France

The RYA would be pleased to receive reports of your experiences by email to cruising@rya.org.uk.

UK Government travel advice

FCDO advice including information on permitted duration of stay and visas for France: https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/france

Application of French Law to foreign-flagged vessels

It is not unusual for the French legislature to adopt legislation that the courts cannot or will not enforce because it is unconstitutional. Reading French legislation in isolation does not, therefore, necessarily give the full legal picture. To the extent that these French laws purport to apply rules regarding the manning or equipment of visiting foreign small recreational boats, they may be at odds with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982. As a result, it may well be that the French courts would decline to enforce the French domestic equipment and manning rules against foreign-flagged vessels. There is no guarantee, however, that every French court would take this approach in every case so it is recommended that UK recreational boaters visiting French waters endeavour to comply with the French domestic rules relevant to their area of operation.

RYA members can see Visiting France - a constitutional conundrum for a more detailed explanation and information about equipment.

French Government information on recreational boating and watersports - the information is in French but some internet browsers will provide a translation. 

Evidence of competence

For overview information on the validity of RYA certificates abroad see Evidence of Competence Abroad.

L5241-1-1 of the French Transport Code extends the requirements for evidence of competence to foreign-flagged boats owned or used by people residing in France only.  Visitors to France on foreign flagged boats are only required to have the licence required by the vessel's flag state.

Under French law a licence is only required for a motorised pleasure boat of 6 HP or more. The decision for skippers of UK flagged pleasure vessels for which a licence would be required under French law is whether or not to risk no evidence of competence, where evidence of competence is not required under UK law.

Coastal Waters: It is recommended (particularly in the Mediterranean) that you carry any certificates you have with you, as we very occasionally hear rumours that a certificate has been requested.

Inland Waters: The ICC is recommended for a UK flagged boat as an ICC with the inland category validated demonstrates that the holder has sufficient knowledge of the traffic regulations applicable on inland waters, which implement CEVNI.

The ICC may not be sufficient for vessels over 20m in length.

French translations of many RYA certificates and their related course syllabus are available from the RYA website www.rya.org.uk/go/translations.

The use of CEVNI signage is an indicator that waters are classified as inland.  The first obstacle to navigation for seagoing ships is often where inland waters begin. This can be a lock, a bridge or a tidal barrage. On smaller rivers however, the limit of the inland waters is taken to be the mouth. There are of course exceptions so if in doubt check with the local Harbour Master.

RYA members can see Visiting France - a constitutional conundrum for a more detailed explanation of the application of French Law to foreign-flagged vessels.

Standard entry and exit formalities

EU member state (part of the customs territory of the EU (which includes territorial waters)).  Further information is provided on the Entry & Exit Formalities page under Customs - EU Member States.

Part of the Schengen area.

As part of the customs territory of the EU (which includes territorial waters) and the Schengen area customs and immigration checks may not always be required on arrival and departure. Formalities must be followed when arriving from a non-Schengen country (for immigration) or non-EU country (for customs) purposes.

It should not be assumed that having visited the marina office all necessary formalities have been completed. The marina office may be able to provide you with directions to the necessary office(s) to complete your arrival formalities with immigration and customs.

Having cleared immigration on arrival it is essential you also clear immigration on departure. 

The many regional variations make it difficult to provide simple guidance on the formalities when entering France. Different expectations and procedures may be encountered at different points of entry and departure. 

Immigration when arriving from a non-Schengen country

On arrival in France directly from the UK (or another third country) you need to clear immigration. You can find a list of official French sea border crossing points (Points de Passage Frontaliers – PPF) on French Customs. 

The Schengen Border Code provides a derogation which allows a pleasure boat coming from a third country to exceptionally enter a port which is not a recognised sea border crossing point. You still need to clear immigration on arrival.  

New protocol announced May 2024, adding 53 marinas as entry points for sailors arriving from abroad 

In addition to the official French border crossing points (points de passage frontaliers - PPF), 53 marinas have been granted permission to welcome boats coming from abroad.

You can find a PDF list of these marinas, as well as a generic copy of the entry/exit form that you will need to complete for arrival and departure on French Customs.

The website also details the procedures to follow for entering and through the marinas that are part of the new protocol. In addition, the Regional Customs Authority in Brittany have provided further clarification on questions relating to the new protocol: 

1. If a boat arrives in France via a non-PPF port, it should only leave by another non-PPF port. No inspection of passports is required, as all information concerning  persons on board is contained in the Declarations of Arrival and Departure submitted to the marina authorities for onward transmission to the Border Authorities (procedure described on French Customs). 
2. If a boat arrives and leaves by the same non-PPF port, no inspection of passports is required for the same reasons as given in 1.
3. If a boat arrives in France via a PPF port (official border crossing point) it must leave via a PPF port, and passports will be stamped on arrival and departure by the Border Authorities, although Declarations of Arrival and Departure must still be submitted to the relevant marina authorities. 

