Getting around by boat and ferry France

The port has been awarded the European Blue Flag since 1989 and enjoys an ideal location on the Mediterranean. It is sheltered from the prevailing winds by the Giens peninsula and extends over 13 hectares. With nearly 1,500 berths, it has a large capacity and can accommodate boats up to 37 meters long. Beaches and numerous shops are nearby. Note that the city of Hyères has 4 other harbors: Ayguade, La Capte, Port Auguier and Port du Niel (in Giens).

To go to the Golden Islands, there are regular shuttles that make the crossing throughout the year. The boats belong to the same company: TLV TVM. Departures for Porquerolles are from the Tour Fondue, those for Port-Cros and Le Levant from the port of Hyères. In July and August, the 2 islands tour allows you to visit Port-Cros and Le Levant on the same day. Please note that the accessible part of Le Levant island is naturist, and that in season, it is strongly recommended to play the game. Good luck!

420 berth, including 130 passenger posts.

Situated in a natural setting, the nautique offers hikers, cyclists, freshwater sailors and camping boats a place of exception and relaxation in the shade of the trees. In addition to a walk in nature, those who wish to visit the Peasant Memory Museum open from June to September. Told by enthusiasts, the visit traces a century of history in the countryside, with hand tools and machines in perfect functioning.

Once a very coveted port because of its strategic location at the end of the Bay of Bourgneuf (at the confluence of the Millac estuary and the Taillée estuary coming from Bourgneuf), and its commercial activity based on salt, it reached its peak in the 14th and 15th centuries. It is now an important oyster farming area. Towards the port of Collet, it offers picturesque landscapes in the middle of salt marshes. A popular place for nature lovers with its lazy channel and rare boats. The other attraction of the port of Collet: its beaches and the 32 fisheries.

The charming little marina of Trèbes, on the Canal du Midi, is located opposite the tourist office. Mooring is free, water is provided by the town hall, and electricity is charged by the Boat. The port is just a stone's throw from the town center and the Carcassonne bus stop.

For information: from Trèbes, bus route no. 10 is a regular service to Carcassonne every day except Sundays and public holidays.

Narbonne's river port is located on the Canal de la Robine, the essential artery that keeps this ancient Roman city moving. The Robine, a UNESCO World Heritage site, welcomes yachtsmen all year round on 2.5 kilometers of 4 quays: the Quai Central (Quai des Barques), located in the heart of the historic city and reserved for temporary stopovers, the Quai Vallière, the Quai d'Alsace and the Quai de l'Escoute. The Capitainerie offices are located in the Lavoir parking lot, near the Charité locks.

Located in the Petit Bassin, near the heart of town, this Blue Flag and Tourisme & Handicap-certified marina offers a wide range of services on the quayside and in the river office. Logistical services and water, electricity and Wi-Fi connections for pleasure boats. You'll also find a laundry and bike drop-off area, and much more besides: a resource area with cycle-touring maps for trips on the Canal du Midi.

Visiting Dieppe is almost like having one foot in England. So if you feel like going to drink Afternoon Tea on the other side, the Transmanche ferry takes you there in only 4 hours. The two ferries of the company connect Dieppe to Newhaven and back two or three times a day. The crossings can be made on foot - that's the most economical way - but also by car and even with a camper or a caravan. On board, everything is provided for the comfort of passengers: lounges with television, a canteen, a bar...

Travel in Seine without risk and without leaving your vehicle, it is possible with the Seine ferries! The ferry has long been the only way to pass "across the water", as we say here, before the construction of the three bridges: Brotonne bridge, Pont de Tancarville, and bridge of Normandy. 8 bins are still in service, and do not believe that only the picturesque side survives them: Many users still earn precious time by cutting the loops of the Seine without having to go to the nearest bridge.

