Best anchorages and harbours in Vendée

L’Épine

Anchorage off the village of L'Épine on the west coast of Île de Noirmoutier, Pays de la Loire.

• Sheltered N, NE, E

Les Portes de l'Atlantique - Port à Sec

Dry-stack marina on the south bank of the Loire estuary at Le Migron, commune of Frossay, between Paimbœuf and Nantes.

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

Plage des Dames

Anchorage of around 53 places off the Plage des Dames on the north-east shore of the Île de Noirmoutier.

• Paid
• Sheltered S, SW, W

Pornichet

Open roadstead anchorage off the beach of Pornichet, at the western end of the baie de La Baule, southern Brittany coast.

• Free
• Sheltered N, NE, E, S, SE

Le Grand Traict

Tidal lagoon north of Le Croisic and Guérande, on the south coast of Brittany, used as a waiting anchorage by shoal-draught boats.

• Free
• Sheltered NW, N, NE, W

Les Evens

Open anchorage on sand off the Côte d'Amour between Pornichet and La Baule, Loire-Atlantique.

Anse de Ker Châlon

Sand anchorage on the north-east coast of the Île d'Yeu, 0.4 NM south-east of Port Joinville, close to the town and the Plage de Ker Châlon.

• Sheltered SE, S, SW, W

Anse de Toulin

Sandy anchorage off the Côte d'Amour, just south of Le Pouliguen harbour entrance in the bay of La Baule.

• Sheltered N, SW, W, NW

Anse de Trébézy

Anchorage on the north shore of the Loire estuary, west of Saint-Nazaire, mud bottom, sheltered from NW, N and W winds.

• Sheltered NW, N, W

Anse du Boucau

Cove on the north-east side of Île d'Houat in the Mor Braz, south Brittany, opposite the village of Saint-Gildas and Port Saint-Gildas.

• Paid
• Sheltered W, E, SW, S, SE

Bourgenay

Rock-bottom anchorage off Talmont-Saint-Hilaire in Vendée, just outside the marina of Port Bourgenay on the Côte de Lumière.

• Sheltered NE, E

Pornic

Anchorage in the bay of Pornic, Loire-Atlantique, off the Côte de Jade on the southern shore of the Loire estuary.

• Sheltered NW, N, NE

Baie du Pouliguen

Sand anchorage in the bay of La Baule, between Le Pouliguen to the W and Pornichet to the SE, on the Guerande peninsula.

• Sheltered N, NE, E

Pornichet

Marina of 1150 berths on the Baie de La Baule south of the Loire estuary, one of the largest marinas on the French Atlantic coast.

Port du Collet

Tidal harbour at the northern edge of Baie de Bourgneuf, on the Loire-Atlantique coast facing Noirmoutier.

Jetée Des Ileaux

Anchorage off the east coast of Noirmoutier island, in the bay between the jetty and the Gois causeway, on mud.

• Sheltered NW, N, NE, W, SW

La Gravette

Drying tidal harbour on the Jade coast at La Plaine-sur-Mer, at the northern entrance to the Bay of Bourgneuf.

Plage de la Petite Corniche

Anchorage off the south coast of the Île d'Yeu, Vendée, at the foot of the coastal path known as the Sentier de la Corniche.

• Sheltered NW, N, W, SW, S

Plage des Sableaux

Anchorage off the Plage des Sableaux on the east coast of Noirmoutier island, Vendée, 16 berths on sand.

• Paid
• Sheltered NW, W, SW

Pornichet

Mooring field off Pornichet on the Baie de La Baule, Loire-Atlantique, at the western end of the Côte d'Amour.

• Paid
• Sheltered N, NE, E, SW, S, SE

Préfailles

Open anchorage off Préfailles on the Pointe Saint-Gildas, south side of the Loire estuary in Pays de la Loire.

• Sheltered N, NE

Roches du repos

Rock anchorage off the Vendée coast, south of Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie, open to the Atlantic swell.

• Free
• Sheltered N, NE, E

Comberge

Small drying harbour on the south coast of the Pays de la Loire, between Saint-Michel-Chef-Chef and Pornic, a short hop from the Île du Pilier anchorages.

Paimboeuf

River port on the left bank of the Loire estuary, about 15 nautical miles downstream of Nantes and 10 miles upstream of Saint-Nazaire.

Anse Gavy

Buoy mooring on the Saint-Nazaire side of the Loire estuary, near the Pointe de Chémoulin.

• Free
• Sheltered NW, N, NE

Île du Pilier Nord

Anchorage on the north side of Île du Pilier, a small rocky island off Noirmoutier, 2.7 NM west of L'Herbaudière.

• Sheltered N, NE, E

Port de Gourmalon

Marina of 350 berths in Pornic on the south Brittany coast of Loire-Atlantique, on the north shore of the Baie de Bourgneuf.

Bassin de St Nazaire

Locked commercial basin at the mouth of the Loire in Saint-Nazaire, used as a transit stop by yachts entering the river on their way upstream to Nantes.

Gracie Ferrande

Anchorage off Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie on the Vendée coast, close to the entrance of the Vie estuary.

• Sheltered N, NE, E, SE