📋 Port Overview
✗ ISPS✓ ECA
Marans, a canal port, no longer caters for commercial traffic and is purely a pleasure port under the authority of the town of Marans.
Load line zone
North Atlantic Winter Seasonal Zone II, Winter Nov 1 to Mar 31, Summer Apr 1 to Oct 31.
Location
Marans is situated on the W coast of France, approx 15nm N of La Rochelle.
Max size
Draught 4.5m.
🔧 Facilities
Fresh Water ✓
🧭 Navigation Information
Anchorages
Outer anchorages: Small craft awaiting the tide to proceed up river may anchor in the position (46°16'N 001°11'W), depth 2.5m. Three white mooring buoys for yachts are laid 1.75nm further WSW.
Approaches
Directions: Initial position (46°15'N 001°17'W) approx 1nm S of Le Lay Lightbuoy (S cardinal). Approaching Anse de l'Aiguillon the deepest route leads 3nm E, then 1nm ENE, to the vicinity of ATT de l'Aiguillon Lightbuoy (safe water) (46°16'N 001°11'W) passing: S then SSE of the buoys (special) marking the mussel beds extending 2.5nm W and 0.5nm S from Pointe de l'Aiguillon (46°16'N 001°12'W), and NNW of Digolet Beacon (W cardinal; iron structure; 6m high) marking the rocky flat fronting Pointe de Digolet (46°13'N 001°11'W), then NNW of the buoys (special) marking the mussel beds extending 2nm N of Pointe de Gigolet. Anse de l'Aiguillon: The channel then leads NE between mud flats and mussel beds, passing (positions given from Pointe de l'Aiguillon): Over a shallow (drying 0.1m) (1.75nm ENE) where it is marked by a buoy (safe water) (0.3nm further NE), then 0.05nm NW of Pave de Charron Light Beacon (white metal column, green top; 12m in height) (3.5nm ENE) standing on the head of the long landing slip of Port du Pave. La Sevre Niortaise Fairway then continues for 3.5nm to Brault Lock. It is marked, from a position approx 1nm SW of Pave de Charron Light Beacon, by buoys, odd numbers 1 to 31 on the starboard side, even numbers 2 to 42 on the port side. The river is spanned approx 0.5nm below Brault Lock by a lifting bridge that is remotely controlled by the Lock-keeper. Canal de Marans is entered through Brault Lock (46°19'N 001°04'W) in which vessels cannot secure alongside as it has sloping sides, being 11m wide at the bottom and 45m wide at the top. The inner end of the lock is spanned by a swingbridge. Then the canal leads straight E for approx 3nm and then curves ESE where it passes between unused gates into the harbour at Marans.
Charts
BA 2641, 2663; Fr 6333, 6521. Admiralty Pilot NP22.
Dock density
1000.
Pilot
Compulsory pilotage: From Chauveau Lightbuoy (S cardinal) (46°07'N 001°16'W) to Marans. Vessels should keep watch on VHF Ch 16, 2 hours prior to arrival at the lightbuoy. Boarding place: In the position (0.15nm SW of Chauveau Lightbuoy). Vessels awaiting a pilot should, in the absence of other instructions, anchor S of Chauveau Lightbuoy and continue to monitor VHF Ch 16.
Restrictions
Vessels up to 4.5m draught and 60m length can reach Marans by daylight only, by means of a canal 6.5km long from Brault to Marans. The canal is 6.5m wide at the bottom, 35-40m at the top, and 4.7-5.8m deep according to tides. The lock at the canal entrance is 126m x 7.5m on the sill (springs). Marans harbour is entered by a lock 104m long, entrance width 10.8m, depth on sill 6.4m (MHWS), 1.98m (MLWS), 5.1m (MHWN).
Tidal range and flow
Range 2.0m.
Weather
Prevailing winds: W/SW'ly. Caution: Strong winds from SSW make entry to Brault Lock dangerous.