The French Riviera and Monaco by yacht
Harbour towns every few miles from Monaco to Saint-Tropez, capes with villas and pines, and two islands off Cannes. June and September are the best months. It suits friends and celebrations most.
This is France's classic yacht coast. From Monaco to Saint-Tropez is a stretch of coast that a week covers easily. Along it: harbour towns every few miles, capes with villas and pines, two islands off Cannes, and the red rocks of the Esterel. A week here is about evenings ashore, swimming at anchor and the pleasure of arriving by sea where everyone else arrives by road.
Why go, and whom it suits
Friends and celebrations
The best fit. There's lunch at Pampelonne, Saint-Tropez at night, and Monaco and Cannes for the evenings.
Couples and honeymoons
Cap Ferrat, Villefranche's bay, Èze above the coast, and a night anchored off the Lérins islands.
Families
The hops are short, and there is calm water at the Lérins and in the Bay of Villefranche. The harbours are busy and the famous beaches are clubs. It works; it is not the quietest choice.
Less good for: anyone wanting empty anchorages in August, or modest prices in event weeks.
What's there
Monaco
Port Hercule and Fontvieille, the old town on the Rock, the casino quarter. It is part of the French Riviera's week, a short drive from Nice airport.
Villefranche and Cap Ferrat
One of the deepest, most sheltered bays on the coast, and Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat's small harbour.
Nice
The old town and the market. The airport is next to the sea.
Antibes and Cap d'Antibes
Port Vauban, the old town and the Picasso museum. Juan-les-Pins is on the other side of the cape.
Cannes
The Croisette and the old port.
The Lérins islands
Sainte-Marguerite and Saint-Honorat, a short run from Cannes. Saint-Honorat has a working monastery and its vineyard.
The Esterel
Red cliffs and small coves between Théoule and Saint-Raphaël.
Saint-Tropez and Pampelonne
The harbour, the old town, and the long beach on the Ramatuelle side.
Further west (later page)
Porquerolles and Port-Cros in the Hyères islands, a long day from Saint-Tropez.
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When to go
June and September: the best balance.
July and August: full and dearest. Saint-Tropez in August is at its peak.
May and early June: the Cannes Film Festival (11–22 May 2027) and the Monaco Grand Prix (4–6 June 2027). Berths are hard to get and expensive.
September: the Cannes Yachting Festival (7–12 September 2027) and the Monaco Yacht Show (22–25 September 2027), then Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez (25 September – 3 October 2027).
October: quieter and cooler.
It affects the western end, from Saint-Tropez to Hyères, more than Monaco and Antibes. The captain plans around it.
Cost
The charter fee is each yacht's own weekly rate, shown "from" on her page.
- VAT is added at France's standard rate, 20%, and charters starting in Monaco are treated the same way, because Monaco is part of France for VAT.
- APA: budget up to 40% of the charter fee; whatever is not spent is returned to you.
- Berths: in Monaco, Cannes and Saint-Tropez in high summer and in event weeks they cost a great deal, and they come out of the APA.
For the whole picture, see what a crewed charter costs, line by line.
A sample week
- Day 1 — Monaco. Board in Monaco, and spend the evening in the port and the old town.
- Day 2 — Villefranche and Cap Ferrat. A short run west: swim in the bay, lunch at Saint-Jean, and Èze in the late afternoon.
- Day 3 — Antibes. Port Vauban and the old town, and a swim off Cap d'Antibes.
- Day 4 — The Lérins islands. Anchor off Sainte-Marguerite, visit the monastery on Saint-Honorat, and spend the night between the islands.
- Day 5 — The Esterel. Along the red cliffs for coves and a quiet lunch, and Cannes in the evening, if you want it.
- Day 6 — Saint-Tropez. Pampelonne for lunch, Saint-Tropez at night.
- Day 7 — Saint-Tropez. Disembark in Saint-Tropez, or run back east to Cannes or Nice.
The yacht and the weather decide the real route. In a mistral the western days shorten, and the captain keeps you east.
The yachts
Most of the yachts we show in France are motor yachts, many of them over 40 metres, and nearly all of them also cruise Italy.
The yachts on this site are a selection, not the limit of what we arrange: ask about any yacht, of any size.
Practical questions
Rene GaspersicYour broker
Where does the charter start?
Monaco, Nice, Antibes, Cannes or Saint-Tropez, depending on the yacht's home port.
Which airport?
Nice, for every port on this coast. Saint-Tropez is the furthest by road.
Can we be in Monaco for the Grand Prix?
Yes, if you plan early. Berths in the harbour that weekend are hard to get and expensive, and some yachts watch from further out.
Is it very busy in August?
Yes, Saint-Tropez especially. June and September are calmer.
Can the yacht anchor anywhere?
No. Anchoring by large yachts is regulated along the coast to protect the Posidonia seagrass, with designated anchoring zones. The captain knows where to anchor.
Can we combine this with Corsica or the Italian Riviera?
Yes. Corsica is a morning or a day at sea away, and Portofino, on the Italian Riviera, is east beyond Monaco. One-way weeks can carry a delivery fee.
Is it good for children?
With planning, yes: the Lérins islands and the Bay of Villefranche are calm. The beach clubs are fun for teenagers.
Do we need fixed dates to enquire?
No. A month or a season is enough to start.
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
What a week costs here
Every quote shows the three lines in full, before you decide.
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.
Plan
French Riviera.
Two short steps. Dates and budget can stay loose. We reply personally, by email, phone or WhatsApp.