France yacht charter
Two very different weeks
Two different weeks: the Riviera's harbour towns from Monaco to Saint-Tropez, or Corsica's mountains, reserve and sandy southern bays. June and September are the best months. The Riviera suits friends and celebrations most; Corsica suits families and couples.
France gives you two very different weeks. The French Riviera is the classic yacht coast: Monaco, Cap Ferrat, Antibes, Cannes and Saint-Tropez, with towns, restaurants and harbours close together. Corsica, a few hours south, is mountains dropping into the sea, a nature reserve on its west coast, and Bonifacio on its cliffs. Many weeks start on one and end on the other.
Why go, and whom it suits
Friends and celebrations
The Riviera is built for them: Saint-Tropez and Pampelonne, Cannes, Monaco at night. A birthday or an anniversary with a group lands well here.
Couples and honeymoons
On the Riviera: Cap Ferrat and Villefranche, Èze above the coast, and the Lérins islands at anchor. In Corsica: Girolata, the Scandola reserve, and quiet coves in the south.
Families
The Riviera has short hops and calm bays at the Lérins islands and at Porquerolles. Corsica's south (Santa Giulia, Rondinara, the Lavezzi islands) has sandy, shallow bays. The Riviera's harbours are busy and its best beaches are clubs, so families looking for space often prefer Corsica.
Less good for: anyone wanting quiet harbours in July and August, or low prices during event weeks.
The areas
- The French Riviera. Monaco to Saint-Tropez, by way of Villefranche, Cap Ferrat, Antibes, Cannes, the Lérins islands and the red rocks of the Esterel. Monaco is part of this page.
- Corsica. Calvi and the Scandola reserve in the west, Ajaccio, Bonifacio and the Lavezzi islands in the south, Porto-Vecchio in the east. Sardinia is across the strait.
- Later page: Provence and the Hyères islands: Marseille, the Calanques, Porquerolles and Port-Cros.
Two areas have their own pages. The Mediterranean by yacht sets France beside its neighbours.
When to go
- June and September are the best balance: warm sea, fewer boats, and every restaurant open.
- July and August are hot, full and at their dearest, Saint-Tropez above all.
- May and October are quieter and cooler. May brings the Cannes Film Festival (11–22 May 2027), and early June the Monaco Grand Prix (4–6 June 2027); September has the Cannes Yachting Festival (7–12 September 2027) and the Monaco Yacht Show (22–25 September 2027). Those weeks are lively, and berths are expensive and in demand.
- The mistral. This north-westerly blows down the Rhône valley and can last a few days. It hits Provence, the western Riviera and western Corsica hardest; Monaco to Antibes is more sheltered. The captain plans around it.
Month | Weather and sea | Crowds | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
May | Quieter and cooler | Quieter, except festival weeks | Cannes Film Festival, 11–22 May 2027 |
June | Warm sea | Fewer boats | Monaco Grand Prix, 4–6 June 2027 |
July | Hot | Full | Prices at their highest, Saint-Tropez above all |
August | Hot | Full | Prices at their highest, Saint-Tropez above all |
September | Warm sea | Fewer boats | Cannes Yachting Festival, 7–12 September 2027; Monaco Yacht Show, 22–25 September 2027 |
October | Quieter and cooler | Quieter |
The seasonThe busiestCalmer
What a week costs here
The charter fee is each yacht's own weekly rate. Her page shows it "from", which is her lowest season; July and August cost more.
VAT is added at France's standard rate, 20%. Monaco is treated as part of France for VAT, so a charter starting there is taxed the same way. The charter contract states the VAT charged on your charter.
APA, the Advance Provisioning Allowance, is paid with the balance. It is money held by the captain for fuel, food, drinks, berths and similar costs, spent on your instructions and accounted for at the end; anything unspent is returned. Budget up to 40% of the charter fee for it.
Berths in Monaco, Cannes and Saint-Tropez are expensive in high summer, and more so in event weeks. They come out of the APA.
One-way weeks (the Riviera to Corsica, or Corsica to Sardinia) can add a delivery fee.
For the whole picture, see what a crewed charter costs, line by line.
The weekly rate on each yacht’s page. "From" is her lowest season.
An advance for fuel, food, drinks and berths, spent on your instructions and settled at the end.
