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47,383-acre Nice and Menton Coast. 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 Riviera from Nice through Monaco approaches to Menton, with deep nearshore water, harbor walls and rocky points. This page covers the south west angler-scale survey window. The water tops out around 4676 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 the data behind the map says about each species, season by season:
Nice and Menton Coast - South West maps at 47,349 acres behind 46.4 miles of shoreline. A middling shoreline index (1.5) gives it some bays to work without being a maze. 2% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft) — cover, weeds and forage water. Call it 13.7 mi long by 10 mi wide at the broadest reach. Its nearest charted neighbour, Cannes and Antibes Coast - North East, is 10 mi to the southwest.
Nice and Menton Coast — South West, France : carte SHOM officielle jusqu’à 1425 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.
When the water first warms, european seabass slide up into 3 to 25 ft. Summer is a 2 to 30 ft game here, winter a 10 to 55 ft one. Start at Shoreline point. It's a point holding about 50 ft of water and rates good come fall. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. Keep a surface lure or a paddle-tail soft plastic rigged through the warm months.
| 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 (50 ft) | Slim metal lure, Minnow plug |
| Winter | 10 to 55 ft | midday | open water | Slow soft-plastic shad, Suspending minnow |
In spring, common sole run shallow here, mostly 6 to 30 ft. Summer keeps them at 3 to 30 ft, and they winter in 20 to 70 ft. Time it for the evening. You won't need more than a light rolling-lead rig most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 6 to 30 ft | dusk | open water | Tiny bottom jig |
| Summer | 3 to 30 ft | dusk | open water | Light rolling-lead rig |
| Fall | 8 to 40 ft | dusk | open water | Compact bottom jig |
| Winter | 20 to 70 ft | night | open water |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: atlantic mackerel in 5 to 45 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 15 to 80 ft before dropping to 30 to 120 ft for winter. The spot to know is Shoreline point, a point in about 50 ft of water that rates good for atlantic mackerel in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a feather rig or a small vertical jig gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 5 to 45 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (50 ft) | Mackerel feather rig, Small silver jig |
| Summer | 15 to 80 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (50 ft) | Feather rig, Small vertical jig |
| Fall | 10 to 65 ft | dawn & dusk | Shoreline point (50 ft) | Compact silver jig, Sparse feather rig |
| Winter | 30 to 120 ft | midday | open water | Small deep jig |
When the water first warms, garfish slide up into 1 to 15 ft. By summer they slide out to 2 to 20 ft, and by winter most fish are in 20 to 60 ft. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning and the evening. Keep a slim casting spoon or a surface-skipping fly rigged through the warm months.
| 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 |
When the water first warms, thick-lipped grey mullet slide up into 1 to 15 ft. Summer is a 1 to 18 ft game here, winter an 8 to 35 ft one. The feeding windows run early morning and midday. Keep a bread fly or a small shrimp fly rigged through the warm months.
| 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 |
Start shallow in spring: flathead grey mullet sit in 2 to 18 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 1 to 22 ft, and winter fish settle into 12 to 45 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and midday. Throw a bread fly or a small algae-pattern fly until the fish tell you otherwise.
| 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 |
Nice and Menton Coast - 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.
8 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deepest basin, around 4613 ft, is the deepest of them.
Access data: European Environment Agency — 2025 Bathing Water Directive Sites (France). Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
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 Nice and Menton Coast - 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 →
Nice and Menton Coast - South West is about 4676 ft (1425 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 Nice and Menton Coast - 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.
Shoreline point is the top-rated area: a point in about 50 ft of water that rates good for atlantic mackerel in spring. Every other rated spot, per species and season, is on the map above.
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 Nice and Menton Coast - 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.
Cannes and Antibes Coast - North East 10 mi · Nice and Menton Coast - South East 10 mi · Nice and Menton Coast - North East 13 mi · Cannes and Antibes Coast - South East 18 mi · Cannes and Antibes Coast - North West 19 mi · Cannes and Antibes Coast - South West 22 mi · Saint-Tropez and Fréjus Coast - North East 32 mi · Saint-Tropez and Fréjus Coast - North West 41 mi · Saint-Tropez and Fréjus Coast - South East 45 mi · Saint-Tropez and Fréjus Coast - South West 50 mi · Hyères and Golden Islands - North East 55 mi · Hyères and Golden Islands - South East 63 mi
See how Nice and Menton Coast - 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.