Pre-purchase survey
Independent condition inspection before you commit, with defects, priorities and practical next steps.
Request this survey
Marine surveys across France and Corsica
Find the right marine surveyor for your boat in France
Arrange an independent yacht or boat survey from the French Riviera to Brittany, the Atlantic coast and Corsica. In France, buyers may also search for an expert maritime or expertise pré-achat; the actual scope, independence and report recipient still need to be agreed.
Five coast-led regionsMediterranean, Corsica, Atlantic, Brittany and Channel
Scope-led matchingVessel, material and report purpose reviewed
Independent choiceYou appoint and instruct the surveyor
01Describe the assignment
02We review location and scope
03Choose your surveyor
Survey types
One request, matched to the actual job
A pre-purchase inspection is not the same assignment as a tonnage measurement or commercial-code survey. We keep the scope clear from the beginning.
Insurance & valuation
Condition and market-value reporting shaped around the information your insurer or lender requests.
Request this surveyDamage & claims
Evidence-led inspection following grounding, collision, water ingress, machinery failure or storm damage.
Request this surveyTonnage & registration
Routing to a surveyor with the right appointment when a flag, registry or recognised organisation requires it.
Request this surveyRig, engine & specialist
Focused inspections for rigging, machinery, composites, steel, aluminium and other specialist scopes.
Request this surveyCommercial & coding
Survey support for commercial yachts, charter activity and code-compliance work where applicable.
Request this surveyHow it works
A practical route from request to inspection
The platform helps structure the enquiry and introduce suitable professionals. The selected surveyor remains responsible for agreeing scope, fee and terms with you.
Tell us about the yacht
Share the vessel, survey purpose, location, timing and any buyer or registry deadline.
We review the scope
We check geography, material, size, specialist needs and whether formal acceptance matters.
Receive a suitable introduction
Where available, we connect you with a surveyor whose stated capability fits the assignment.
Appoint independently
You compare the scope and terms, resolve conflicts and instruct the professional directly.
Important distinction
Professional membership is not automatic flag approval
For pre-purchase and condition work, competence, experience, insurance and independence are central. For tonnage, registration, coding or statutory work, the flag or accepting organisation may also require a specific appointment.
Check my survey requirement✓
Credential — membership, qualification or professional designation
✓
Capability — the right vessel, material, size and survey experience
✓
Appointment — authority from the relevant flag or organisation
✓
Acceptance — confirmation that the resulting report or certificate will be accepted
French survey locations
Survey planning across France’s distinct yacht markets
France is not one travel area. Confirm the exact port, yard, lift window and report language before appointment, particularly when the vessel or surveyor must move between the Mediterranean, Atlantic and Channel coasts.
French Riviera
A dense brokerage, superyacht and refit corridor. Confirm yard security, contractor access and whether the vessel can be inspected ashore as well as afloat.
Find a surveyor in this region →Provence & Occitanie
Large repair facilities sit alongside smaller leisure ports. Lift capacity, pressure washing and sea-trial access should be booked separately from the surveyor.
Find a surveyor in this region →Corsica
Island travel and seasonal transport can affect timing. Confirm whether a local surveyor is suitable or whether travel and accommodation are required.
Find a surveyor in this region →Atlantic coast
Strong sailing-yacht and production-boat activity with established yards. Tides, lock access and launch status can determine the practical inspection sequence.
Find a surveyor in this region →Brittany & Channel
Commercial-marine expertise and sailing craft are widespread, but travel between ports is material. Agree machinery, rig and specialist inspections as separate scopes where needed.
Find a surveyor in this region →Frequently asked questions
Before you appoint a marine surveyor
What is an expert maritime in France?
Expert maritime is a common French term for a marine expert or surveyor. The title alone does not define the agreed scope, independence, professional insurance or whether an insurer, court, flag or other recipient will accept the report, so those points should be checked for the assignment.
What should a French pre-purchase survey request include?
Provide the vessel particulars, exact berth or yard, intended purchase timetable, hull material, known defects and the access available for haul-out, pressure washing and sea trial. State whether the report is required in English, French or both.
Can one surveyor cover both the Riviera and Atlantic France?
Some surveyors travel, but the coasts are separate operating areas. A local match can reduce travel, while a specialist may still need to travel for a particular material, large yacht, machinery investigation or report requirement.
Are lift and sea-trial costs included in the survey fee?
Usually they are arranged separately with the seller, broker, yard or marina. Confirm lift, wash, relaunch, skipper, fuel and access charges before the inspection date.
Does professional membership guarantee report acceptance?
No. Membership can help assess professional standing, but competence, appointment authority and acceptance by an insurer, lender, registry or court are separate questions.
Who appoints the surveyor?
You appoint the independent surveyor directly and agree the scope, limitations, fee, report use and terms. France Marine Survey provides information and introductions and does not perform the survey.
Can you help with other specialist marine survey assignments?
Potential assignments include new-build or refit supervision, repair inspections, sea trials and delivery acceptance, stability work, ultrasound or moisture testing, accident investigation, expert-witness support, marine warranty surveys and on-hire or off-hire surveys. Availability depends on the location, vessel and required specialist capability or appointment.
International marine survey network
Need a survey in another country?
Select the country where the vessel is located, or send the exact port, marina or yard so the assignment can be reviewed.
SpainMainland, Balearics & CanariesVisit site
PortugalMainland, Madeira & the AzoresVisit site
FranceRiviera, Corsica & Atlantic portsView regions
ItalyMainland, Sardinia & SicilyVisit site
GreeceIonian, Aegean & mainland portsRequest survey
CroatiaIstria, Dalmatia & the islandsRequest survey
TurkeyAegean and Mediterranean coastRequest survey
MaltaMalta and GozoRequest surveyPrefer to speak with us?
Start with the right survey scope.
Tell us the vessel, exact French location and reason for the survey. We can help clarify access and report requirements before you request an introduction.
Request a surveyor in FranceDirect contactChoose the easiest way to reach us