Report from 2025 by Simon McLaughlin
We tried to get into the lock at Deauville – it is less tidal than Trouville. There was a language barrier between me and the lock keeper – he didn’t believe my draft of 1.2m (I have a lifting keel) so wouldn’t let me in (thought I was 2m -by looking at my boat) (found this out from fluent English speaking staff at Trouville) where we ended up going after going back out to sea before they radioed us Trouville is highly recommended. Very smart marina – lots of space to manoeuvre-great facilities, friendly sailing club with nice view and terrace.
The outer marina has a flap that lowers itself when tide is high enough and has a green light. Then there is a bridge which opens every 15minutes automatically and stays open for 30min irrespective of boat traffic.
Transiting lifting bridge to the visitors marina -berths are immediately left after the bridge. Harbour masters office is below the starboard (west) tower and sailing club with toilet and showers are just SW of the office.
Nice finger pontoons and also alongside berthing. Modern pontoons that are a bit higher (set fenders higher than normal) -found exactly the same set up at Le Havre and Honfleur.
We enjoyed the 50m indoor pool at Deauville and another one at Le Havre (both have very nice architecture -esp the pool at Le Havre if u like art deco style).
Visitor pontoon, just inside the very pretty Belvedere towers. Bridge lifts every 15min automatically when there is enough tide to enter and leave the marina.
Finger pontoons and alongside berthing.
The marina is run by the same group as Honfleur -they have a loyalty card and gave us a 5% discount as we had come from Honfleur.
Carrefour city about 10min walk. Various eateries overlooking the Marina and (lots) more choice in Trouville itself.
Choice of two 50m swimming pools -indoor pool at Deauville -which we used -very clean and highly recommended (unusually they use filtered sea water for an indoor pool). Or a 50m long (but narrow) outdoor pool at Trouville.
If you are a fan of Belle Epoque architecture then you will enjoy Deauville/trouville.
The beach and boardwalk at Deauville is very groomed (Trouville slightly less so).
If you intend to go to Deauville via the lock -it is worth learning from my mistake of not radioing whilst at sea (the pilot book suggests if the tide is >4m and the light is green they will
Open the lock).
There was some confusion over my draft (I had less then they believed), consequently they wouldn’t let me in and the entrance is a winding narrow channel. I was forced to reverse back into the main channel across a strong incoming tide. This is one of those places where the tide pours in hard.
Trouville on the other hand has a flap which opens automatically and a bridge which lifts every 15mins. There is lots of space to manoeuvre whilst waiting for the bridge. Pilot book suggests there is a waiting pontoon. When we were there this was occupied by day and night by a large motor boat -so I wouldn’t rely on this.
Having said that, although we didn’t go into Deauville proper I would suggest if it’s a windy day (and you don’t have bow thruster) you may want to consider Trouville instead -If it’s a spring tide access times aren’t massively different. Entry is a lot less stressful -wide straight forward approach and there is lots of space to turn round and (worst case scenario) head back out to sea. If Deauville lock isn’t open when you get there and it’s windy you may be in trouble -there is no waiting pontoon, no space to turn round and the channel is narrow.
Worth reading about the potential shallow sandbank in the main channel in the pilot book too.
Beware of the sand bank when heading for the marina. The sandbank has been larger in recent years and a number of fine yachtsmen have been stuck on the sandbank.
When arriving, keep to the port side of the channel and do not turn early otherwise you may become another victim of the sandbank.
Bassin Morny may be a better bet especially if one can cope with the locking-out times.
There are 2 towns here – Deauville and Trouville. These are both very nice and interesting towns with amazing beaches, connected further up the river by a bridge, or even better, a small orange boat which goes every 5 mins and costs Euro 1.40. At low tide, there is a walkway that appears and this costs Euro 0.50.
Report recieved – August 2021
Thought I would update some useful information for anyone planning on visiting Deauville in the near future. I stayed there last week and grounded on entry because the charts are all wrong as is the data in the Reeds Almanac
Information.
- Radioed in on VHF 9 many times – No response!
- Approach to Deauville – The Navionics charting shows on the recommended approach 1.5m above chart datum.
