CÔTE D’AZUR · BEFORE YOU SET OUT

Can I take the boat out today?

Check the morning Météo-France coastal forecast for your area. Above force 5 (17 knots), a trip in a small boat becomes uncomfortable, and several rental companies on the coast postpone it; a BMS (special weather bulletin, issued from force 7) means staying in port. Allow for the afternoon breeze, which picks up in late morning, and before setting out, identify the shelter in your basin for the day’s wind.

Which forecast to read, and where to hear it

The coastal forecast from Météo-France covers up to 20 miles offshore, looks seven days ahead, and is updated three times a day; the shoreline forecast covers the first 2 miles (Météo-France marine guide 2025). Area “Port-Camargue – Saint-Raphaël” for the golfe de Saint-Tropez, “Saint-Raphaël – Menton” for the rest of the coast.
The coastal BMS is issued from force 7; the CROSS announces it on channel 16 and then broadcasts it every hour (DIRM Méditerranée).
On the VHF, channel 64 (Pic de l’Ours) broadcasts the forecast from Saint-Raphaël to Menton, and Monaco Radio broadcasts it continuously on channel 23 (Marine guide).
By phone, 32 50, until it closes on 31 March 2027 (Météo-France).
Swell: Météo-France’s “waves-submersion” warning (warning); the French Maritime Prefecture is working with Météo-France on “dangerous waves” alerts for the Var and the Alpes-Maritimes (2026 campaign).

The thresholds, in one line

Forecast wind	For a small rental boat
Force 3-4 (7 to 16 knots)	A normal day; the afternoon breeze can bring it up to this.
Force 5 (17 to 21 knots)	Uncomfortable; several rental companies on the coast postpone trips from this threshold, according to the harbour office’s bulletin.
Force 6	In Villefranche, the buoy zone regulations require boats to leave their berth when the CROSS announces it (ZMEL regulations).
Force 7 and above (BMS)	Stay in port.

The winds of the coast

The mistral comes from the west along the Var coast; mean wind of 50 km/h, gusts of 80 to 100 km/h, over several days (Météo-France). It only reaches the Côte d’Azur when the low-pressure system lies north of the Gulf of Genoa; towards Nice, its direction has changed (Météo-France).
The easterly wind (levant) is humid, under cloudy skies; it quickly raises a rough sea. The marin (south-east) is “generally strong and steady”; the libeccio (south-west) is warm and dry on the Côte d’Azur (Météo-France).
The sea breeze picks up “towards late morning/midday”, at 15 to 30 km/h on average, sometimes 50; it drops in the evening (Météo-France). A calm morning tells you nothing about the afternoon.
Thunderstorms often break out in late afternoon, under cumulonimbus clouds (Marine guide); Nice has 33 thunderstorm days a year (Figaro Nautisme).

Golfe de Saint-Tropez

Wind	What it does here	Where to shelter	Where not to stay
Mistral (west)	The port of Saint-Tropez is not protected from it; in a strong mistral, difficult entry, chop and backwash (Bloc Marine).	Sainte-Maxime is sheltered, except from the mistral (Bloc Marine).	The baie des Canoubiers, exposed to the mistral (Saint-Tropez harbour).
Easterly wind	Port-Grimaud: difficult access in a strong easterly wind (Bloc Marine).	Around cap Taillat, in an east wind, the Briande Est anchorage (Figaro Nautisme).	The head of the gulf.
Westerly wind	—	At cap Taillat, in a westerly wind, L’Escalet or Bonporté (Figaro Nautisme).	—

Fréjus, Saint-Raphaël, Estérel

Wind	What it does here	Where to shelter	Where not to stay
Breezes	At Port-Fréjus: north-westerly at 12 knots at night, south-easterly to southerly at 10 to 20 knots by day; at anchor off Fréjus, easy in very fine weather, otherwise rough (Bloc Marine).	Port-Fréjus, sheltered from the winds.	The anchorage off Fréjus, except in fine weather.
Mistral	At Santa-Lucia, in a strong mistral, take the south entrance without drifting onto the Lion de Terre (Bloc Marine).	The Estérel gives shelter from the north.	The south entrance of Santa-Lucia.
South, southerly swell	The rade d’Agay is exposed to southerly swell; sources differ on the easterly wind (Bloc Marine, Figaro Nautisme).	—	Agay in a southerly wind or swell.

