France FAQs
Pre-Arrival Boat: If coming from outside the EU there is a pre-arrival form to complete and send no later than 24 hours before arrival. See Clearance for details.
Pre-Arrival Crew: If non-EU/Schengen then generally you will need a visa. See Immigration for details.
Where can I enter? Click on the anchor symbol in the blue "Explore Country" drop down, to see ports of entry (PPF). Currently, it is also possible to enter at non-PPF ports, following the correct procedure. See Clearance for details.
Are fees high to enter by yacht? There are no entry or exit fees.
What security concerns should I know about? France is generally a safe country. See Security for more info.
France Facts for Sailors
- France is the largest country in Western Europe. Its lengthy borders touch Germany and Belgium in the north; the Atlantic Ocean in the west; the Pyrenees Mountains and Spain in the south.
- France has a population greater than 66.5 million with French being the main language, but English and Spanish also being widely spoken.
- The Euro is the official currency of France, which is a member of the European Union.
- The time zone is Central European Time (CET) which is UTC + 01:00.
- The climate differs significantly between the Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts as do sailing conditions. See Weather for more details.
- With such a varied coastline, France has more variety to offer the cruising sailor than any other European country, from the tidal creeks and shallow estuaries of Brittany to the chic ports of the Côte d'Azur and the stark beauty of the island of Corsica. For the visiting sailor, each side of France has its special attractions:
- On the northern coast, facilities are best at St Malo, Ouistreham (near Caen) Le Havre, and Cherbourg.
- The Atlantic coast calls for more attentive navigation, but brings its rewards in the many natural harbors and inlets. Although spectacular, this coast can be dangerous as there are many off-lying hazards, strong tidal streams, and frequent gales. This is more than made up for by such attractive ports as Morlaix, St Malo or Lézardrieux. Best facilities for yachts can be found at Brest, La Trinité, La Rochelle, Lorient, and Bordeaux. The western coast divides into three distinct areas, the most popular and picturesque being the Brittany coast, which has many navigable rivers and the Morbihan inland sea. The central area to the Gironde has several off-lying islands as well as the great rivers, the Loire and the Gironde, which lead into the inland waterways. The low-lying area stretching to the Spanish border is the least appealing as a cruising destination.
- Mediterranean France is more suited to those who prefer to find their pleasures ashore. Sailing into such glittering places as St Tropez, Cannes or Antibes is an experience that cannot be repeated and it is worth the long detour just to spend some time among the most beautiful collection of yachts in the world. Excellent facilities are at Antibes, in the St Tropez-Cogolin area, Toulon and Marseilles, although the latter deals mainly with commercial shipping. Many harbors east of Toulon charge from noon to noon, not on the basis of a 24 hour period from arrival. Also, charter boats abound in this area. It should be noted that many ports and marinas are full to capacity during the summer season and it can be difficult to find space.
- The island of Corsica offers a wide selection of ports ideally to be visited outside of the peak summer season as it is a favorite holiday destination for French sailors. Facilities are best at the main port of Ajaccio on the west coast and Bastia on the east coast.
- The Atlantic and Mediterranean are connected by a canal route of 314 miles (503 km) with 139 locks, from Bordeaux on the River Garonne, to Castets where the Canal Latéral à la Garonne runs to Toulouse, from where the Canal du Midi leads to Sète in the Mediterranean. Other canals and river systems go into the heart of Brittany, through the centre of Paris, the eastern part of France and the Rhône river to the Mediterranean. The Northern France waterway can be entered at Dunkerque, Calais, Gravelines or St Valéry-sur-Somme, while the Brittany Canal runs from the English Channel to the Bay of Biscay through 63 locks from St Malo via Dinas, Rennes, Redan and the River Vilaine. For more details on the Inland Waterways of Europe see this Noonsite Report.
- 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. See Yachting Essentials for more details.
