Barcelona - French Riviera, some advice, please

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We are presently in Barcelona and have two options to get to the Riviera. Coast-hop to the Bay of Rosas then straight across to Marseilles or coast-hop all around the Gulf of Lions. I think that most people go straight across? Can anyone talk me through the options from their experience? The anchorages along the Costa Brava look pretty good but the pilot talks about strong winds from the Pyrenees and full anchorages. Any comments about anchorages or reluctantly marinas?
 
There are very few good harbours and anchorages between the Spanish border until you get to Marseille. And, as you note, they can be full. One exception is Canet-Plage which has an excellent marina run by the luxury cat maker Catana. Usually space and excellebt service.

Otherwise, I would head for Marseille or points east. Now the problem with that route is the crossing of the Golfe de Lion. This is a notorious wind place where you can go from 5 kts to 40 kts in five minutes. That is the Mistral that sometimes comes very quickly and blows the hardest in the Golfe. However, you need to cross so just listen to as much wx as you can and watch the water. You can usually see the Mistral coming on the water; then reef quickly. Once across the Golfe, the Mistral is much less of a problem. That is also where your harbour and anchoring options becomes much easier. I responded to one of your earlier post with my suggestions for this part of the coast.

My personal choice if I would do this route is to go offshore to avoid the Golfe as much as possible. I would do Barcelona-Menorca-Cassis.
 
eh? Harbours are a whole lot more full from marseille eastwds, and places like Grande motte lots better service and services than the riviera, but less cachet. I'd stop at port vendres and grande motte again, quite nice and sorted....
 
Thanks, LJ and yes, I have made a note of your earlier suggestions once through the Gulf of Lions. Barcelona - Minorca is a heck of a detour. Do you consider the weather to be sufficiently concerning to justify that (given that we've 'done' Minorca and don't really want to go back this year again)?

TCM, supposing we hop round, do you have any other favourites to recommend?
 
Did this trip in October a couple of years ago.

Coast hop to Bay of Rosas, check the weather, round the corner to Banyuls / Port Vendres / Port La Nouvelle, avoid Cadaques – very pretty but katabatic winds make it untenable as an anchorage at times.
Spent 4 days in Port La Nouvelle with an 8-9 Mistral blowing o/s. Then it dropped, well predicted by Harbourmaster / locals.
Across to Port Guardian ( visit the fortified church where the gypsies come every spring - well worth while) and there you are .
You have crossed the Gulf with a weather shore for shelter and Cap dAgde / Sete etc all within a couple of hours if things turn awkward.

Good luck
 
Thanks, much appreciated /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
I must agree about Cadaques where we once spent most of a summer. We then used to choose it or Port Ligat depending on the direction of wind/swell. Anchoring in Ligat has now been banned (environmentalists), but there are now many mooring buoys which I am told you can use for a small fee. Unfortunately they have turned off the water supply to Dali's tap, which he used to let us fill containers from.

I recently anchored overnight in Cala Aiguablava, but it may be too tight now as they were laying more small boat moorings 3 weeks ago. Also a good night anchored by the harbour at Banyuls.

Avoid San Felieu de Guixols where the Club Nautico has monopolised the mooring places and charges an exhorbitant rate for the night (40€ for my 10 metres at end of May). They have also placed a large sign at the entrance banning anchoring in the harbour.

I think it should be possible to anchor unmolested overnight inside the entrance to Gruissan and also maybe at Leucate. Certainly Port la Nouvelle is a reasonably priced alternative in that area.

I would also agree with crossing the Golfe as the coast lacks interest and the ports are mostly very artificial and more about French mass tourism than cruising interest.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Harbours are a whole lot more full from marseille eastwds

[/ QUOTE ]I think they are pretty full all the way around the French Med coast. What I meant to say with my comment was that the Riviera has a lot of anchoring options, lots more than the western coast hence you are not as dependant on finding a harbour space there.

And Lemain: yes I would do the detour via Menorca every time now as I had had enough of bad experiences in the Golfe. It is a personal choice and you have to make yours.
 
Thanks for your comments...noted. As for the powerboats, I wonder whether there will be less activity now that fuel has risen so much? Has anyone noticed a change in behaviour yet?

LJ - Thanks for clarifying that.
 
There are actually *fewer* spaces in harbours when boats don't move - cos they don't move off and release any space at all. Same in big winds etc. and i spose same if fuel costs more.

Bay of st trop has to be a destination, but in calm weather i will be hovering arnd stes-maries west of marseilles, frioul islands, bay of cassis and dinghy to the town, porquerolles.
 
Hi again Lemain, just to say I was allowed to anchor in the outer harbour at l'Estartit in 2003 because the marina was full.It is a very short row ashore. Beware of the pretty red free mooring buoys, these are attached to something like a house brick!Ferries to the Islas Medas stop at a reasonable hour and all is quiet! Good sailing, Paul
 
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