Baie de Pampelonne
Pampelonne · St-Tropez south bay
43°14.6'N 006°39.9'E
Depth
4–10m
Bottom
sand
Alarm Radius
90m
Holding
Excellent Holding
Recommended Anchor Alarm Radius
90m
90m on clean sand. Excellent holding. One of the few Riviera bays without Posidonia — DONIA app still recommended to verify.
About This Anchorage
Baie 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. From the water, it is also a genuinely good anchorage: clean sand throughout with excellent holding, reasonable Mistral shelter, and spectacular scenery with the Massif des Maures behind. The bay is 4nm S of St-Tropez by sea. In July–August, hundreds of boats anchor here — arrive very early or book a mooring buoy in advance.
Protected From
N · NW · NE
Exposed To
S · SE · E
Anchoring Rules
- Anchoring fee
- Free
- Mooring buoy fee
- €20–40/night (peak season)
- Maximum stay
- 3 days
- Permit required
- No
Restrictions: Speed limit 5kt within 300m of shore. Mooring buoy zones marked — no anchoring in designated zones. 72h maximum stay.
Hazards
- !SE Marin swell enters freely — open overnight stays in SE forecast inadvisable
- !Extremely crowded Jul–Aug: hundreds of boats, jet skis, and tender traffic
- !No shelter from S/SE winds — leave before Marin builds to F4
Skipper's Tips
- →May and June are magical — beach quieter, sand clean, sea temperature rising.
- →St-Tropez old port is 4nm N — dinghy or water taxi. Worth the trip to see the yachts.
- →Club 55 will not let you dine without a reservation (and a dress code) — book months ahead in July.
Facilities
Famous beach clubs and restaurants along the 4km beach. Tender required (no jetty for yachts).
Nearest provisions: Saint-Tropez (4nm)
Best Months & Season
May, June, September, October
May–October. Avoid SE/Marin forecasts. July–August: arrive before 07:00 for a free spot; mooring buoys fill by 09:00.
Recommended Anchor Types
Nearby Anchorages
Set Your Anchor Alarm to 90m
Safety Anchor Alarm watches your GPS position continuously and sounds an instant alert if your boat drifts outside your set radius — critical on the Côte d'Azur where the Mistral can arrive overnight.
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