Best Anchorages on the Côte d'Azur
From Saint-Tropez to Villefranche, the French Riviera offers glamorous sailing with strict Posidonia rules and the ever-present threat of the Mistral. These 10 anchorages have been verified for depth, DONIA compliance, and anchor alarm radius.
€150k
Max Posidonia fine
DONIA
App required before anchoring
50 kt
Mistral gusts potential
72h
Max stay on buoys
The Mistral — Always Watch the NW
The Mistral blows from the NW at 30–60 kt (occasionally 80+ kt) with little advance warning. It typically arrives within 2–4 hours of the first forecast indication. Any anchorage not protected from the NW must be abandoned immediately when Mistral is forecast. Rade de Villefranche offers the best Mistral shelter on the eastern Riviera — head there if caught between Nice and Monaco. In Saint-Tropez, the Rade and Baie de Pampelonne give good Mistral shelter from the Cap Camarat headland. Check Météo-France bulletins every morning before departing.
About Sailing the Côte d'Azur
Posidonia & DONIA App
The DONIA app (free, French Government) maps Posidonia seagrass distribution in real time along the entire French Mediterranean coast. Download it before your trip and check it before every anchor drop. Fines up to €150,000 for anchoring on Posidonia. Look for sandy patches shown in yellow/white on the DONIA map.
Mistral Season
The Mistral can arrive in any month but is most frequent September–May. In summer, it typically lasts 1–3 days. Forecast signs: high barometric pressure over the Massif Central, cold NW airflow, clear visibility. When the Mistral is building, get to a Mistral-safe anchorage before it arrives — do not wait to see if it materialises.
Best Season
May–June and September–October: warm water, lighter crowds, and more reliable settled weather than July–August. July–August: intense heat, packed anchorages (arrive before 08:00 to guarantee a spot at famous locations), and mandatory mooring buoys at the most popular locations.
Mooring Buoys
Mandatory mooring buoys operate at Golfe Juan, Pampelonne, Île Sainte-Marguerite, and other locations from mid-June to mid-September (72h maximum). Book via the DONIA app or local commune offices. €15–40/night depending on vessel size. Free anchorage permitted outside the designated buoy zones.
10 Verified Anchorages
Île Sainte-Marguerite (Lérins)
(Lérins Islands)Good HoldingÎle Sainte-Marguerite is the largest of the Lérins Islands, a wooded island 2nm from Cannes with no permanent population except the fort (where the Man in the Iron Mask was imprisoned).
Depth
4–10m
Bottom
sand
Alarm Radius
80m
Crowds
Very Busy
Full anchoring guide →
Golfe Juan
(Gulf of Juan)Excellent HoldingGolfe Juan is one of the most popular anchorages on the Côte d'Azur — a wide, well-sheltered bay between Antibes and Cannes with excellent sand-and-mud holding and reliable Mistral protection from Cap d'Antibes.
Depth
5–12m
Bottom
sand
Alarm Radius
100m
Crowds
Very Busy
Full anchoring guide →
Baie de Pampelonne
(Pampelonne)Excellent HoldingBaie de Pampelonne is one of the most famous beaches in the world — 4km of white sand, legendary beach clubs (Club 55, Nikki Beach), and the playground of the international jet set.
Depth
4–10m
Bottom
sand
Alarm Radius
90m
Crowds
Very Busy
Full anchoring guide →
Rade de Saint-Tropez
(St-Tropez Roads)Excellent HoldingThe Rade (Roads) of Saint-Tropez is one of the finest natural harbours on the French Riviera — a wide, well-protected gulf offering excellent holding and shelter from all directions except S.
Depth
5–15m
Bottom
sand
Alarm Radius
120m
Crowds
Very Busy
Full anchoring guide →
Les Issambres (Baie de San Peïre)
(San Peïre)Good HoldingLes Issambres (Bay of San Peïre) is a quieter alternative anchorage between Saint-Maxime and Fréjus, offering a pleasant overnight in settled conditions without the July–August crowds of St-Tropez.
Depth
3–8m
Bottom
sand
Alarm Radius
80m
Crowds
Moderate
Full anchoring guide →
Rade d'Agay
(Agay)Good HoldingRade d'Agay is one of the most scenically spectacular anchorages on the Riviera — the deep red porphyry cliffs of the Esterel massif drop vertically into turquoise water, making it immediately recognizable from seaward.
Depth
4–10m
Bottom
sand
Alarm Radius
80m
Crowds
Moderate
Full anchoring guide →
Théoule-sur-Mer
(Théoule)Good HoldingThéoule-sur-Mer sits at the S end of the Esterel massif, 6nm W of Cannes — an attractive small village with a castle, good restaurants, and a quieter atmosphere than the Cannes/Juan-les-Pins area.
Depth
3–8m
Bottom
sand
Alarm Radius
75m
Crowds
Busy
Full anchoring guide →
Rade de Villefranche-sur-Mer
(Villefranche Roads)Excellent HoldingRade de Villefranche is one of the finest anchorages on the entire Côte d'Azur — a deep natural fjord-like bay with outstanding Mistral protection, excellent holding, and one of the most beautiful medieval villages on the Riviera.
Depth
8–40m
Bottom
sand
Alarm Radius
150m
Crowds
Busy
Full anchoring guide →
Baie de Beaulieu / Cap Ferrat
(Baie des Fourmis)Good HoldingThe Baie des Fourmis at Beaulieu-sur-Mer, sheltered by the Cap Ferrat peninsula, offers one of the most elegant settings on the entire Côte d'Azur — ancient olive gardens descending to the water, Belle Époque villas, and the extraordinary Villa Kerylos (a faithful recreation of a Greek island home).
Depth
4–12m
Bottom
sand
Alarm Radius
90m
Crowds
Busy
Full anchoring guide →
Baie du Lazaret (La Seyne / Toulon)
(Anse du Lazaret)Excellent HoldingBaie du Lazaret near La Seyne-sur-Mer (W of Toulon) is the best all-weather anchorage on the western Côte d'Azur — outstanding Mistral shelter, excellent sand-and-mud holding, and easy access to Toulon for provisioning and fuel.
Depth
3–8m
Bottom
sand
Alarm Radius
90m
Crowds
Quiet
Full anchoring guide →
Côte d'Azur Anchoring Rules — Summary
- !DONIA app: Download before departure. Check before every anchor drop. Posidonia fines up to €150,000. Look for sandy patches (white/yellow on DONIA map) away from the Posidonia (dark green on DONIA).
- !Mistral: Any NW-exposed anchorage must be abandoned when Mistral is forecast. Get to shelter before the wind arrives — not after. Rade de Villefranche is the best E Riviera Mistral refuge.
- !Mooring buoys: Mandatory at designated zones Jun 15–Sep 15. 72h maximum stay. Book via DONIA app. €15–40/night. Free anchoring outside the designated buoy zones.
- !Speed limit: 5 knots within 300m of the shore throughout the French Mediterranean. This is strictly enforced — on-water patrols are common in summer.
Monitor Your Anchor Overnight
Safety Anchor Alarm watches your GPS position continuously and sounds an instant alert if your boat drifts outside your set radius — so you can sleep through a Côte d'Azur night without worrying about the Mistral shifting your anchor.
Download Free for iOS