In short
Beaulieu-sur-Mer offers a sheltered marina — Port de Plaisance — for yachts of moderate size, with the Baie des Fourmis alongside as an anchorage. Monaco is about twenty to twenty-five minutes east by sea and Cap Ferrat is immediately west; larger superyachts anchor in the Rade de Villefranche nearby.
Last reviewed 3 September 2026 · By the concierge desk, Luxury Yacht Charter Monaco · Monaco
Beaulieu-sur-Mer charter — key facts
| Marina | Port de Plaisance de Beaulieu (moderate sizes) |
|---|---|
| Anchorage | Baie des Fourmis, under the Villa Kérylos |
| Cruise to Monaco | About 20-25 minutes |
| Cruise to Villefranche | About 10-15 minutes |
| Airport transfer | Nice Côte d'Azur, around 30 minutes by car |
| Best months | May to early October |
Why charter a yacht in Beaulieu-sur-Mer
Beaulieu occupies a sheltered pocket of coast between the eastern side of Cap Ferrat and the cliffs running towards Monaco. The hills behind it block the northerlies, and the town has one of the mildest microclimates on the coast — the reason it filled with winter villas in the late nineteenth century and the reason its gardens look the way they do.
Port de Plaisance is a compact, well-protected marina. It suits yachts of moderate size rather than large superyachts, and its appeal is precisely that it is small: guests walk from the passerelle to a café in two minutes, and the whole town is a fifteen-minute stroll end to end. For charters that want a berth every night without the crowds of Monaco or Cannes, it is one of the best options on the coast.
Immediately west lies the Baie des Fourmis, a shallow, sheltered bay overlooked by the Villa Kérylos. The villa is a reconstruction of a Greek house of the second century BC, built between 1902 and 1908 by the archaeologist Théodore Reinach, and furnished with reproductions made to period technique. It is an unexpectedly serious piece of scholarship in a town otherwise known for its calm.
As a charter base, Beaulieu's value is geographic. Cap Ferrat and Paloma Bay are ten minutes west; the Rade de Villefranche fifteen; Monaco twenty; Menton and the Italian border under an hour. Guests can see the entire eastern Riviera from here without a single long passage.
Ports, marinas & berths in Beaulieu-sur-Mer
Port de Plaisance de Beaulieu
The town marina — sheltered, orderly and within walking distance of the seafront, the Villa Kérylos and La Réserve. It accommodates yachts of moderate size; larger vessels use the anchorages nearby.
Berths are limited and peak-season availability is confirmed before a charter is proposed rather than assumed.
Baie des Fourmis
The anchorage on the western side of town, calm in most summer conditions and shallow enough for comfortable swimming. Tender access to the port and the seafront takes a few minutes.
Rade de Villefranche
Fifteen minutes west and the deepest anchorage on the coast — the standard solution for a Beaulieu-focused charter on a yacht too large for the marina.
Port de Saint-Jean and Port Hercule
Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat is five minutes west and Monaco twenty minutes east. Both are regularly used for a night alongside within a charter otherwise based here.
Signature anchorages & day cruises
Baie des Fourmis
The home anchorage: sheltered, clear, and framed by the Villa Kérylos on its promontory. Ideal for a long lunch on board with an afternoon ashore.
Paloma Bay, Cap Ferrat
Ten minutes west and the most requested swimming anchorage between Nice and Monaco, with a beach club receiving tender arrivals by reservation.
Plage Mala, Cap d'Ail
Fifteen minutes east under the cliffs, a narrow cove with two beach restaurants and no road access — reachable only by steps or by tender.
The Rade de Villefranche
Large, deep and sheltered on three sides; the fallback anchorage whenever wind makes the smaller bays uncomfortable.
When to charter from Beaulieu
May to early October. Beaulieu's shelter makes the shoulder months more comfortable here than in more exposed harbours, and June and September are the pick of the season.
August is warm and busier, though still calmer than the larger ports; the anchorages at Paloma and Mala fill faster than the marina does.
Late May brings Monaco Grand Prix week, when Beaulieu becomes a practical staging base for guests attending the race with the yacht berthed a short drive away.
Sample Beaulieu-sur-Mer yacht charter itineraries
Itinerary 1
Beaulieu, Cap Ferrat and Monaco — three nights
A short charter with almost no time under way and two very different evenings ashore.
- Day 1Embark at Port de Plaisance. Swim and lunch at anchor in the Baie des Fourmis, afternoon ashore for the Villa Kérylos, dinner on board or on the seafront.
