Keeping a boat in S of France

[Toutvabien]

We are thinking of buying a boat to keep in t he South of France, has anybody any suggestions about good locations, we were thinking about somewhere near Nimes, Montpellier or Carcassonne which all have good air links to London. I'd be particulalry interested to hear about the marina fees in the area as I am told that they vary quite significantly along the coast. We are looking at an 11m boat.

 

[cynthia]

Wherever you decide to berth, if you are hoping for an annual mooring you will have to get your name on the waiting list a.s.a.p. There are very few berths available, although it is possible to pick up an empty mooring and pay exhorbitant daily, weekly or monthly rates for 12 months. Usually the capitanerie will find you a berth after that, or so we're told!

 

[Anchorite]

The book you want is called: VOTRE LIVRE DE BORD /BLOC MARINE/
MEDITERRANEE : It is published annually, weighs 1.6 kg, costs 16.5 Euros.
Full of info, from Gib to Tunisia + islands, hundreds of port chartlets, even blank headed pages for a 4 weeks log (but who keeps a log...) and the prices of
all the marina berths. Plenty with English text.
You may find the 2003 edition at LBS (or try Paris, Salon Nautique in December).
PM me a fax no. I'll send you the rates for Languedoc-Roussillon.
And yes, there are too many unused boats clogging the marinas.

 

[Escapeii]

We keep our boat in Gruissan just south of Narbonne. Access to the marina by sea or road is easy, and the facilities are fairly good. We have not spent a summer there yet, so we do not know how mad / busy / noisy etc. it might be.
The fees are pretty reasonable, 12 months costs 1600 euros for 11.3m monohull, includes electricity water showers etc.
The availability of berths is definitely a problem all along this coast. It helps if you know someone who knows someone.
ps. it is rather windy in this corner of France.

 

[tcm]

Re: windy corner: Marseilles

I always thought your boat was in south of france with a name like that.

imho...the problem with sailing off a coast is that you go left, or right, and return. You need an island or two. Marseilles is just the ticket. there are cheapy flights to marseiles, and there's an autoroute for earlyseason piles of junk in the car, and there's a tgv from london which takes 5 hours. Also, proper city with loads to do. And magical offshore, with islands, some populated, with marinas or anchorages, deep creeks and fab anchorages. 20+ sailing clubs in marseilles. Worth an offseason investigation anyway. Marseilles is easily the biggest "city centre harbour" in europe - like tiny cornish fishing villages, the marina in the Vieux Port is where it's at - 'cept there are 3000 boats , not a dozen or so. Making a reasonable stab at french would be an idea. The CTL or SNM clubs are a good starting point, one of these has good support for english speaker, can't remember which tho.

True, there is tons of wind. The pilot books say that marseilles records a force 6 at some point durig over 200 days per year, and force 8 or above for 50. So, saves on spinnakers unless you're a loony. Hint for racing: the french are all loonies.

No idea of prices for 11m but Marseilles is quite cheap.

 

[mpprh]

Re: windy corner: Marseilles

Hi

I live equidistant Nimes / Montpellier / Grandes Motte.

The flights are cheap ......... last week was Euro 40 return Nimes - Stansted via Ryanair.

I 've been researching moorings for a while now. As everywhere the deeper, closer to the sea, more facilities, better communications places cost more !

Equally Marseille to Italy is more expensive than Marseille to Spain.

I'm paying Euro 2237 (including 1 x lift out / 10 days ashore) at Port Camargue for 10.5m. For 11 - 12.99m it is Euro 2688.

Check photo here : http://tlp.netfirms.com/photo21.htm

There are moorings available at Port St Louis du Rhone at lower prices.

Bon chance

Peter

 

[LadyInBed]

Try the <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.blocmarine.com/fr_som.htm> Bloc Marine </A> website

 

[charles_reed]

All the marinas have waiting lists of, allegedly, two years. So you'll be very lucky to find a permanaent place just like that.

They are adding 800 boat-places to the marina at Canet-Plage, so your chances of getting in there are greater than any of the others.
The other place to try is Port Camargue.

The comment about wind is not scaremongering - Marseille is not the windiest place - that's Port Leucate. 75 knot gusts during the tramontane are fairly commonplace.
It was in the Golfe de Lions that an American fleet carrier lost a Tomcat overboard, washed off whilst landing - which gives you an idea
a) of the speed of weather change
b) the size of the waves

The coast from Argelés up past the Camargue is pretty uninteresting, miles of salt flats, 12" deep lagoons and scrubby beaches.

If you want any more info e-mail me via the board, I'm at Port Argelés overwintering.

 

[charles_reed]

Roussillon prices

For the same size boat are about 1850€, which bears out your comment.

Cheaper by far are the ports on the Costa Brava - and there are quite a few cheap flights into Girona.

 

[mpprh]

Hi

This may be of use : http://aerfares.net

They have a db of destinations and prices for 17 low cost airlines.

Coverage along this part of the coast is good. You can fly from UK to Girona, Perpignan, Carcassonne, Montpellier, Nimes and Marseilles.

Peter