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80,357-acre Marseille and Côte Bleue. South West France saltwater fishing map with official SHOM 100 m bathymetry, source-qualified fishing spots, official regional fish evidence, seasonal forage guidance, public shore-use context and current-rule links. The Côte Bleue, Marseille roadstead and Frioul approaches, with calanques, harbor walls, islands and steep rocky contours. This page covers the south west angler-scale survey window. The water tops out around 381 ft. The depth chart comes from Shom (Service hydrographique et océanographique de la Marine) bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
Traced from the shoreline, Marseille and Côte Bleue - South West runs 80,262 acres with 48.5 miles of edge. The basin is a simple one (shoreline index 1.2) — close to a bowl, so the structure on the chart matters more than the bank. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 0% of the surface — that's where the groceries are. Tip to tip the water measures near 17.1 mi with a 15.3-mi widest point. For a second option, Marseille and Côte Bleue - North West lies 10 mi north.
Marseille and Côte Bleue — South West, France : carte SHOM officielle jusqu’à 116 m; spots pour bar commun, sole commune. Pour préparer la pêche, jamais pour naviguer. Les profondeurs et les points de structure proviennent de la grille bathymétrique officielle du Shom. Les données servent à préparer la pêche et ne doivent jamais être utilisées pour la navigation.
Regional occurrence supports a search target, not equal abundance, child-specific catch rate, retention permission or a promised catch. Current national, EU, regional, protected-area and species rules always control. The roster may combine exact-water monitoring with habitat-filtered official regional evidence; it does not imply that every species is equally abundant throughout the mapped section.
| Species | Evidence basis | Count / date |
|---|---|---|
| bar commun (European Seabass) | official species listing | — |
| sole commune (Common Sole) | official species listing | — |
| maquereau commun (Atlantic Mackerel) | official species listing | — |
| orphie (Garfish) | official species listing | — |
| mulet lippu (Thick-lipped Grey Mullet) | official species listing | — |
| mulet cabot (Flathead Grey Mullet) | official species listing | — |
| barbue (Brill) | official species listing | — |
| raie bouclée (Thornback Ray) | official species listing | — |
| tassergal (Bluefish) | official species listing | — |
| dorade royale (Gilthead Seabream) | official species listing | — |
| denté commun (Common Dentex) | official species listing | — |
| rouget-barbet (Red Mullet) | official species listing | — |
| bonite à dos rayé (Atlantic Bonito) | official species listing | — |
| maigre (Meagre) | official species listing | — |
Official species-evidence source.
In spring, european seabass run shallow here, mostly 3 to 25 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 2 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 10 to 55 ft. Shoreline point is the standout, a point at roughly 41 ft, rated good for fall european seabass. Time it for early morning and the evening. You won't need more than a surface lure or a paddle-tail soft plastic most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Paddle-tail soft plastic, Shallow minnow plug |
| Summer | 2 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Surface lure, Paddle-tail soft plastic |
| Fall | 4 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (41 ft) | Slim metal lure, Minnow plug |
| Winter | 10 to 55 ft | midday | open water | Slow soft-plastic shad, Suspending minnow |
When the water first warms, common sole slide up into 6 to 30 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 3 to 30 ft, winter 20 to 70 ft. Start at SHOM-grid flat. It's a feeding flat holding about 39 ft of water and rates good come fall. The feeding windows run the evening. Keep a light rolling-lead rig rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 6 to 30 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid flat (39 ft) | Tiny bottom jig |
| Summer | 3 to 30 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid flat (39 ft) | Light rolling-lead rig |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dusk | SHOM-grid flat (39 ft) | Compact bottom jig |
| Winter | 20 to 70 ft | night | open water |
Early season atlantic mackerel use the shallows, holding in 5 to 45 ft. Expect a summer slide to 15 to 80 ft, then a winter hold in 30 to 120 ft. Put Sharp break first on the milk run — a drop-off near 80 ft that grades good for summer. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Tie on a feather rig or a small vertical jig and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 45 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (41 ft) | Mackerel feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Summer | 15 to 80 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (80 ft) | Feather rig, Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 10 to 65 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (41 ft) | Compact silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 30 to 120 ft | midday | Sharp break (80 ft) | Small deep jig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: garfish in 1 to 15 ft. As the season builds they drop to 2 to 20 ft, wintering in 20 to 60 ft. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a slim casting spoon or a surface-skipping fly gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 15 ft | dawn & midday | open water | Slim silver spoon, Small inline spinner |