- Day 2Cruise ten minutes to Paloma Bay for the morning; lunch at anchor; afternoon at the Villa Ephrussi gardens; overnight back in Beaulieu or off Saint-Jean.
- Day 3Cruise east along the Cap d'Ail cliffs with a swim at Plage Mala, arriving Port Hercule mid-afternoon. Evening ashore in Monaco.
- Day 4Breakfast on board, morning in Monaco, disembark after lunch.
Itinerary 2
Beaulieu to Menton — two nights east
The quieter eastern coast, ending at the Italian frontier.
- Day 1Embark Beaulieu, cruise past Cap d'Ail and Monaco with a swim off Cap Martin; overnight in Port Hercule or at anchor.
- Day 2Continue east to Menton's Baie de Garavan, lunch at anchor, afternoon ashore for the old town and the gardens.
- Day 3Slow return west with a final swim off Cap Martin, disembarking in Beaulieu or Monaco.
Best yachts for Beaulieu-sur-Mer
Motor yachts of 25-40 metres, which fit the marina and suit the short legs of this stretch of coast.
Day boats of 20-25 metres for guests staying ashore in Beaulieu, Cap Ferrat or Monaco.
Superyachts based at anchor in the Rade de Villefranche with tender access to Beaulieu.
Sailing yachts and catamarans, which use the Baie des Fourmis and Paloma comfortably.
On board & ashore
Berth or anchorage arranged with the yacht's captain according to size and forecast.
Restaurant reservations in Beaulieu, at Paloma and in Monaco, with tender or car timings set.
Chef's provisioning locally or from the Cours Saleya market in Nice.
Villa Kérylos and Villa Ephrussi visits requested on your behalf, subject to their own arrangements.
Watersports appropriate to the yacht, and cars on the quay for the coastal path or an evening out.
Charter costs, APA and VAT
Charter rates come from each yacht's central agent and vary with size, age, crew and season; we present indicative 'from' figures and confirm every rate in writing.
MYBA contracts apply, with an Advance Provisioning Allowance typically 25-35% of the base rate covering fuel, food, drink, berthing and communications.
French VAT applies to the charter fee, with reductions on qualifying itineraries; the central agent's contract sets out the position.
Berthing at Beaulieu is generally less costly than in Monaco or Cannes, which is one reason charters base here and visit Monaco by sea.
Beaulieu-sur-Mer yacht charter FAQs
Is Beaulieu-sur-Mer a good base for a charter?+
For guests who want calm rather than crowds, yes. Port de Plaisance is a well-protected marina taking yachts of moderate size, Monaco is around twenty minutes away by sea, and Cap Ferrat is immediately next door. Very large superyachts anchor in the Rade de Villefranche instead.
How far is Beaulieu from Monaco?+
About twenty to twenty-five minutes by sea and roughly fifteen minutes by car along the Basse Corniche. It is the closest French marina town to Monaco other than Cap d'Ail.
What is the Baie des Fourmis?+
The sheltered bay immediately west of the port, under the Villa Kérylos. It is a calm, shallow anchorage well suited to a lunch stop and a swim, with an easy tender run ashore.
What should we see ashore?+
The Villa Kérylos, a full-scale reconstruction of an ancient Greek villa completed in 1908 and furnished accordingly; the belle-époque seafront; La Réserve de Beaulieu on the water; and the coastal path that runs round into Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat.
Is Beaulieu quiet in August?+
Noticeably quieter than Nice, Cannes or Monaco. The town keeps a residential character through high season, which is exactly why some guests choose it. Evenings out generally mean a short drive to Monaco or Nice.
Can we embark here?+
Yes, where the yacht fits the marina. Otherwise guests board by tender from the port with the yacht at anchor in the Baie des Fourmis or the Rade de Villefranche a few minutes away.
What is the best day cruise from Beaulieu?+
West round Cap Ferrat to Paloma Bay and the Rade de Villefranche, or east along the Cap d'Ail cliffs with a swim at Plage Mala before entering Monaco. Either fills a day comfortably with minimal time under way.
When is the best time to charter here?+
May to early October, with June and September offering the best combination of warm water, open anchorages and available berths.
Related destinations & guides
- Yacht charter Saint-Jean-Cap-FerratFive minutes west: Paloma and the Villa Ephrussi
- Yacht charter Villefranche-sur-MerThe deep anchorage beyond the Cap
- Yacht charter MonacoTwenty minutes east, Port Hercule
- Yacht charter MentonThe last French port before Italy
- French Riviera charter itineraryHow this coast fits a full week
By the concierge desk · Monaco