Baie de Bonporteau

Located between Cap Camarat and Cap Taillat,Baie de Bonporteau is a large inlet on the Côte d’Azur that lies a few kilometers south of Cap Saint-Tropez.

The area is fairly sheltered from the mistral wind and southwesterly currents, especially near Cap Camarat and Cap Taillat and-in general-near the highest rocks that serve as natural shelter.

In contrast, the bay offers no shelter from winds from the east and south. In the presence of these winds, the swell can become quite significant, and it is best to seek safer landfall by sailing up toward Saint Tropez.

Bonporteau Inlet is very popular, and in the summer it becomes an ideal destination for boaters and tourists, especially during daylight hours, while in the evening the bay enjoys greater tranquility.

An organized mooring area has been equipped near Pointe du Canadel, offering buoys for a limited number of boats. The organization of this area was motivated by an attempt to defend from wild anchoring the posidonia meadows that populate the seabed, especially near the rocks. However, the creation of this area has greatly diminished the possibility of finding places to anchor freely.

A beach restaurant can also be found near the organized mooring.
Tourists and sailors who land in Bonporteau Bay can take advantage of quite a number of beaches, all of which are very picturesque.
The northernmost one is thePlage de l’Escalet, a beautiful beach of white sand and rocks that enjoys the convenience of nearby parking (for those arriving by car).

Near Cap Taillat, on the other hand, are two other very characteristic beaches, the Plage de la Douane and the Plage du Cap Taillat, both of which are close to a convenient parking lot (for a fee in high season) and the Napoleonic-era Maison des Douanes, from which to enjoy magnificent views of the lush vegetation and surrounding headlands.

La Baie de Bonporteau is an excellent starting point to reach Saint Tropez and the Baie de Cavalaire.