Charente River — Rochefort Approaches (below Soubise)
Rivière Charente · Soubise anchorage
45°50.9'N 000°57.2'W
Depth
2–6m
Bottom
mud
Alarm Radius
60m
Holding
Excellent Holding
Recommended Anchor Alarm Radius
60m
60m on excellent mud — outstanding shelter in the river. STRONG TIDAL STREAM 2–3kt ebb. Tidal range 4–5m — river edges dry at LW; stay in channel. Navigate upriver to Rochefort only on flood tide.
About This Anchorage
The Charente River below Soubise is the gateway to one of France's most extraordinary maritime destinations: the Rochefort Arsenal. Rochefort was built from nothing by Jean-Baptiste Colbert in 1666 as Louis XIV's Atlantic naval base — the Corderie Royale (Royal Ropewalk, 374m long, the longest building in France) is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Hermione, a replica of the 18th-century frigate that carried Lafayette to America (the original sailed in 1780), was built here and launched in 2015. The Charente river approach to Rochefort is spectacular: tree-lined banks, whitewashed cognac and pineau warehouses, the limestone villages of Soubise and Port-des-Barques. Anchoring below Soubise gives all-round river shelter and access to the town by dinghy.
Protected From
N · NW · NE · E · W · S
Exposed To
None (fully sheltered)
Setting Your Anchor
Anchoring Rules
- Anchoring fee
- Free
- Permit required
- No
- Mooring buoys
- No
Restrictions: Navigate upriver to Rochefort on flood tide only — strong ebb makes progress impossible. River edges dry at LW — stay in marked channel. Tidal stream 2–3kt ebb. Commercial barges occasionally transit. VHF Ch 16.
Hazards
- !STRONG TIDAL STREAM 2–3kt ebb: anchor drag risk; set anchor firmly; use generous chain scope
- !RIVER EDGES DRY AT LW: stay in marked channel; do not venture onto river banks in shallow-draft dinghy at LW
- !TIDAL TRANSIT: navigate upriver to Rochefort only on flood — the ebb is too strong to make progress under sail
- !ORCA RISK: coastal approach passages in the Bay of Biscay — monitor orcas.pt/GTOA on offshore legs
Skipper's Tips
- →Navigate to Rochefort Arsenal on the flood tide — the Corderie Royale (UNESCO) and the Hermione replica frigate are extraordinary.
- →The Charente river at dawn — mist rising from the water, kingfishers on the banks, cognac warehouses in the background — is one of the great sailing experiences of France.
- →Allow 2–3 days at Rochefort: the Naval Museum, the Hermione, and the Corderie Royale each deserve half a day.
Facilities
Soubise village has a small restaurant. Rochefort (6nm upriver) has full facilities — marina, fuel, chandlery, excellent fish market.
Nearest provisions: Rochefort (6nm)
Best Months & Season
May, June, July, August, September
May–September. Tidal river — plan every movement on tide tables. One of the most historically rich destinations on the French Atlantic coast.
Recommended Anchor Types
Nearby Anchorages
Sleep Peacefully at Charente River — Rochefort Approaches (below Soubise)
With a 4–5m tidal change overnight and tidal current in the Gironde & Charente-Maritime, your boat's position and swinging circle change significantly through the night. Safety Anchor Alarm monitors your GPS position continuously — so a dragging anchor or unexpected current sets off the alarm before you drift into trouble.
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