Gironde — Île Nouvelle

About This Anchorage

Île Nouvelle is an uninhabited nature reserve island sitting in the mid-Gironde estuary, surrounded by the famous Bordeaux wine country — Château Margaux, Château Lafite Rothschild, and St-Émilion are all within 20km. The island is a Réserve Naturelle Nationale — home to grey herons, egrets, and cormorants in large colonies — no landing permitted. Anchoring off the NE shore puts you in the heart of the world's greatest wine region, with the vines of the Médoc running to the waterfront on the W bank and the côtes of Blaye and Bourg on the E. This is one of the most atmospheric and culturally rich anchorages in France, despite being essentially wild and undeveloped.

Hazards

• !TIDAL CURRENT 2–3kt: strong Gironde ebb — anchor drag risk; set firmly and monitor with alarm
• !COMMERCIAL TRAFFIC: large vessels use main Gironde channel; stay on S side of island
• !TIDAL RANGE 3–4m: estuary edges dry; calculate LW depth before anchoring
• !NATURE RESERVE: no landing on island — approach quietly; bird colony disturb risk

Skipper's Tips

• →A glass of Bordeaux at anchor with vineyard views — this is the quintessential Gironde experience.
• →Blaye (8nm NE) has a spectacular Vauban citadel (UNESCO) — worth a day visit by dinghy or walk.
• →Look N from the anchorage toward the Médoc vineyards — some of the world's most expensive wines grow within sight.

Nearby Anchorages