Anchoring in Porquerolles by catamaran – zones and rules for 2026

From Hyères, Porquerolles is just a short sail away, making it the most natural first stop for a cruise along the French Riviera. However, you need to know exactly where to drop anchor; anchoring a catamaran at Porquerolles is subject to specific regulations established by the Port-Cros National Park and the Mediterranean Maritime Prefecture. With protected Posidonia seagrass meadows, restricted zones, and heavy summer traffic, improvising can cost you both time and peace of mind.

This guide provides the essential information you need to plan your visit in 2026, including the best areas to anchor depending on the wind, specific considerations for multihulls, and key checks to perform before casting off.

Porquerolles from Hyères: A Nearby, Yet Regulated, Destination

The island of Porquerolles is part of the Hyères archipelago, alongside Port-Cros and Le Levant. For a crew departing from the Hyères coastline, it is a short voyage—typically two to three hours under sail, depending on the breeze—taking you around the Giens peninsula and the Tour Fondue. If you are setting off from La Londe-les-Maures, Bormes-les-Mimosas, or Le Lavandou, the route is similar, with the option of approaching from the east via Cap des Mèdes. From Bandol or Toulon, the journey is slightly longer, but still easily manageable as a day trip if you get an early start.

This proximity is a great advantage for families who prefer to avoid an overly demanding first day at sea. At the same time, it leads to a high concentration of boats during July and August, making it all the more important to be well-informed about the designated anchoring zones around Porquerolles. From the spring onwards, anchorages on the northern side of the island fill up by mid-morning; a catamaran arriving after 2:00 PM will rarely find a comfortable spot in shallow water.

Anchoring a catamaran at Porquerolles: what the regulations say

Porquerolles lies within the marine core of the Port-Cros National Park—an area extending up to 600 meters from the shoreline—where navigation, anchoring, and diving are subject to specific regulations. Official zoning charts define the rules for vessel movement, speed, and anchoring for each individual sector. These documents should be consulted before your arrival, as the rules vary from one cove to another and may change from one season to the next.

Prefectural decree 2023_116_AP governs nautical activities around the island. Anchoring is permanently prohibited in certain regulated zones—specifically zones H and I—for all registered vessels and craft. In zone J, anchoring is also prohibited, except when using mooring systems authorized by the National Park. Furthermore, there is a specific exclusion zone at Cap des Mèdes, where navigation, anchoring, and stopping are prohibited within a 50-meter radius to the east of the cape, in order to protect the breeding grounds of the Mediterranean shag (also known as Desmarest’s cormorant).

The size of the vessel is also a factor. Anchoring is prohibited for vessels exceeding 24 meters in length within the areas covered by the Porquerolles regulations; this should be verified by checking the applicable zoning chart before your arrival. Regarding speed, the limit is 5 knots within the 300-meter zone from the shoreline, 3 knots inside the port of Porquerolles, and 3 knots within a 100-meter radius of markers indicating the presence of divers. Marked channels must be followed, especially when approaching the port.

Summary of the main regulated zones around Porquerolles

In all cases, choosing an anchorage involves weighing four factors: local regulations, the nature of the seabed, the wind forecast for the next twelve hours, and the vessel's overall length. A Bali 42 or Bali 46 based in Hyères cannot be anchored in the same way as an 11-meter monohull—not least due to its windage (surface area exposed to the wind) and its swinging radius.

Posidonia, swinging radius, and anchor holding

While a catamaran does not drift much at anchor when the wind is steady, it will swing quickly and over a wide area when the breeze eases or shifts. Therefore, allow for a generous swinging radius—calculated based on the length of the anchor chain deployed, rather than just the water depth—and ensure that no other vessels are within this circle. Drop your anchor on a clear patch of sand, back away slowly to tension the chain, and then...