In the event that a boat arrives in France via a non-PPF port with the intention of leaving France via a PPF port, be warned that all those on board must present themselves ON ARRIVAL to the PPF port to which the non-PPF port is attached to have their passports stamped. For example, as Brest is the PPF for L’Aber Wrac’h and L’Aber Wrac’h is the entry port into France, the boat should proceed initially to Brest before continuing to L’Aber Wrac’h.  

When planning a cruise this requirement must be taken into account to avoid any delays or misunderstandings. 

Customs formalities when arriving from outside the customs territory of the EU 

At present it appears that it is not necessary to seek clearance to enter the country from French customs if you are entering France under Temporary Admission (this is explained on the Entry & Exit Formalities page under Customs - EU Member States). However, if you are in any doubt about the customs status of your boat or you need to declare it or any items onboard you should contact French customs on arrival. 

Documentation

It is essential to have the original registration document (not a photocopy) for your boat on board. If you are unable to present the original document if it is requested, you can expect to receive a fine of hundreds of Euros. 

RYA members can see further information about the legal basis for this requirement. 

Inland

When navigating the French waterways on boats over 20m it is mandatory to carry on board a copy of the general regulations of police inland navigation (RGPNI) and police special regulations (RPP) applicable to the waterway sector you are navigating. These documents can be stored electronically provided they can be consulted at any time. 
 
The RGPNI can be downloaded from the following link: https://www.vnf.fr/vnf/publicationss/le-reglement-general-de-police-de-la-navigation-interieure-rgpni-ou-rgp/  
 
The RPP can be downloaded from: 

https://www.vnf.fr/vnf/publicationss/rpp_bap-saone_pk_54-900_belleville_20160509163353/  (Prefet du Rhone) 

https://www.vnf.fr/vnf/publicationss/rpp_bap_saone_pk112_111-6__tournus_20160509154908/ (Prefet de Saone-et-Loire)

https://www.vnf.fr/vnf/publicationss/rpp_bap_rhone__pk165-100_chateauneuf_du_rhone_20160509153042/  (Prefet de la Drome) 
 
https://www.vnf.fr/vnf/publicationss/rpp_bap_rhone_pk_204-000__saint_etienne_des_sorts_20160509152645/  (Prefet du Gard) 

For smaller vessels, it is recommended you carry a copy of the French regulations or CEVNI, for reference. 

Signatory to the Regional Arrangement Concerning the Radiotelephone Service on Inland Waterways (RAINWAT). Where a VHF is required or is to be used on the inland waterways of RAINWAT signatory countries, the set must be ATIS enabled and vessels must comply with the requirements of the RAINWAT.  

VNF waterways: Details of closures on the French Canals and the details of the Vignette (the recreational licence required by boats navigating the French VNF waterways) can be found on the VNF website. 

Holding tanks 

See holding tanks for information on the discharge of waste water.  

Buying diesel 

It is unlawful in France to buy or use marked 'red' diesel for propelling a private pleasure craft. See Red Diesel Abroad for further information. 

Keeping a boat in France 

The name of the 'droit annuel de francisation et de navigation' has been changed to ‘la taxe annuelle sur les engins maritimes à usage personnel’. 

The tax is payable, irrespective of the nationality of the owner and the flag state (country of registration) of the boat by persons who have a main residence* in France (article L. 5112 -1-18 of the transport code). Information about ‘la taxe annuelle sur les engins maritimes à usage personnel’, including the types and sizes of boats and watercraft it applies to and how to pay is available from the Secretariat of State For The Sea and Biodiversity. The information is in French but some internet browsers will provide a translation. 

* this information is taken from an automatic translation and is provided for indicative purposes only - the original text in French is available at the link above.  

Credit cards at fuel pumps in France 

Members have previously reported problems they have encountered when trying to obtain fuel in France using a credit card. 
 
The most common difficulty is in trying to get fuel at unattended, automatic fuel pumps, where UK credit cards don't always work. This is a retailer-related problem that affects all UK credit cards used in France; indeed, many such fuel pumps only take the carte bleu card, available to French residents only. 
 
Feedback about your experiences of using a credit card to purchase boat fuel when visiting France is welcomed and can be sent to cruising@rya.org.uk.  

Websites

A visa may be required for longer stays in France. Check at France-Visas. 

Voies navigables de France (VNF).

Purchasing a recreational licence for the VNF waterways:

Water levels on French waterways: Guide du Port.

Travelling to France with pets.

Localisation Des Aires Marines Protégées.