Royan — Gironde Entrance Staging Anchorage
Royan roads · Gironde entrance anchorage
45°37.3'N 001°02.3'W
Depth
4–10m
Bottom
sand
Alarm Radius
90m
Holding
Good Holding
Recommended Anchor Alarm Radius
90m
90m on sand/mud — staging anchorage with strong tidal stream 2–3kt. Open to S/SW swell — use Royan marina in bad weather. Plan Gironde transit for flood tide to Bordeaux or ebb tide outbound.
About This Anchorage
Royan is the gateway to the Gironde estuary — the N entrance point to the largest estuary in Western Europe. The staging anchorage N of Royan is used by yachts waiting for the correct tide to enter or exit the Gironde. The estuary's entrance (La Gironde) requires careful timing: going upriver to Bordeaux is best on the flood (incoming tide), exiting to the Bay of Biscay is best on the ebb (outgoing tide), and the tidal stream runs at 2–3kt throughout. Royan itself was almost entirely destroyed in Allied bombing on 5 January 1945 (four months before Germany surrendered — a controversial episode) and was rebuilt in a striking post-war Modernist style that is now classified as heritage architecture.
Protected From
N · NW · NE
Exposed To
S · SW
Setting Your Anchor
Anchoring Rules
- Anchoring fee
- Free
- Permit required
- No
- Mooring buoys
- No
Restrictions: Gironde estuary entrance — commercial shipping traffic; keep clear of the main channel. Tidal stream 2–3kt — anchor must be well set. S/SW exposure — use Royan port in swell. VHF Ch 16 Royan CROSS; Bordeaux Port Ch 12.
Hazards
- !TIDAL STREAM 2–3kt in Gironde entrance: anchor drag risk; set firmly; large swinging circle required
- !COMMERCIAL SHIPPING: large vessels enter and exit the Gironde; maintain strict clearance from main channel
- !S/SW EXPOSURE: Atlantic swell — anchorage can be uncomfortable; Royan marina available as refuge
- !GIRONDE TRANSIT TIMING: going against the tidal stream in the estuary is slow and fuel-intensive; plan transit carefully
Skipper's Tips
- →Time your Gironde entry to arrive at Royan at LW, then start upriver on the flood — 75km to Bordeaux in ~10 hours on the flood.
- →Royan's post-war Modernist architecture (particularly the church of Notre-Dame de Royan by Guillaume Gillet) is worth seeing.
- →Buy a current French Almanac or SHOM tidal atlas for the Gironde — the entrance bar shifts and tidal times are critical.
Facilities
Royan has full facilities: supermarkets, restaurants, fuel pontoon, chandlery.
Nearest provisions: Royan (1nm)
Best Months & Season
April, May, June, July, August, September, October
April–October. Primary staging point for Bay of Biscay to Gironde/Bordeaux passages. Tidal timing essential.
Recommended Anchor Types
Nearby Anchorages
Sleep Peacefully at Royan — Gironde Entrance Staging Anchorage
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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