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Port de Vannes lies in the middle of the town of Vannes, at the northern end of the Gulf of Morbihan on the south coast of Brittany. Yachts berth here in a harbour basin that is separated from the tidal water by a lock gate. Here you can read how to get to Vannes, how the harbour is laid out, where to park and shop, what wind and tidal streams to expect, which sailing destinations are close by, and what skippers should know about the lock gate, registration and marine weather.
The essentials at a glance
- Vannes railway station is about 1.6 kilometres from the harbour: it is around a 20-minute walk, or about 11 minutes by bus line 7. Direct trains run between Vannes and Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle airport.
- Boats can only enter or leave the harbour basin when the bridge and lock gate are open around the time of high water. A waiting pontoon lies in front of it.
- There are car parks about 200 and 250 metres from the harbour, and the nearest supermarket is about 950 metres away. On Wednesday and Saturday mornings there is a market in the town centre.
- The wind most often blows from the west and southwest. Strong tidal streams run in the Gulf, strongest in the narrows at Port-Navalo.
Where is Port de Vannes?
Port de Vannes extends as a long harbour basin from the edge of the old town at the Place Gambetta southwards to the Pont de Kérino, the bridge at the harbour entrance. Between the basin and the bridge lies a lock gate that separates the basin from the tidal water of the Gulf. The Capitainerie, the harbour office, stands on the Quai Bernard Moitessier. Footpaths and cycle paths run around the basin, and the Promenade de la Rabine follows the waterside.
Map from OpenStreetMap. When the map is displayed, data is transmitted to the provider.
More InformationThe basin has 285 berths on floating pontoons. The harbour is run on behalf of the town of Vannes by the Compagnie des Ports du Morbihan. Outside the basin, Vannes is also a commercial port and the departure point for the ferries to the islands of the Gulf, and several boatyards operate at the harbour.
Arriving for the start of your sailing trip at Port de Vannes
From the airport to Port de Vannes
There are direct trains between Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle airport and Vannes (as of November 2026), and the journey takes around four hours. From Vannes station you can continue to the harbour by bus, taxi or on foot.
Nantes Atlantique airport is about 100 kilometres as the crow flies from Vannes.
By car, train or bus
Vannes railway station is on the Avenue Favrel et Lincy, about 1.6 kilometres north of the harbour. By TGV high-speed train, the journey from Paris takes around two and a half hours. It is about a 20-minute walk to the harbour, or you can be there in around 11 minutes on city bus line 7. Taxis wait to the left in front of the station.
Line 7 of the Kicéo city bus network continues from the harbour to the Gare maritime, the landing stage for the island ferries.
Parking
Public car parks are about 200 and 250 metres from the harbour, with another about 500 metres away. A zoned system with tariffs applies in the town centre, and in total Vannes has around 5,500 spaces in car parks and underground garages. Long-term parking passes are sold by the municipal parking service Kerpark.
Showers and sanitary facilities
Showers, toilets and a launderette are in the Capitainerie building, with the entrance at the back. The pontoons and sanitary facilities are secured, and you get access with the harbour card or via the harbour operator's app. Wi-Fi is free.
Shopping for the trip
Cafés, restaurants and a bookshop are just a few steps from the quays. The nearest supermarket, a Carrefour City, is about 950 metres away; in the town centre you will then find an organic supermarket about 1.1 kilometres and a Monoprix about 1.2 kilometres from the harbour. By car, you can reach the Carrefour Market about 1.4 kilometres away and the Intermarché about 1.8 kilometres away.
You can buy fresh produce at the market in the town centre on Wednesdays and Saturdays from 8 am to 1.30 pm. The covered market, the Halle des Lices, is open in the mornings from Tuesday to Sunday all year round, and the fish hall is open on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday mornings.
Doctor, pharmacy and emergency services
The nearest pharmacies, the Pharmacie Saint-Vincent and the Pharmacie du Port, are each about 700 metres from the harbour. You will find doctors' surgeries about 600 metres away. The hospital, the Hôpital Prosper Chubert, is about 2 kilometres north-east of the harbour. You can find out which pharmacy is on duty by calling 3237. The following emergency numbers apply in France:
- 112: European emergency number
- 15: Emergency medical services (SAMU)
- 17: Police and Gendarmerie
- 18: Fire brigade
- 114: Emergency call by text message, app or video for people with hearing or speech impairments
- 196: Maritime rescue via the CROSS Étel rescue coordination centre, also by telephone on +33 2 97 55 35 35
- At sea: VHF channel 16
What does Port de Vannes offer?