Set by the country the charter starts in, added to the fee.
The Riviera and Corsica's west coast
A one-way week for a motor yacht, from Antibes to the south of Corsica.
- Day 1 — Antibes and the Lérins islands. Board in Antibes. A short run to anchor between Sainte-Marguerite and Saint-Honorat for the evening.
- Day 2 — Saint-Tropez. Along the Esterel's red rocks to Pampelonne for lunch, and Saint-Tropez in the evening.
- Day 3 — To Calvi. The open crossing to Corsica, the longest passage of the week. Calvi's citadel at dusk.
- Day 4 — Girolata and Scandola. Down the coast to the Scandola reserve, seen from the sea and by tender, and the night in Girolata's bay, reached only by sea or on foot.
- Day 5 — The Gulf of Porto and Ajaccio. The red Calanques de Piana in the morning, then south to Ajaccio, with the Sanguinaires islands at sunset.
- Day 6 — Bonifacio. Down the south-west coast to Bonifacio, the cliffs from the water, and the old town on top.
- Day 7 — The Lavezzi islands. A morning swim among the Lavezzi, and disembark in Bonifacio, then the drive to Figari airport.
The yacht and the weather decide the real route. In a mistral the crossing waits, and the west coast of Corsica may give way to the east.
The yachts that cruise here
Most of the yachts we show in France are motor yachts, many of them over 40 metres, and most take 11 or more guests. Nearly all of them also cruise Italy, so the Riviera, Liguria, Corsica and Sardinia can be one trip.
If you want a small yacht or a catamaran here, say so, and we look further.
The yachts on this site are a selection, not the limit of what we arrange: ask about any yacht, of any size.
Chartering in France
Rene GaspersicYour broker
Where do charters in France usually start?
Monaco, Nice, Antibes, Cannes or Saint-Tropez on the Riviera. Ajaccio, Calvi or Bonifacio in Corsica. The yacht's home port decides.
Which airport do we fly into?
Nice for the Riviera and Monaco. For Corsica: Ajaccio, Calvi, Bastia or Figari.
Can we start in Monaco?
Often, yes. Monaco is a short drive from Nice airport.
What happens in event weeks?
The Grand Prix, the Film Festival and the yacht shows bring crowds and higher berth prices. Wonderful if you want to be there; avoid those weeks if you don't. In 2027: the Film Festival 11–22 May, the Grand Prix 4–6 June, the Cannes Yachting Festival 7–12 September, the Monaco Yacht Show 22–25 September.
Can we combine France with Italy?
Yes. The Riviera runs on into Liguria (Portofino, the Cinque Terre), and Corsica sits beside Sardinia. A one-way week can carry a delivery fee.
Can the yacht anchor anywhere?
No. Along the French Mediterranean coast, anchoring by large yachts is regulated to protect the Posidonia seagrass, with designated anchoring zones. The captain knows the zones.
Is the Riviera good for children?
Yes, with planning: the Lérins islands and Porquerolles have calm water. Corsica's south has the best sandy bays.
How far is Corsica from the Riviera?
It is an open-sea crossing, the longest of the week. How long it takes depends on the yacht and the ports.
Do we pay VAT in France?
Yes. French VAT is added to the charter fee. Your written quote lists the fee, the VAT rate, the APA, any delivery fee and local taxes.
Do we need fixed dates to enquire?
No. A month or "next summer" is enough to start.
If you are also weighing Italy
- The French Riviera has the denser harbour life: towns every few miles, and the best-known names.
- The Italian Riviera next door is quieter and smaller.
- Corsica and Sardinia share a strait and are often one week.
- The Amalfi Coast has the more dramatic coast, and the food ashore is the point.
Talk to a broker
Tell us roughly when, how many of you there are, and what the week is for: a family summer, a honeymoon, a birthday with friends. Dates and budget can stay loose. We come back with a short list of yachts that fit, say plainly what each one is like, and stay your contact from the first email to the last day on board.
Rene Gaspersic
charter broker
Email info@soretoyachting.com · Phone +44 7342 933198 · WhatsApp +44 7342 933198
Plan
France.
Two short steps. Dates and budget can stay loose. We reply personally, by email, phone or WhatsApp.