Port-Guillaume, built in the 1990s on the site of a former metallurgy factory, has the largest capacity in the Côte Fleurie. It is located at the mouth of the Dives estuary, sheltered by a dune ridge. A nice stopover for boaters between Deauville and Ouistreham. The wet dock offers a capacity of 600 berths on catwalks. A residential area with restaurants, a media library, and a sailing school, Port-Guillaume is adjacent to the fishing port, with its fish auction. A market is held on Monday mornings in season

Give yourself a real day of fun on the map! Embark aboard the barge the Tireless, for a few hours of relaxation and adventure, or during a meal cruise in a pleasant and comfortable setting, to discover the canal of Roanne in Digon, the Loire below, the green valleys of the Brionnais, the historic cities, the stele of Jean Moulin… Thanks to a detailed commentary you will understand the operation and enjoy the history. the canal, the barge, the art works of the fauna and the surrounding flora. Want to burst! Discover the Canal des Canals on board a real barge and surprise the life of the Marinier, its accommodation, the wheelhouse, the machine room and a projection space as well as various exhibitions (paintings, photos…). Not forgetting the game space with a universe for the little submarine! Rather you want to sail then rent boats without a permit for a week, for a week or test the barges on miniature channels. There are many other recreational activities for children such as pedal boats, inflatable structures, trampoline, table tennis, 18-hole mini-golf… We're not going to reveal everything, you really need to come and you'll have lots of memories to tell you!

Part of the emotional heritage of the people of Roanne, the port of Roanne has acquired in a few years its letters of nobility in the world of pleasure boating. The quality of the services offered and the moderate price of mooring, its privileged situation near the city center have given it a good reputation. In winter, it welcomes about a hundred boats and barges, and in summer, boaters stop by. Among the scheduled events: the port festival, at the beginning of September, the summer markets, rental of electric boats without a license...

The Morlaix marina is located in the center of town, sheltered from the wind in all weathers. It has over 200 berths on pontoons or alongside the quay, and can accommodate any vessel up to 3 m draught. The marina has several showers and toilets grouped together near the marina offices. These facilities are accessible to wheelchair users. You'll also have access to wifi and free parking! Electricity (16A and 32A) and diesel fuel are also available.

On site rental of cycles and cars.

In Redon, the Vilaine river crosses the Nantes-Brest canal by a double set of locks. On the quays, the salt granaries are still there, as well as the mansions of the rich shipowners of the 17th and 18th centuries. The harbor area is a very pleasant place to walk around. Roman galleys, Viking longships, coasters, schooners and barges were once moored there. The port has 160 places for pleasure boats, the pontoons are equipped with water and electricity. Notice to sailors: the Atlantic is less than four hours away.

To get to the Théâtre de la Mer on concert evenings, a public boat-bus service has been set up by the town of Sète. Park your car at the Mas Coulet parking lot and board from the Quai Paul Riquet towards the Quai de la Consigne. Departures are every 20 minutes. The crossing is free, and you can enjoy an evening at the festival without wasting time looking for a parking space. What a charming way to travel by boat!

When the weather's fine, boat shuttles run between the Île singulière and Mèze. From the Sète train station bridge to the port of Mèze, the crossing takes around 40 minutes, and there are 7 round trips a day. The boat has a capacity of 95 seats, 70 of which are covered, and is fully accessible to people with reduced mobility. There is also space for strollers and bicycles. It's a great way to get around in a gentle and unusual way.

La Méridionale, the historic company for crossings between Marseille and Corsica, now offers a regular service between Marseille and Tangiers to discover Morocco. On board, you'll enjoy a warm welcome, comfortable cabins and a wide range of facilities (restaurant, play area). The atmosphere is one of conviviality. Crossings are made aboard a ship on a human scale. La Méridionale's excellent reputation for friendliness, service and hospitality is widely acclaimed by travelers.