- I approached on Wednedsay 4th August with a 6.8 metre tide at 19:30. I first attempted entry at 17:45 giving me a 6 metre tide, with a 2.1 metre draft. I expected to see at least 4 metres of water. I (and a Dutch boater who followed me) grounded around the area ‘Less funds’ shown on the chart. Was only going slowly and managed to free myself and retreat.
- I now waited until around 7pm which should give me almost the full 6.8m.
- Approach ok this time and turned right into Avant port for Deauville marina. Chart shows 1.7 above CD – I touched the bottom here – continued to lock (which was on free flow – according to their published data it would not be as on neaps).
- Entered marina – Charts told me 2.8 metres of water – My depth gauge reading 2.1 / 2.0 – Managed to park, but with very little water.
- Stayed in Marina until Tuesday 10th and left on a full spring @ 10.30AM, half an hour before HW which was 8 metre that day. Even with an 8 metre tide I had a depth of 3.5metres when leaving.
Points for your readers
- The charts are wrong
- The marina is kept at 2 metres not the 2.8 shown
- You will get neaped in this marina with a 2 metre draft boat
- Their website advertises the marina as the ‘deep water marina’ of Deauville and suitable for drafts upto 3m
- I queried this with the office when there and they said that their web site and charts were all wrong!
- Viewing the Avant port at LWS you can see that the channel markers are not quite in the right place and they could do with more!
Andrew
There are 2 marinas for visitors
Port Morny / Morny Basin / Inner Harbour
Port Morny is in the heart of the Town – It is the historic harbour basin of Deauville. It bears the name of the founder of the city, the Duke of Morny, and is ideally placed close to the city centre, at the entrance of the city and in front of the train station.
A pontoon runs the length of the left side of the marina as you enter through the lifting bridge. There are no fingers. The facilities are poor and the opposite side of the marina with 1 shower and 1 toilet for men and for ladies.
The facilities are next to the marina office and next to the Deauville Yacht Club. The development work on the Visitors pontoon side of the marina is progressing well and hopefully will include some facilities in the redevelopment.
Port Deauville
On the Normandy coast, where the tides impose their schedules on mariners, it is accessible for more hours during a day and has free flow on most tides (not big neaps). The free flow stops at high water. Port Deauvillle has longer opening times than Port Morny but is more remote from the Town and the Marina office and the facilities are a bit of a walk.
There are lots of visitor mooring spaces in this marina with quite a number of good size fingers. The problem is that the facilities are 6 mins walk away with no signs as to where they are and the Marina office is completely the other side of the marina, again with no map of how to get there and where it is. The check-in process was good and efficient.
Facilities
To find the facilities, walk to the southern end of the marina, go through a gate and there is a low white concrete structure in the ground. Go down the steps and there are 2 toilets and 2 showers at most times during the day. Hardly enough for 70 visiting boats and a 6 min walk from the moorings. At certain times, however (in May it was 09:00 to 12:00 and not Thursdays) a lady opens another section of the underground facilities and there are good showers, toilets and a washing machine and dryer. This provides another 4 or 5 showers and toilets in shared facilities. Hopefully, it is open more often in the summer when the marina is busiest.
To access the Harbour office, the best route is to go over the lock bridge as this is the shortest distance, but only when the lock gate is not in free flow. Otherwise, you need to walk all the way around the marina, which takes around 15 mins.
We were sent the tide times for the marina and were unable to understand why some of the heights of tide were highlighted in pink. Apparently, this indicates free flow through the lock gates.
Which Marina?
Port Morny probably has more character, is closer to the train station and the centre but Port Deauville is quieter and has fingers and so is better for a nice quiet stay.
https://www.deauvilleyachtclub.fr/
https://www.francethisway.com/places/deauville.php
Trouville Web Cam – https://ca.wisuki.com/webcams/1158/deauville
Trouville tourism web site https://www.trouvillesurmer.org/
Contact details
E-mail portdeplaisance@deauville.fr
port-deauville-sa@orange.fr
Tel 02 31 98 30 01
Webcam – see https://www.vision-environnement.com/livecams/webcam.php?webcam=trouville