When sailing in France, you
might want to use some of the best yacht charter bases in the
country.
Port Vauban Marina
Antibes
Yacht charter base Port Vauban is
located in the town of Antibes. This is the largest yacht charter
base in Europe and often hosts some of the worlds largest private
yachts. The harbor has more than 100 berths for yachts over
23-meter in length. Some berths even accommodate yachts up to 165 m
yachts that is why the port has its own private Heli-pad. The
annual Antibes Yacht Show is held here.
Antibes is close to the resorts of
Cannes, Nice and Frejus and provides all the entertainment that a
visiting yacht could require. Antibes along its modern part has the
old town. This is by far the best part of this town with the old
winding streets while the long, arched wall along the port makes a
nice walk by the sea. There are plenty of little streets for
exploring lined with restaurants of all types and lots of shops.
The current port was created in the early 1970's with places for 99
professional fishing boats. These can be found at the western edge
of the port, near the arched gateway leading into the old town of
Antibes.
La Roche Bernard
Marina
La Roche Bernard marina is set in
the lovely setting of the La Villane River. It provides good
shelter and has excellent facilities. The charter base is spread
over two sites with the Vistors Pontoon in between with 56 visitor
berths. The Vieux Port, the old Port, is used mainly by resident
yachts. The port office is at the foot of pontoon "X". The Port
Neuf is beyond the visitors pontoon "A".
The marina has a small boatyard
and a limited amount of hard standing. There are also swinging
moorings, but are mainly for local boats.
The town is close. It has a large
supermarket and DIY store, lots of local shops and good bars and
restaurants. A tourist Information Office is close the Town
Hall.
Port Des Minimes
La Rochelle
Port des Minimes marina in La
Rochelle is a huge marina featuring modern facilities and good
shelter. Of the 3,300 berths on 48 piers, 300 are reserved for
visitors. This yacht charter base has a boatyard, 3 travel lifts
(max 50T), 1 x 30T cranes and 2 x 2.5 T cranes.
La Rochelle is the capital of the
Charente-Maritime department. It still has its past architecture
and charm that make it one of the most picturesque cities on the
Atlantic coast. One of the cities main features is the picturesque
"Vieux Port" ("Old Harbour"), which is located at the heart of the
city. There is a ferry taxi to the Old Port plus Bicycle and bus
connections. Other attractions include a large aquarium, and a
small botanical garden (the Jardin des plantes de La
Rochelle).
The city offers great shopping and
plenty of supermarkets. There are also local markets and stores
selling regional products.
Port de Chantereyne Marina
Cherbourg
Cherbourg is an ancient naval
city. The huge Port du Plaisance Chantereyne Marina has perfect
protection and shelter. One of the reasons of the popularity of
this yacht charter base is that it has held the European Blue Flag
since 2002.
The city is the second largest in
the Basse-Normandie region. For most visitors te city is just a
transit post as they disembark the ferries to other parts of
France. The ferries connect to Poole, Southampton and Rosslare.
There is also an airport, the Cherbourg-Maupertus, about 11
kilometres away which connects with Orly West and
Jersey.
Cherbourg is a good base for
excursions to the castles of the northern Cotentin. Also try to
visit the Emmanuel Liais Gardens with more than five hundred
varieties of plants.
Port de Cannes
Marina
Port du Cannes Marina is one of
the marinas to be seen in. Cannes hosts a world famous film
festival during which it is virtually impossible to find a berth
here.
The charter base has 24 hour
security and CCTV. It offers repair facilities and hard standing
though space is at a premium. A ferry service commutes to the
island of Corsica The marina is part of the CCI Nice de Cote d'Azur
group.
If you want to add glamour to your
sailing holidays in France sail into cannes, a glamorous and
expensive seaside town. Every May, the town become the venue for
the Cannes Film Festival. Cannes is famous for its nightlife,
casinos and high end restaurants. Its main sight is the Le Suquet,
with its cobbled streets and breathtaking views. If you are not up
to sightseeing jou can just sit at street side tables and watch
people strolling up and down the lovely marina.
Related
articles:
Places to Visit in France
Marinas in France