Port de Vannes is a harbour basin with 285 berths on floating pontoons, where the water stays in even at low tide. The key facts at a glance:
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Location | Town centre of Vannes, northern end of the Gulf of Morbihan |
| Operator | Compagnie des Ports du Morbihan |
| Berths in the basin | 285 |
| Water depth in basin | minimum 2.20 m |
| Access | Pont de Kérino and lock gate, open around the time of high water |
| Harbour office | Quai Bernard Moitessier, 56000 Vannes, +33 2 97 01 55 20, vannes@compagniedesportsdumorbihan.fr |
| VHF | Channel 9 |
| Maximum speed | 2 knots in the approach and harbour basin |
| Fuel | no fuel station; the nearest is at Port du Crouesty |
| Website | port-de-vannes.com |
Equipment
Water and electricity are available at the pontoons. At the harbour you will find a slipway seaward of the Pont de Kérino, a towing service and winter storage, as well as waste sorting and a defibrillator. From June to September, guests can borrow a bicycle from the Capitainerie for two hours. There is also a small harbour shop in the Capitainerie.
The Capitainerie has different opening hours depending on the season (as of November 2026):
- November to February: Monday to Saturday 9am to 12pm and 2pm to 5pm
- March to June, September and October: Monday to Saturday 8.30am to 12pm and 2pm to 6pm
- July and August: daily 8.30am to 12pm and 2pm to 7pm
On Sundays and public holidays it is closed outside the summer months. During opening hours the team is sometimes out on the water; in that case you can reach them on VHF channel 9 or on +33 6 40 38 89 43.
What is the weather like around Port de Vannes for sailing?
On the Breton coast the wind blows most often from the west and southwest. Northeasterly conditions often bring sunny sailing days in summer, while in winter this wind is dry and cold. On warm summer days a sea breeze also sets in. Météo-France issues a strong wind warning for the coast as soon as winds of Force 7 or more are observed or forecast.
The Gulf of Morbihan is shallow, with a maximum depth of 23 metres, and at low water large areas of mudflats and silt dry out, especially in the east. The tidal streams are strong, and very strong in the narrows at Port-Navalo, the connection to the open sea. Vannes lies where the flood reaches furthest up into the Gulf.
Which sailing destinations are near Port de Vannes?
From Port de Vannes, the main channel leads southwest through the Gulf of Morbihan to the narrows at Port-Navalo and from there into Quiberon Bay. The first destinations lie within the Gulf itself; the harbours along the coast and the islands further out can be reached once you have passed through the narrows.
Île aux Moines and Île d’Arz
Of the roughly 40 islands and islets in the Gulf, the Île aux Moines and the Île d’Arz are the largest and most visited. Both are inhabited all year round. The Île aux Moines is shaped like a cross, is around 6 kilometres long and nowhere wider than 500 metres. Its harbour, Le Lério, lies in the northwest of the island. The Île d’Arz is around 4 kilometres long and 3 kilometres wide, flatter than its neighbour and easy to walk around on foot. On the Île d’Arz stands a 15th-century tide mill, which is back in operation.
Port du Crouesty and La Trinité-sur-Mer
Port du Crouesty lies at the tip of the Rhuys peninsula and has the nearest fuel station for boats; find out more in our profile Port du Crouesty in Arzon. West of the Gulf entrance, La Trinité-sur-Mer lies on Quiberon Bay, at the mouth of the Rivière de Crac’h; find out more in the profile Port de La Trinité-sur-Mer.
Belle-Île, Houat and Hoëdic
Belle-Île, Houat and Hoëdic lie in and beyond Quiberon Bay. From Vannes they are a long leg: first through the Gulf and the narrows, then across the bay.
What can you do on a harbour day in Vannes?
The old town of Vannes begins right at the top end of the harbour basin.
Old town and town walls
Vannes has one of the last surviving town walls in Brittany, strengthened in the late 14th century and extended as far as the harbour quarter. The surviving towers include the Tour du Connétable, the highest tower on the wall, and the Tour Calmont gate with separate passages for carts and pedestrians. Alongside the wall lie the Remparts gardens, with large flower beds in the French style. On guided tours run by the town and the tourist office, you can also walk along the wall walk.
Half-timbered houses, cathedral and La Cohue
Vannes has around 170 half-timbered houses, most of them around Saint-Pierre Cathedral, with the prettiest on the Place Henri IV. On the corner of Rue Noé, two painted granite busts look out from a façade, “Vannes et sa femme”, probably the most photographed couple in town. La Cohue, in the Middle Ages a market hall with shops and the seat of the ducal court, is now the Museum of Fine Arts.
Coastal path to Conleau
From the harbour, a coastal path follows the shore of the gulf towards the Conleau peninsula, with its beach and a seawater pool for swimming. With a hire bike from the Capitainerie you can also reach the Marais de Séné nature reserve to the southeast of the town.
