France — Calanques National Park

Baie de Cassis

Cassis Bay · Cassis outer anchorage

43°12.9'N 005°32.3'E

Depth

515m

Bottom

sand

Alarm Radius

100m

Holding

Good Holding

Recommended Anchor Alarm Radius

100m

100m on sandy patches. DONIA required. Good Mistral shelter from Cap Canaille. Open to S/SE.

About This Location

Baie de Cassis is the gateway to the Cassis calanques — a pleasant bay with the picturesque town of Cassis immediately behind, dominated by Cap Canaille (394m, the highest maritime cliff in France) to the E. Good holding on sandy patches with DONIA vigilance for Posidonia. Cassis is famous for its exceptional dry white wine (one of France's smallest and most exclusive AOC appellations) and for being the prettiest fishing village between Marseille and Toulon. The three famous calanques (Port-Miou, Port-Pin, En-Vau) are all within 2nm W.

Protected From

N · NW · NE · W

Exposed To

S · SE · E

Anchoring Rules

Anchoring allowed
Yes
Anchoring fee
Free
Permit required
No

Restrictions: DONIA app required — Posidonia throughout. Speed limit 5kt near shore. Calanques park rules apply in the western bay.

Hazards

  • !Posidonia — DONIA required
  • !SE/Marin swell enters freely — leave if SE builds above F4

Skipper's Tips

  • Cassis AOC white wine (Marsanne, Clairette, Bourboulenc) is extraordinary with local sea urchins.
  • Day trip to Cap Canaille by dinghy or land — the highest maritime cliff view in France.

Facilities

Water Fuel Restaurant Provisions WiFi

Cassis port has excellent seafood restaurants. Bouillabaisse and Cassis AOC wine.

Nearest provisions: Cassis (0.5nm)

Best Months & Season

April, May, June, September, October

April–October. Best May–June and September. Excellent town for provisioning and culture.

Recommended Anchor Types

SPADERocnaDelta

Set Your Anchor Alarm to 100m

Mistral downdrafts funnel violently through calanque cliffs. Safety Anchor Alarm alerts you the moment your boat moves — so the first gust doesn't become an emergency.

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