The port of Saint-Nicolas was created in 1991 on the initiative of the municipality to accommodate boats used exclusively as a main residence, for the benefit of retired boatmen or those who have stopped working. The setting is so pretty that it is pleasant to walk around on Sundays. The pedestrian path, shady squares and benches allow strollers to stroll in peace and quiet along the hundred or so moored barges. A postcard place, a little out of time and poetic every year, in every season

At 20 hours of sea navigation, this port is the first sea-sea port in Ile-de-France and the most important platform in the west of the region. Thanks to its facilities, including its grain terminal, the port of Limay has extensive river traffic that enthusiasts will certainly see animated. Real lighthouses of the place (at least to find out), the two immense towers of the Porcheville power plant.

Nancy is accessible by the Marne au Rhin and East canals. The harbour master's office is a 5-minute walk from the famous Place Stanislas and the port (Blue Flag ecolabel since 2005) welcomes nearly 2,000 boats from all over the world each year. The site is well equipped with camping-car sites and is ideal for resting and stopping by the water. Also nearby, bike and mountain bike rentals, marked trails, hiking, cinemas and museums.

The Stenay marina is the starting point for many boat trips. It is possible to rent boats without permits for 3 to 12 people. Then cap on the first lock and on the varied landscapes of the Moselle, Sambre or Meuse and their canals. A cashier passes all the year and night. 10 pontoons and 10 terminals available. Reception capacity: 16 to 20 places.

Put the sails, the planks, on this lake which is one of the largest in France.

River cruises and cruise cruises on the Moselle departing from Metz and Pont à Monsoon.

Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer is a charming coastal town. It has several harbors, including the Vieux Port, the Port de la Madrague and the Nouveau Port des Lecques. The Vieux Port des Lecques is a friendly marina with a capacity of 200 berths, including 40 for passengers. The port offers services such as electricity, water on the jetties, and free showers and toilets. Port de la Madrague is a small, traditional fishing port that has been converted into a marina. The port also offers services such as weather forecasts at the harbor master's office, water and electricity, as well as showers and toilets accessible to people with reduced mobility. The ports of Saint-Cyr-sur-Mer have been awarded Europe's Blue Flag label, which recognizes municipalities and marinas committed to a sustainable environmental policy.

At the small Verdun-sur-le-Doubs marina, Nathalie is your captain. She'll guide you through the mooring process (first hour free of charge). The harbor master's office has undergone a complete overhaul, with a host of new services, including a renovated and redecorated bar open to all visitors, offering drinks and snacks with a view of the boats and the Doubs. The harbourmaster's office also offers rentals of rosalies (€15 per hour) and kayaks (€20 per two-seater for 1h30).

If you're lucky enough to own a boat, don't hesitate to visit this friendly, well-equipped marina: water and electric hook-up from the pontoon, toilets, showers, fuel, mechanic, and laundry nearby, WiFi, launching ramp, 10-berth waiting pontoon, 8-ton crane, and careening area. All this at an affordable price, which varies according to boat size. Information at the harbour office or town hall.

A nice stopover to visit this little port famous for its Saint-Jacques shell. But not only. A village of fishermen, beautiful, calm and pleasant, nestled between its guards of the cliffs of cliffs that we discover when arriving at the port and which can be seen, from the higher, since the Tour Vauban. Take the time to stroll, make full of food; to take a drink on the terrace and visit the fishermen at the auction, before resuming the sea.

It is one of the five harbour basins in the city. For, despite its location, Caen has always been a port city. As early as the Middle Ages, it had its own port to facilitate economic exchanges as much as possible. It should be noted that at that time, the river Orne was navigable. Now, it is the canal built in 1857 that links the city to the sea. After its west wharf was put forward in the 2000s, the southern part of the sector was reconfigured with the opening of the Rives de l'Orne and, more recently, the redevelopment of the peninsula.

Located at the mouth of the Gironde, Royan's marina is well known to sailors for its position in the heart of the town. Sheltered from the wind and protected by the ferry landing stage, it is one of the major ports on the Atlantic seaboard. Once moored, sailors can stroll under the port's arches or head for the nearby town center. There are plenty of things to do: discover the church, stroll through the shopping streets or sit on the terrace of a restaurant.

