Mediterranean France 2000

Pilot: Mediterranean France & Corsica by Rod Heikell. Second Edition. Imray Laurie Norie & Wilson.

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San Peire-Les Issambres Côte d’Azure

Lat

43° 20' 4 N

Long

006° 41'.2 E

Information Date:

April, 2000

Pilot Page Number:

168

We put into this marina when there was a westerly gale forecast. The pilot says there are 110 visitors’ berths but that is no longer the case. Despite repeated appeals, the only berth we were offered was directly exposed to the west-facing entrance. Although there were some vacant, fully protected berths behind the western wall they were privately owned and not available for visitors. We left and went to Port de Santa Lucia near St Raphaël instead.

Port de Santa Lucia Côte d’Azure

Lat

43° 24'.4 N

Long

006° 46'.5 E

Information Date:

April, 2000

Pilot Page Number:

172

Cost per night:

144 FF

We called up on VHF as we approached and were allocated a berth in the south basin. This is a huge marina complex with a good chandlery, a medium-sized supermarket and a number of restaurants on site. It is a fifteen-minute walk into St Raphaël. There is also a very interesting and attractive walk along the coastal path around Pointe des Lions starting just behind the boat-yard to the south of the marina.

Port de Fréjus Côte d’Azure

Lat

43° 25'.2 N

Long

006° 45'.1 E

Information Date:

April, 2000

Pilot Page Number:

170

Cost per night:

Unknown

We walked to this marina from Port de Santa Lucia. Since the pilot was written it has been completed and is now a very attractive port of call.

Port Pierre-Canto, Cannes Côte d’Azure

Lat

43° 32'.5 N

Long

007° 01'.8 E

Information Date:

April, 2000

Pilot Page Number:

184

Cost per night:

114 FF

The marina was very full and we were allocated an alongside berth on the ‘Quai d’Honneur’. Despite the splendid-sounding name, this was a rather scruffy section of quay backed by a derelict sports centre. The whole area around the marina was somewhat run down including the so-called ‘Summer Casino’. However, the charge per night was very reasonable and it was only a 15-minute walk into the centre of Cannes. By contrast with the area around the marina we thought Cannes centre was very attractive and far nicer than suggested in the pilot. A benefit, perhaps, of visiting out of season.

Beaulieu-sur-Mer French Riviera

Lat

43° 42'.5 N

Long

007° 20'.4 E

Information Date:

April, 2000

Pilot Page Number:

203

Cost per night:

142 FF

We left Retreat here for 18 days for an unscheduled trip back to the UK to deal with a family emergency. It proved to be very suitable for the purpose as it is fully protected and Nice airport is easy to reach by bus. It is a very attractive marina in a delightful setting on the edge of a small town where there is an Anglican Church. The only problem is the lack of space. The pilot says that there are 152 places for visitors but, despite it being low season, the harbour master struggled to find us a berth. He was very helpful when we told him that we had to return to the UK and found us a suitable berth but, when we returned, we discovered that he had had to move us yet again. As with San Peire-Les Issambres, most of the berths are privately owned and are not available for use by visitors without specific permission from their owners. We suspect that the figure of 152 places for visitors means that there are 152 berths that are not privately owned but, as we discovered, that does not mean they are vacant!

Cap d’Ail French Riviera

Lat

43° 43'.4 N

Long

007° 24'.9 E

Information Date:

April, 2000

Pilot Page Number:

205

Cost per night:

144 FF

Having motored around Port de Monaco just to be able to say we had been there, we returned to Cap d’Ail for the night. It is well protected, reasonably priced and is only a fifteen-minute walk from the centre of Monaco. There are no border controls. There is a very good supermarket just over the border at the head of Fontvieille harbour.