South France marinas

Moodyjim

Moodyjim

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are giving me a headache! I am trying to get a berth for a year from the middle of October and have emailed 7 or 8 but not much in the way of a reply. Anyone able to advise please? Lookin for Toulon eastwards to around Frejus. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
 
If you get a reply, it will be to tell you they've a 5 year waiting list and would you like to go on their application list.

In practice it's usually best to turn up and try for one of their transit berths - you'll have though to pay top dollar.

Port Hyéres or Napoule-plage are your two best bets.
 
The huge marinas to the west will probably happily take you for the winter at a reasonable rate, but all year berths are unlikely to be available even in such as Leucate, which would be dreary anyway. I think any new spaces are going to the dealers selling new boats. If you live onboard you are unlikely to be interested in the ports à sec, which could probably take the boat all year.

We waited on the hard at Gruissan for 4 years before giving it up.
 
James, would Port Camargue be worth a try? People we met in Saint-Jean a few weeks ago emailed the other day to say they had got there and were over-wintering. Didn't have a 'reservation' to the best of my knowledge. Have also heard that the over winter community is much better than one might expect from such a giant place.
 
It is certainly large enough and maybe if someone gets established over winter the Capitain might find them a place to stay longer.

A few years ago we met a French boat taking up a permanent mooring in St Mandrier. He told us he had been on the waiting list there for 12 years before finally being given his place in the port. He lived locally too.

I think that France badly needs some new harbours to be built. I am sure the exhorbitant mooring costs on the costa Brava are due to France being full.
 
[ QUOTE ]
I think that France badly needs some new harbours to be built. I am sure the exhorbitant mooring costs on the costa Brava are due to France being full.

[/ QUOTE ]Very true, but do not expect any new marinas to be built east of Marseille in your lifetime. The coast is considered fully developed and there is no way anybody (not even the mafia) will get a building permit anywhere. Hence, expect prices to continue to rise for existing berths.

To the OP: it is highly unlikely that you would get an email response. Firstly, they are still full mid-October as it is full season and the Cannes and St Tropez regatta's are still winding down. Secondly, they are just not very good communicating by email in English. What you have to do is wait until the beginning of November when the season has ended and berth owners have either left for other areas or gone on the hard. That is when the marinas knows what free space they have for the winter, not earlier. And yes; you have to just show up and negotiate. My experience has often been that I have got a NO when I phoned, but a YES when I showed up at the marina entrance. That is the best you can do.

If you are looking for a full year contract in this area; you have to do one of three things: 1. get on a 12 year waiting list; 2. buy an existing berth contract (there is a market, contact real estate brokers); or 3. you have to marry the Mayor's daughter.
 
[ QUOTE ]
.... or 3. you have to marry the Mayor's daughter.

[/ QUOTE ]

could you post a piccie of her please /forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
could you post a piccie of her please

[/ QUOTE ]Does it matter? You get a 12 month boat berthing contract on the French Riviera. And your problem is.....? /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
I divine you're at Empuriabrava.
" . . The largest marina in the world . . "
Are you? Is it? Is it full? What's it like?

[/ QUOTE ]
Your devining is correct.
We love it but I'll try and give you some objective ups and downs.
It is huge, 5000 moorings but in a canal system so you never see more than say 50 boats at any one time.
There is a resident population so supermarkets, chandlers boat yards and restaurents are open all year around. The supermarkets are excellent, the restaurents so, so.
August is bedlem leave well alone. It's seems like all 5000 are on holiday and all in a rush to either get out or get in of the harbour entrance.
Contact the marina for spaces, good English speaking and friendly. However there are hundreds of empty 'unofficial' places which are owned by the many property owners there. You could try the property agents for these (sorry I have no contacts)
Most boat owners have their months hols then have their boats taken out and stored, so come September there will be spaces until easter next year so maybe if your interested don't ask for a year but for six months.
I forgot! the cruising ground is sensational, Cap de Creus is the lump at the end of the Pyrenees is full of beautiful sheltered coves and the Medas Islands are only 20 mins away on the other side.
The winds, ah yes the winds. In winter we get the Tramonteras which whistle through and take all your covers with them. I keep my boat in all year around there but put on a winter cover.
There are several forumites there so we keep a check on each others boats. Hope this helps.

This is a webcam of the harbour entrance, since I got Vista it doesn't work for me but it just might for you
http://212.170.106.36:4002/view/view.shtml?imagePath=/mjpg/video.mjpg&size=1
 
went through same headache last autumn. Forget emails - they never respond and yes just turn up and negotiate.
You would find a place OK in Port Napoleon (just west of Marseille) but its a dump if you are living on board, we left ours there on the hard 2 years ago after just rolling up unnanounced but we went home for the winter.
Last winter we (eventually) found a small boatyard called Soleil Levant in St. Raphael, adjacent the Santa Lucia marina which was very reasonable. Also a 12 month berth was available (yes!) in Beaulieu but at E7,000 plus, for 11 meter boat was not for us.
For the record we gave up on S.of F because of the moorings hassle. Found Italy worse and headed down to Greece - much much better!!
 
the problem is the requirement for a year's berth. Port Camargue quite openly states it has a 5-7 year waiting list for permanaent berths and I'm afraid you'll find the same situation everywhere.
You'll find room for overwintering in nearly all the big marinas, I got one at Argéles at the annual rate, (€400 for 3 months, €533 for 4 months).
Greed might open one of the transit berths for a long (12-month stay) but you'll be paying the transit rate prices.

The most feasible alternative is to cruise during the summer months (begin June - begin October) anchoring most of the time and move into a marina for the winter.

Incidentally Argéles-Plage closed en masse on 1st October, bars, the lot, but the main village really came to sociable life.

I should have said Mandelieu-la Napoule, some room there and a fairly genial general manager, or St Mandrier, might be worth a try.
E-mailing, writing or phoning will meet with "Je ai desolé", but especially in S France face-to-face emotive discussion really does work.
And many still have a soft spot for the Brits (unless you speak French like a Parisien)

Good luck, France is truly more civilised than any of the other Med coasts - only a return after 6 years, this summer brought it back to me!!
 
Not quite true about new marinas. Theyare building a new one in Toulon harbour over the next couple of years. You can reserve a berth of a starting price of 97,000 euros. web page
 
Thanks for that correction. I should have stated that I don't think any new marinas will be built east of Toulon (not Marseille) in our lifetime. I also now understand that there are plans to expand La Ciotat, so your correction is on the money. However, I am very certain that this will be it, period. The authorities are very determined to ensure that the Cote d'Azur will not become a new Costa Brava. Not a single metre of coastline between St Tropez and the Italian border will be changed.
 
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