French officials have announced a new ‘protocol’ for small boats to enter France from outside of the EU.
Normally boats would have to arrive at and depart from a Port of Entry (PPF), although last year there were a few ports with a special derogation which allowed entry for a limited period. The new ‘protocol’ will apply from 1 June 2024 and grants some 53 marinas (which are not PPFs) the rights to handle boats arriving from or departing to outside of the EU/Schengen area. Below is the list of PPFs and other marinas/ports for Channel France.
Skippers of these boats will need to email a specific completed form to the relevant port in advance of arrival or departure. These forms will then be processed by local officials, and we anticipate the stamped papers may be picked up on arrival or emailed in the case of departure (as last year for those few ports).
The Cruising Association will publish further information for members, including a comprehensive list of the relevant ports along with the associated forms as these are announced. The CA will also provide additional advice on some of the extra considerations such as cruising onwards to other EU countries and crew changes.
Further details for the Channel area but also applicable more widely, can be viewed by members on the France – Channel – Entry Procedures and Ports of Entry.
This announcement will make cruising to and from France this summer much easier and more attractive for all. The CA and cruising community is grateful to the French authorities as well as the ports and marina officials for their work to enable this outcome.
List of Ports
This list details all the ports which are included in the new protocol (as at 4 July 2024). Some of these are also existing PPFs:
Barneville-Carteret
Binic
Bonifacio
Boulogne sur mer
Calais
Calvi
Carentan
Charles Ornano
Conquet
Corbières port services
Courseulles-sur-Mer
Deauville
Dielette
Dieppe
Dives-sur-Mer
Dunkerque Marina
Fécamp
Grandcamps Maisy
Granville
Gravelines
Honfleur
l’Aber-Wrac’h
La Rochelle
Larmor-Baden
Le Havre
Lézardrieux
Morlaix
Paimpol
Perros-Guirec
Plouër-sur-Rance
Pontrieux
Port Chantereyne et avant-port
Port de Cap d’Ail
Port de Trébeurden
Port en Bessin
Port Napoléon
Port Pierre Canto
Port Saint Louis du Rhône
Port Saint Pierre, ville d’Hyères
Port Vauban
Port-Bail-sur-Mer
Porto Vecchio
Propriano
Saint Vaast la Hougue
Saint-Cast
Saint-Malo Plaisance
Saint-Quay Port d’Armor
Saint-Raphaël
Saint-Tropez
Saint-Valery-en-Caux
Sanary-sur-Mer
Tino Rossi
Tréguier
The Channel PPFs (Ports of Entry) are flagged on the map
Source: Cruising Association – www.theca.org.uk/news/france-easier-check-in-out
STORY UP-DATED 4/7/24 WITH REVISED LIST