By ferry to the islands
A ferry runs daily all year round from the Gare maritime to the Île d’Arz. There you can also get information on excursion trips to the Île aux Moines, as well as to Houat, Hoëdic and Belle-Île. Bus 7 runs from the harbour to the ferry landing. From the Port de Vannes you can also book a visit to the stone tomb on the island of Gavrinis, a megalithic monument that is part of the UNESCO World Heritage.
For skippers: berthing, lock gate and marine weather at the Port de Vannes
At the Port de Vannes, you call the Capitainerie on VHF channel 9 as soon as you approach the entrance. You can only enter the basin while the Pont de Kérino and the lock gate are open around the time of high water.
Pont de Kérino and lock gate
The harbour basin is held at a water depth of at least 2.20 metres by a lock gate. In front of it lies the Pont de Kérino. The bridge and gate are opened together for boats around the time of high water; at other times the basin is closed. The times depend on the tide and change daily. The port publishes them in advance as a monthly table on the Port de Vannes website.
If you arrive too early, you moor at the waiting pontoon on the seaward side of the Pont de Kérino. It is not connected to the shore. Yachts with a draught of more than 2.20 metres can also enter the harbour; they arrange their entry with the Capitainerie beforehand. While the harbour is open to boats, the bridge and footbridges are closed to pedestrians. To get to the other bank, you can then use the pedestrian tunnel at the Pont de Kérino or walk round the basin via the Place Gambetta.
Registration and Berthing
You can reach the Capitainerie on +33 2 97 01 55 20, and, during opening hours, also on mobile on +33 6 40 38 89 43 when nobody is in the office. The Capitainerie will allocate you a visitors' berth. If you arrive when the office is closed, a notice board at the harbour shows the free visitors' berths. If you moor in a berth that has already been allocated, you must move in the morning. Straight after opening, you check in at the Capitainerie and state your planned departure. You pay the berthing fee for this period when you check in. A berthing day runs from 12 noon to 12 noon. How long visitors can stay is determined by the Capitainerie depending on the free berths available.
Harbour rules
A maximum speed of 2 knots applies in the approach and in the harbour basin. Anchoring is prohibited in the harbour and in the approach. When nobody is on board, you unplug the shore power cable. Cleaning the underwater hull and other work in the water that harms the environment are prohibited.
Approach
From the sea, you enter the Gulf of Morbihan at Port-Navalo and follow the main channel through the gulf to the harbour of Vannes. Finally, you pass through the approach to the waiting pontoon in front of the Pont de Kérino.
High and low water times for the French coast are published by the Hydrographic Service SHOM. Current warnings to shipping are issued by the Préfecture for the Atlantic coast .
Which marine weather forecast applies to the Port de Vannes?
The coastal weather forecast from Météo-France applies for the area “From Pointe de Penmarc’h to Anse de l’Aiguillon”. The CROSS Étel rescue coordination centre broadcasts it on VHF channel 80, via the Belle-Île station daily at 07:33, 13:33 and 19:33. Via the Étel station it is also broadcast every 20 minutes on channel 63. The CROSS stations broadcast strong wind warnings every hour. All broadcast channels are explained by the Marine weather guide from Météo-France.
Sailing trips from Vannes on Törnfinder
All current offers are in the trip overview, an overview of the whole country from the Atlantic to the Mediterranean is given on the page Sailing in France.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get to the Port de Vannes without a car?
Take the train to Vannes, then walk to the harbour in around 20 minutes or take bus line 7, which takes around 11 minutes. The station is around 1.6 kilometres to the north. There are direct trains to Vannes from Paris-Charles-de-Gaulle airport.
Where do I park at the start of the trip in Vannes?
In public car parks around 200 and around 250 metres from the harbour. The town centre has a zoned parking system with tariffs; long-term parking permits are sold by the municipal parking service Kerpark.
Where do I buy provisions for the trip in Vannes?
At the Carrefour City around 950 metres from the harbour or at the Monoprix around 1.2 kilometres away; by car, at the Carrefour Market or the Intermarché. There is a market on Wednesday and Saturday mornings, and the market hall is open in the mornings from Tuesday to Sunday.
Are there showers at the Port de Vannes?
Yes, in the Capitainerie building, with the entrance at the back, plus a washing machine. You get access with the harbour card or via the harbour operator's app, and Wi-Fi is free.
When can you enter the Port de Vannes?
Only while the Pont de Kérino and the lock gate are open around the time of high water. The times change daily and are listed in a table on the harbour's website. Until the next opening, you wait at the waiting pontoon in front of the bridge.
