France

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Revision as of 16:07, 8 October 2008

France Cruising Guide

An online cruising guide for sailing the coasts of France.

France
France
Flag
Capital:	Paris
Language:	French
Currency:	Euro
More notes about the country

Background

France is a country located in Western Europe. Clockwise from the north, France borders Belgium and Luxembourg to the northeast, Germany and Switzerland to the east, Italy to the south-east and Spain to the south-west, across the Pyrenees mountain range (the small country of Andorra lies in between the two countries). The Mediterranean Sea lies to the south of France, with the Principality of Monaco forming a small enclave. To the west, France has a long Atlantic Ocean coastline, while to the north lies the English Channel, across which lies the last of France's neighbours, England (part of the United Kingdom).

Expand on cruising/sailing in France.

Climate & Weather

Submit the climate details

Sources of weather forecasting:

Charts

Submit details of the charts required for safe navigation of the area.

Special Navigation Notes

Any navigation notes here.

Local Radio Nets

Also see World Cruiser's Nets

Submit details of Cruiser's Nets and VHF operating/calling channels here.

Arrival/Departure procedures

EU Vessels & EU Nationals
For European Union members, EU regulations apply. Vessels arriving from another EU country do not need to clear customs, they must however report to Immigration. Vessels registered in countries falling under the Schengen Agreement, (i.e. vessels from Spain or Italy) do not need to clear immigration.

Non-EU Vessels (incl. EU vessels with non-EU nationals aboard)
The skipper must report to customs at a port of entry with the ship's registration papers and passports and sometimes the customs officials will visit the boat on arrival. The Customs officials may also sometimes inspect yachts that are up to 12 miles from the coast. The port captain must be contacted immediately on arrival in a marina or port, and he will usually notify Customs. If not, the skipper must phone Customs.

Immigration

Nationals of the European Union, Argentina, Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Iceland, Israel, South Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland, Singapore, Uruguay and the United States do not require visas for a stay of up to three months. All other nationalities require visas which must be obtained in advance. See Official Site for full details of visa requirements and how to apply.

Customs

• Firearms MUST be declared.
• PETS - France will accept animals which arrive under the Pets Travel Scheme (PETS) Cats and dogs must have an anti-rabies vaccination certificate (dated at least 30 days in advance and within 12 months of date of entry). A Health Certificate from a veterinarian (dated within 5 days of travel to France), is required. Other animals must be inspected by the health official on arrival. A maximum of three dogs and/or cats may be brought in on the vessel.

Formalities

Vessels remaining in France
EU regulations apply concerning temporary importation. Non-EU boats are allowed to remain inside France for up to 6 months during any 12-month period. Vessels wanting to stay longer must lodge the ship's papers with the local Customs office, who will place the vessel under a "bond". The clock will then be stopped until the owner returns on board. During the period that the vessel is in "bond", the vessel must NOT be moved from its berth, and NO-ONE is allowed to sleep aboard.

Vessels that are borrowed, chartered or owned by companies can arrive in France under a temporary importation permit. The SAME PERSON that brought the vessel into France MUST remain in charge and take it out of the country again. If arriving on a "borrowed" vessel, you must have written permission for the use of the vessel from the owner and that the vessel can enter French waters.

Crew changes are allowed while in France if the "entry" skipper remains on board. The only changes of owner or captain allowed are on privately owned vessels, where the person in charge may hand over control to a member of the immediate family (spouse or children), who must not be resident in France. A vessel's co-owner may hand over to another co-owner, who is listed as such on the official ship's documents. Delivery crews may bring in a vessel into France for the owner to take over, or sail a yacht out of France on behalf of an owner, provided that a proper delivery agreement is documented. The yacht being delivered is not allowed to stop anywhere else in France except at French ports of entry/exit, unless the vessel is forced to stop elsewhere due to adverse weather conditions or other unforseen circumstances.

Yachts may not be "lent", "hired" or sold while in French waters, while under the above temporary importation permit.

Only bareboat charters are permitted in French waters and if the yacht is foreign owned, proper formalities and registrations must be completed.

Taking on paying "crew" is not permitted in France - this is considered to be chartering. If a vessel is carrying paying passengers, this must be declared to Customs on arrival in France, the yacht imported and TVA (Value Added Tax) must be paid.

Documents
Vessels must carry their original registration document, insurance policy and ship's radio licence. At least one member of the crew must have a radio operator’s certificate of competence. For EU boats, proof of VAT status is also required.

Health & Security

Submit any health warnings/information and any security details here.

Cruiser's Popular Ports and Stops

Offshore Islands

• Corsica

Overseas Departments

• Guadeloupe
• Martinique
• French Guyane
• Reunion

Overseas Territories and Islands

• French Polynesia (Tahiti)
• New Caledonia (Nouvelle Caledonie)
• Saint-Pierre and Miquelon (Saint Pierre et Miquelon)
• Mayotte
• Wallis and Futuna

• French Southern and Antarctic territories (Terres Antarctiques et Australes Françaises, or TAAF), consisting of Terre Adélie in Antarctica and some islands in the Indian Ocean
• Scattered Islands of the Indian Ocean (Iles Eparses):
  • Europa Island
  • Bassas da India
  • Juan de Nova Island
  • Glorieuses Islands
• Clipperton Island

Coastal Passages

• Coastal passages - Channel/Atlantic coast
• Coastal Passages - Mediterranean coast

Cruiser's Friends

Submit details/contacts of cruiser's "friends" that can be contacted in advance or on arrival - who can offer information and assistance to our cruising "family".

References & Publications

Books, Guides, etc.

Links to CruiserLog Forum discussions

Links to discussions on the CruiserLog Forum

External Links

Submit useful website links for the region

Personal Notes

Personal experiences?

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