Île d'Oléron — La Cotinière (W Coast)
La Cotinière · Port de la Cotinière
45°54.5'N 001°19.2'W
Depth
3–8m
Bottom
sand
Alarm Radius
80m
Holding
Excellent Holding
Recommended Anchor Alarm Radius
80m
80m on clean sand — excellent holding. E/NE WINDS ONLY — fully exposed to Atlantic W/NW swell. Do not stay overnight without confirmed E wind forecast. This is a fair-weather E-wind anchorage.
About This Anchorage
La Cotinière is one of the most authentic working fishing villages on the French Atlantic coast — on the exposed W coast of Île d'Oléron, France's second-largest island. It is primarily a fishing harbour, not a tourist marina: the quay is lined with returning fishing boats, nets are mended on the dock, and the daily fish auction (criée) at the port is one of the last traditional fish markets on the Atlantic coast. Anchoring off the village is only possible in E wind conditions — the W coast of Oléron is fully exposed to the Atlantic swell in any other direction. When conditions allow, it is one of the most rewarding and authentic stops on the Atlantic coast — far removed from the summer marina culture.
Protected From
E · NE · SE
Exposed To
W · NW · SW
Setting Your Anchor
Anchoring Rules
- Anchoring fee
- Free
- Permit required
- No
- Mooring buoys
- No
Restrictions: E WIND CONDITIONS ONLY — exposed to Atlantic swell from W/NW/SW. Do not anchor in W swell. Fishing vessel exclusion zone around the harbour entrance — maintain clearance. Tidal range 3–4m.
Hazards
- !ATLANTIC SWELL EXPOSURE: W/NW/SW fully exposed — ONLY anchor in confirmed E wind conditions; leave immediately if W develops
- !TIDAL RANGE 3–4m: calculate depth at LW; sandy bottom shoals quickly at edges
- !FISHING VESSELS: busy harbour entrance; maintain clearance from working boats and gear
- !ORCA RISK: W coast of Oléron is Bay of Biscay offshore approach — monitor orcas.pt/GTOA on coastal passages
Skipper's Tips
- →Visit the criée (fish auction) at La Cotinière — one of the last authentic fish markets on the Atlantic coast; usually early morning.
- →Marennes-Oléron oysters from the island are widely regarded as France's finest — eat them at the quayside with local white wine.
- →The Île d'Oléron by bicycle is excellent: flat island with excellent cycling infrastructure and some of France's finest beaches on the E coast.
Facilities
Excellent fish restaurants at the quayside in La Cotinière — fresh fish direct from the auction. Oysters from Marennes-Oléron (the finest in France) available at the waterfront.
Nearest provisions: La Cotinière village (0.5nm)
Best Months & Season
May, June, July, August, September
May–September. E wind conditions only. One of the most authentic Atlantic stops on the French coast.
Recommended Anchor Types
Nearby Anchorages
Sleep Peacefully at Île d'Oléron — La Cotinière (W Coast)
With a 4–5m tidal change overnight and tidal current in the Gironde & Charente-Maritime, your boat's position and swinging circle change significantly through the night. Safety Anchor Alarm monitors your GPS position continuously — so a dragging anchor or unexpected current sets off the alarm before you drift into trouble.
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