France 2026: One of the Widest Price Ranges in the Mediterranean – From €7 to €154
55 French harbours compared, from the Côte d'Azur to Corsica. Officially documented prices range from €7 at a small Corsican fishing harbour to €154 in Saint-Tropez – more than twenty-two times as much, one of the widest price ranges of any region we've compared so far.
No other country in the MarinaCheck dataset is as thoroughly officially documented as France: for 48 of the 55 harbours we've recorded, an official, publicly available rate list exists – usually published directly by the municipality, the port authority (Régie des Ports), a concession operator, or the chamber of commerce. That makes France the best-documented region in this guide series so far: almost every figure below can be verified against an official rate document.
And yet – or perhaps because of it – hardly any other region shows a wider range. At one end sits Port de Centuri, a small fishing harbour on Cap Corse with a municipally set rate of €7 per night. At the other end is Saint-Tropez, where the port authority's official rate climbs to as much as €154 per night in high season.
Cheaper vs. pricier – region by region
So the comparison doesn't rest on a single extreme example, here's the range for six coastal regions, from the Italian border to the Pyrenees and Corsica.
| Region | Cheaper* | Pricier* | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Côte d'Azur (Alpes-Maritimes) | Port de Villefranche-sur-Mer | €16–33 | Vieux Port de Cannes | €47–55 |
| Var | Port du Lavandou | €20–69 | Port de Saint-Tropez | €37–154 |
| Provence (Bouches-du-Rhône) | Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhône | €21–29 | Port de Cassis | €56–94 |
| Camargue & Languedoc | Marina La Grande Motte | €20–46 | Port Gardian (Saintes-Maries) |
€25–59 |
| Roussillon & Aude | Port de Gruissan | €26–49 | Port de Port-Vendres | €34–66 |
| Corsica | Port de Centuri | €7–15 | Port de Bonifacio | €34–110 |
* Current official rates (current rate) from the respective municipality, port authority or concession operator for a boat of approx. 12–13 m length (for area-based rates: reference area 52.5 m², corresponding to 12.50 × 4.20 m), as of 09/2026 – price ranges span low to high season, single figures apply year-round; deliberately only examples that can be backed by an official rate list. Details for every harbour, including those without an official rate on file, are in the MarinaCheck app.
Three examples from France
- Port de Centuri (Corsica) – €7–15/night
- Port de Villefranche-sur-Mer – €16–33/night
- Port-Saint-Louis-du-Rhône – €21–29/night
And for your own boat? Enter its length and beam and the app shows you the matching reference price for all 401 marinas in the Mediterranean instantly – free and with no account.
▶ Get it on Google PlayWhy many French rates are calculated by the square metre
Unlike Croatia or Greece, where fixed length brackets usually apply, many French harbours – especially on the Côte d'Azur, in the Var, and in Corsica – charge an official rate per square metre per night, multiplied by the boat's actual footprint (length × beam, rounded up). A wider boat therefore pays more at these harbours than a narrower boat of the same length – a distinction that most other regions don't make. For the examples in this guide, we've consistently used a reference boat of 12.50 × 4.20 m (52.5 m²) so the figures stay comparable.
Why prices vary so much
The most important factor is location: a berth on the glamorous Côte d'Azur or in Saint-Tropez carries a noticeable premium over an equally sized harbour in the Camargue or on Corsica – regardless of facilities or service. The second factor is the square-metre billing described above, which spreads prices further apart depending on a boat's shape. And third, hardly any region swings as sharply between seasons: at Riviera harbours, the high-season rate is often three to four times the low-season rate – at Port de Cavalaire it rises from €22.90 to €91.70, at Port de Bormes-les-Mimosas from €26.80 to €99.40.
In Corsica the picture is often different: many small municipal harbours such as Centuri or Cargèse are run directly by the local commune, without marina infrastructure like a pontoon, reception or crane – which makes them noticeably cheaper even near well-known destinations like Bonifacio or Calvi than comparable harbours on the mainland.
Don't forget: the taxe de séjour
As in most French holiday destinations, a municipal tourist tax (taxe de séjour) is added to the berthing fee and is rarely included in any published rate list – it's charged per person per night and set individually by each commune. In our sources it typically ranges from a few cents to just under one euro, for example €0.29 in La Grande Motte or €0.85 in Bonifacio. The exact amount for your destination harbour is best confirmed directly with the harbour office or the local commune.
For comparison with the two other regions we've already broken down: the median berthing price in France is around €51 per night – pricier than Greece (€35) and Spain (€48), but cheaper than Italy (€68) and Croatia (€101). We've broken down how that plays out in detail for the two neighbouring regions in separate guides to the cheapest marinas in Greece and the cheapest marinas in Croatia.
🔍 Honestly
The example prices above come from the official rate lists of the respective municipality, port authority or operator, for a boat of approx. 12–13 m length – your own boat's berth could be cheaper or more expensive, depending on length. That's exactly what the MarinaCheck app calculates individually for you, for every one of the more than 400 marinas it covers, free and without an account. At the French harbours billed by the square metre, the actual price on site can also depend on your boat's beam – the app itself currently only calculates by length.
For the remaining 7 of the 55 harbours we've recorded (mostly smaller Corsican harbours), no official rate list is available; there the app shows a researched rough estimate instead of an officially documented price.
One more practical tip: the price on the day can sometimes differ from the displayed reference price – some harbours offer a discount for longer stays, outside peak times, or simply if you ask. A quick call or email directly to the harbour office is therefore almost always worth it before you commit.
The reference prices and facility information on this page are based on publicly available data and may change at any time. We therefore always recommend checking directly with the relevant harbour office, as prices and services offered can change at short notice due to external factors. We therefore cannot accept liability for the accuracy, completeness or timeliness of the information.
Frequently Asked Questions
The questions readers ask most often about this guide.
How expensive are marinas in France?
At €7 to €154 per night, France has one of the widest price ranges of any Mediterranean region compared so far – more than 22 times between the cheapest and most expensive berth. The median price is around €51 per night.
Which harbour in France is the cheapest?
Port de Centuri, a small fishing harbour on Cap Corse in Corsica, charges an official municipal rate of €7–15 per night for a 12 m boat.
Why are French harbour fees often calculated per square metre?
Many harbours on the Côte d'Azur, in the Var and on Corsica charge a rate per square metre per night, multiplied by the boat's actual surface area (length × width). A wider boat therefore pays more than a narrower one of the same length.
What is the taxe de séjour, and is it included in the berth price?
The taxe de séjour is a municipal tourist tax charged on top of the berth fee, rarely included in any price list. It's levied per person per night and is usually a matter of a few cents up to just under a euro, for example €0.29 in La Grande Motte or €0.85 in Bonifacio.
Find the cheapest marina for your boat
Enter your boat's length and beam once and compare berth prices in France – and in all other Mediterranean countries – directly in the app.
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