Rochefort has a commercial port twinned with Tonnay-Charente and a marina on the right bank of the river. It is ideally located, not far from Fort Boyard and Aix, and sheltered from the prevailing winds. Committed to protecting the planet, the harbour is ideally located, just a few steps from the thermal baths, the town center and several restaurants. There are 300 pontoon berths, 40 of which are reserved for visitors, and modern facilities including a careening area and water recovery station.

The Saint-Denis marina is the largest on the island of Oleron, with 750 moorings. Once used to transport wine from Chassiron to the port of La Rochelle, it is now a tourist attraction. A departure and stopover point for cruisers bound for the Isle of Aix or La Rochelle, it's also a popular spot for those looking for an iodized stroll or a coffee break on a restaurant terrace. Passing yachtsmen will find a wide range of services on offer: two toilet/shower blocks, a laundry open 7 days a week and equipment on loan.

Marina capacity:

Bassin de chasse de la Criée: 252 berths afloat on pontoon

Bassin de chasse de la Prée: 134 berths afloat on pontoon

Chenal avant port: 60 berths, pontoon

Chenal de la fabrique: 50 berths, beached buoy.
Not only is this the largest harbor on the island, but like Saint-Martin-de-Ré, it's also ideally located. No sooner have you moored your boat than you'll be able to relax on the terrace of a café, or stroll through the flower-filled lanes to the village center.

La Grande-Motte was designed to offer a new range of leisure and vacation activities, so it's no surprise that its harbor welcomes yachtsmen. The structure offers all the necessary services to facilitate stays: 24-hour reception, night reception service, secure pontoons, handling, lifting station for multihulls, yacht reception... It also boasts a diving center and the "Pavillon Bleu" label.

Port-Camargue, Europe's leading marina, can accommodate nearly 5,000 boats all year round, including 2,761 in public harbours and 2,239 in marinas, as well as 200 berths exclusively reserved for the port of call. Making a stopover in Port-Camargue is simple, after having signalled your entry into the port by VHF, the boscos will guide you to your place as soon as you arrive. A wonderful sunny stage where everything is planned on the spot to make your stopover radiant.

The general infrastructure of the port of Hendaye, protected by the Jaizkibel mountain, comprises 890 berths for boats from 5 to 16m and offers user comfort, technical equipment and a quality shelter. Water, electricity and 24-hour surveillance are available on the pontoons. Users benefit from a dedicated parking area and private sanitary facilities with access codes (toilets, washbasins, showers). The port of Hendaye is a real economic lung and center of life, with regattas and night markets all year round.

The port of Larraldenia, shared between Saint-Jean-de-Luz and Ciboure, is a marina built in the 1970s. It has 81 berths on pontoons, which are taken by storm every year, as evidenced by the ever-growing waiting list. It is reserved for boats under 16 m and has an 8-berth visitors' area. Located at the mouth of the River Nivelle, you need to be careful when entering the bay, as the rocks overhang the breakwater.

With a capacity of 1432 berths afloat and 180 berths dry, the Crouesty is the largest port in Morbihan. Located at the entrance to the gulf, it is fully equipped: pontoons with water and electricity, daily weather display, sanitary blocks, handling, fuel (five diesel and unleaded 95 fueling stations), Internet terminal at the harbour master's office and free wifi, VHF. The port of Le Crouesty is renowned for its "Mille Sabords" boat show, one of the most important second-hand boat markets in Europe.

Located 10 minutes from the historic centre of Roscoff, the port welcomes you all year round with its 625 pitches, between the Iroise Sea and the Cotentin. It is a deep-water port, perfectly protected from the swell thanks to its large bent dyke. It is also an excellent starting point to visit the bay of Morlaix, the old port and the historic centre! In short, a great stopover to extend! You can take the ferry to Plymouth or Cork from Roscoff.

