With almost 5000 kilometres of coastline and numerous inland lakes, there are sailing areas for every level. The Atlantic coast, the Côte d'Azur and Corsica are very popular, as are the Antilles, La Réunion, French Polynesia and New Caledonia in the French overseas departments.
Best travel time
June - September
Currency
Euro
Spoken languages
French
Tips
the enchanted Monts d'Arrée
forests of Huelgoat and Paimpont (Arthurian forests)
Nantes-Brest canal
old castles, old stone houses, manor houses in Brittany
With almost 5000 kilometres of coastline and countless inland lakes, France offers sailing areas for every level and type of boat. Most of the French marinas have first-class infrastructure. You should bear in mind that the harbours in the north and west, which are subject to strong tidal ranges
In the sailing areas of the French Mediterranean, the fantastic panorama of the hinterland alone is appealing. The Mediterranean temperatures do the rest. However, this comes at the price of fairly rapid successive phases of calm and strong winds (such as the Mistral), which do not exactly make sailing easier.
Depending on the cruising area, you may also have to deal with the sometimes very heavy commercial shipping. Many traffic separation areas (TSS) with large and fast ships require special attention from the skipper and the entire charter crew.