reach between the Bourg-lès-Valence lock and La Roche-de-Glun, with weed holding ground.

• Sheltered W, E, SW, S, SE