At the mouth of the Frémur, Saint-Briac presents 5 aground zones: Salinette, Ford south, Frémur, Béchet and Petit Port. Its semi-enclosed bay, which protects it from winds, has more than 700 regulated moorings, and each dipose zone of anchorages for passing ships. In season, the advanced site of Perron offers deep Water anchors. The harbour is equipped with water and electricity and has health facilities. Handling off-port.

The Yacht Club de la Mer du Nord is a sailing club located in Dunkirk. It offers associative nautical activities all year round. Visitors can rent a berth in the club's marina. The Yacht Club de la Mer du Nord is affiliated to the Fédération Française de Voile and is also a member of the Yacht Club de France.

Located in the heart of the town, the marina is close to the various shops and services (boutiques, bars, restaurants, post office, etc.) and the beach. The 470 moorings are divided into 3 basins, adapted to different needs (one is accessible 24 hours a day for visitors, another is larger and requires information on the tides to pass through the lock, and a third can accommodate boats up to 25 metres long).

Smyril Line is the only shipping company to connect the Faroe Islands (and Iceland) from Denmark. With a capacity of 1,500 passengers, the Norröna offers all the comforts of a floating hotel (berths, a wide choice of cabins, solarium, swimming pool, fitness room, cinema room...). Thiscruise-ferry, which started sailing in the spring of 2003, offers crossings from Hirtshals (Denmark), including two weekly departures to the Faroe Islands, from early June to late August. Complete schedule in the Smyril Line brochure and on the website.

Don't look for a bridge - none links Aix to Fouras. The only solution is a boat. You'll find one at the Pointe de la Fumée pier. Two ships run year-round to take you to one of Charente-Maritime's unspoilt natural areas. Smart tip: arrive well in advance, so you can buy your place with peace of mind. The crossing is quick, taking around 20 minutes, and you can bring your bike with you!

The Greek company Minoan Lines serves seven ports in the Aegean and Adriatic Seas: Corfu, Igoumenitsa, Ancona, Brindisi, Piraeus, Heraklion and Milos. It can carry both passengers and their vehicles, which is very practical for travelers wishing to explore Corfu in their own car. The crossing between Brindisi and Corfu takes around 20 hours and costs around 50 euros (1 trip). Most destinations are only served in season.

Established in 2007 on the right bank of the Rhone, this river stop is welcome between Valence and Viviers. A base camp for discovering the region on either side of the river or a simple stopover for rest or resupply, the port offers a space that evokes the air of the open sea and a path along the bank that is much appreciated. The port houses a harbour master's office and 4 pontoons with 70 moorings, including about fifteen for passage with water, electricity and sanitary facilities. When the harbour office is closed, please contact the boat Le Christina.

Are you planning to visit the Yonne river? Know that this charming marina is the starting point of the Burgundy Canal, and that it seems ideal to go for a ride on board of boats without a licence. All the more so as from here you can also reach the Yonne or the Canal du Nivernais, and thus cross the beautiful landscapes of the Yonne in complete peace of mind. These boats can be rented from April onwards. You will also appreciate the bucolic setting, with the beautiful wooded and flowery esplanade, conducive to pleasant moments of relaxation.

Saint-Gilles, an ancient Greek port city named Héraclé, experienced a real boom when a canal was dug to link the port of Sète to the Rhône, the most important port in the region until the construction of Aigues-Mortes. The centuries that followed were punctuated by numerous construction projects. One of the most recent major changes was the conversion of the quay into a marina in 1985. A change illustrated by the installation of numerous facilities.

The port offers 70 anchorages secured on buoys in a natural shelter. For your comfort, mooring is done on the bow and stern of the boats so as to stay in front of the swell. Almost all berths are reserved for visitors. Even in high season, by reserving a few days in advance, you are sure to find a place for your stopover in Girolata. At night, two pontoons are free for the reception of boaters. The village is located in the heart of a large preserved area, classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.