| Summer | 2 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Slim casting spoon, Surface-skipping fly |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | open water | Weighted slim spoon, Small silver jig |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | midday | open water |
In spring, thick-lipped grey mullet run shallow here, mostly 1 to 15 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 1 to 18 ft, and winter fish settle into 8 to 35 ft. Time it for early morning and midday. You won't need more than a bread fly or a small shrimp fly most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 15 ft | dusk | open water | Bread fly, Tiny algae-pattern fly |
| Summer | 1 to 18 ft | dawn & midday | open water | Bread fly, Small shrimp fly |
| Fall | 2 to 22 ft | dusk | open water | Bread fly |
| Winter | 8 to 35 ft | midday | open water |
Come spring, look for flathead grey mullet tight to the bank in 2 to 18 ft. Expect a summer slide to 1 to 22 ft, then a winter hold in 12 to 45 ft. Prime time lands in early morning and midday. A bread fly or a small algae-pattern fly is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 18 ft | dusk | open water | Bread fly, Tiny shrimp fly |
| Summer | 1 to 22 ft | dawn & midday | open water | Bread fly, Small algae-pattern fly |
| Fall | 4 to 28 ft | midday | open water | Bread fly |
| Winter | 12 to 45 ft | midday | open water |
Marseille and Côte Bleue - South West also holds brill (6 to 50 ft in summer), thornback ray (10 to 65 ft in summer), bluefish (5 to 30 ft in summer), gilthead seabream (2 to 45 ft in summer), common dentex (30 to 180 ft in summer), red mullet (4 to 70 ft in summer), atlantic bonito (5 to 90 ft in summer), meagre (8 to 100 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
The chart marks 7 structure features on Marseille and Côte Bleue - South West; the deepest is Deepest basin at about 381 ft.
No official 2025 EEA designated bathing-water point matched within 400 metres of this SHOM-grid shoreline. This is an access-evidence gap, not a statement that public fishing access does not exist. Verify local fishing rights, land ownership, posted restrictions, protected areas, tidal and surf safety, and municipal permission before entry.
Private land and private launches need the owner's permission — please ask first.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for France waters are set by the Légifrance (current French recreational sea-fishing minimum sizes) — and special regulations can apply to Marseille and Côte Bleue - South West specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish. French recreational sea-fishing rules combine current national and European species measures with façade, prefectural, marine-protected-area, harbour and local access controls. Check live minimum sizes, quotas, seasonal or method closures, marking requirements and any no-take zone before every trip. A SHOM contour, fishing-spot marker or designated bathing-water lead is planning context only and never permission to fish, retain a catch, park, launch or enter restricted shore or port property.
Check the official France fishing regulations →
French Ministry for Ecological Transition — recreational sea fishing →
Check special-area and water-specific rules →
Check official shore-access information →
Marseille and Côte Bleue - South West is about 381 ft (116 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart comes from Shom (Service hydrographique et océanographique de la Marine) bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled.
Official coastal monitoring from Ifremer MEDITS and PELMED regional survey evidence informs the european seabass, common sole, atlantic mackerel, garfish, thick-lipped grey mullet, flathead grey mullet, brill, thornback ray, bluefish, gilthead seabream, common dentex, red mullet, atlantic bonito, meagre roster for Marseille and Côte Bleue - South West. The mixed roster combines exact-water records where available with habitat-filtered regional evidence; not every species is documented at this exact water, and it is not a promise of equal abundance or a catch on a particular trip.
SHOM-grid flat is the top-rated area: a feeding flat in about 39 ft of water that rates good for common sole in fall. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
For european seabass, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Marseille and Côte Bleue - South West is regulated by the Légifrance (current French recreational sea-fishing minimum sizes). Check the official France regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Marseille and Côte Bleue - North West 10 mi · Marseille and Côte Bleue - South Central 10 mi · Camargue and Western Gulf of Lion - South West 4 11 mi · Marseille and Côte Bleue - North East 19 mi · Marseille and Côte Bleue - South East 21 mi · Camargue and Western Gulf of Lion - South West 3 23 mi · Camargue and Western Gulf of Lion - North West 3 27 mi · Cassis and La Ciotat - North West 29 mi · Cassis and La Ciotat - South West 33 mi · Camargue and Western Gulf of Lion - South West 2 35 mi · Camargue and Western Gulf of Lion - North West 2 38 mi · Cassis and La Ciotat - South East 44 mi
See how Marseille and Côte Bleue - South West stacks up: best bluefish lakes in France · best garfish lakes in France · best european seabass lakes in France · best common sole lakes in France
Browse all France fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry: published agency survey data. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.