Baie de Cannes, Golfe-Juan, Îles de Lérins

Wind	What it does here	Where to shelter	Where not to stay
Easterly, south-easterly wind	At the Lérins, chop in an easterly or south-easterly wind: weigh anchor as soon as it strengthens (Figaro Nautisme). In the Vieux-Port of Cannes, swell mainly at the jetties (Bloc Marine).	The Vieux-Port of Cannes, now protected from the east.	The north-east coast of the Lérins and the channel between the islands when the easterly freshens.
Breeze	At the Lérins, the best times are mornings before 11 am and late afternoon (Figaro Nautisme).	To the south or south-west of the island, between pointe du Dragon and the plage de la Convention.	The north of Saint-Honorat, in fine weather only.
Prevailing winds	At Golfe-Juan: south-east and west (Bloc Marine).	—	—

Cap d’Antibes and Baie des Anges

Wind	What it does here	Where to shelter	Where not to stay
Levant (east)	Port Vauban: prevailing easterly wind, tricky entry in a strong easterly (Bloc Marine); the sea gets up at la Salis, la Garoupe and Keller (Antibes Info).	On the Juan-les-Pins side, the cape gives shelter from the levant.	La Salis, la Garoupe, Keller.
Mistral, west	Flat sea close inshore, short and choppy offshore; the cape shelters the Antibes shore from the westerly (Antibes Info).	The Antibes shore, east of the cape.	Offshore of the cape.
South-east, south (Nice)	The port of Nice is sheltered from all winds except south-east and south; its entrance is hard to identify from offshore (Bloc Marine).	—	Approaching Nice in a south-easterly or southerly wind.

Villefranche, Cap-Ferrat, Beaulieu

Wind	What it does here	Where to shelter	Where not to stay
South	The most treacherous: waves of 2 to 4 m, no safe anchorage in the roadstead (ASPMV).	None in the roadstead.	The whole roadstead.
West (ponente)	The most powerful: it enters the roadstead and pushes boats onto the shore (ASPMV).	—	The head of the roadstead.
South-west (libeccio)	Brings violent thunderstorms (ASPMV).	—	—
Mistral	Dangerous because it gets up suddenly (ASPMV).	—	—
East	Quickly raises a rough sea; the entrance to the port of Saint-Jean is difficult in a strong easterly; prevailing easterly wind at Beaulieu (Bloc Marine).	—	The Saint-Jean harbour entrance.

Cap-d’Ail, Monaco, Menton

Wind	What it does here	Where to shelter	Where not to stay
West, south-west	At Cap-d’Ail, heavy backwash in a westerly or south-westerly swell; pass half a mile off the outer breakwater (Bloc Marine).	—	The Cap-d’Ail pierhead.
East, south-east	Menton Vieux-Port: difficult in a strong easterly, the port being open to the east (Bloc Marine); Garavan: difficult access in a heavy south-easterly swell (Bloc Marine); prevailing easterly wind in Monaco (Bloc Marine).	Menton-Garavan, once inside, sheltered from easterly winds and the mistral.	Menton Vieux-Port in an easterly wind.
Swell	On 24–25 October 2025, between Nice and Menton: waves of up to 1.5 m, water activities “strongly discouraged” by the prefecture (France 3).	—	—

Frequently asked questions

Above what wind strength should you not go out in a small boat?

Above force 5 (17 knots), a trip in a small boat becomes uncomfortable, and several rental companies on the coast postpone it. As soon as a BMS is issued (force 7), stay in port.

What time does the breeze pick up on the Côte d’Azur?

The sea breeze picks up towards late morning or midday, blows at 15 to 30 km/h on average, sometimes 50, and drops in the evening.

Where can you shelter from the easterly wind between Cannes and Nice?

On the Juan-les-Pins side, the cap d’Antibes gives shelter from the levant; the Vieux-Port of Cannes is now protected from the east. The Lérins, la Garoupe and la Salis become uncomfortable.

Official sources

Sources consulted on 26 September 2026. This guide helps you prepare a trip; it replaces neither the texts in force, nor the rental company’s instructions, nor the day’s weather forecast.

Continue your preparation

Reading the marine forecast · In case of breakdown · Coves and anchorages · All guides

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