France - Yachting Essentials

UK Yachting Essentials

Electricity

Voltage: 230 V

Frequency: 50 Hz

Electricity points are on nearly all the pontoons in marinas. Only pontoons not connected to the shore are usually lacking water and electricity services.

Fuel

Fuel berths are in nearly all marinas and many harbours.

At some ports a maximum of 75l of diesel can be bought.

LPG

LPG is widely available as it is used by many French households, but for longer stays in France, it may be advisable to change over to the French system of bottles. All type and sizes of LPG bottles are available at many shore-based fuel stations.

Camping gas bottles are available in chandlers.

Water

Water is available in marinas. Connection type do vary but the marina office can usually help with any problems.

Provisions

France prides itself on having the best cuisine in the world and the quality of food is excellent everywhere. Supplies are easily available and on the outskirts of every town, there are huge hypermarkets, which have an immense selection of foodstuffs and other goods.

Marinas

All marinas in France are state-owned. You only pay for the berth if staying past midnight, so one can berth, fill up with water, top up the batteries, go shopping/have lunch and then find somewhere to anchor for the night, without having to pay.

In high season, particularly in the South of France and Corsica, marina reservations should be make 2-3 weeks in advance in order to guarantee getting a berth. Many ports and marinas are full to capacity and during the summer season, it can be difficult to find space.

In Corsica this app is useful for marina reservations: https://www.resaportcorse.com/

Pass-Ports Escales is a free visitor berthing scheme in France which is run by private French marina operator, Sagemor, who started the programme over 20 years ago. Other French, Spanish, UK and Portuguese marina operators have now joined the scheme to increase the network even further.

Repair Facilities

France is one of the leading sailing nations in the world and its top sailors are as well known to the general French public as its best soccer players. With the most developed yacht building industry in Europe, yachting facilities generally are of a high standard. Chandlery and repair facilities are widely available and small repairs can be undertaken in most ports. For more complicated or specialized jobs it is best to go to one of the major centers, where there are established boatyards and specialist companies offering a complete range of repair facilities.

• On the northern coast, facilities are best at St Malo, Ouistreham (near Caen) Le Havre, and Cherbourg.
• On the Atlantic coast best facilities can be found at Brest, La Trinité, La Rochelle, Lorient, and Bordeaux.
• Mediterranean France offers excellent facilities at Antibes, in the St Tropez-Cogolin area, Toulon and Marseilles (although the latter deals mainly with commercial shipping).
• On Corsica facilities are best at the main port of Ajaccio on the west coast and Bastia on the east coast.