Why charter a yacht in French Riviera
A luxury yacht charter on the French Riviera is the most fluid way to experience the coast. The great harbours of the Côte d'Azur — Monaco, Villefranche, Beaulieu, Antibes, Cannes, and Saint-Tropez — are threaded together by short, comfortable cruising legs, most of them under two hours on a modern motor yacht. That means no packing between hotels, no traffic on the Basse Corniche in July, and no missed reservations. Each morning the yacht repositions to the next port, and each evening tables, tenders and shore transfers are already coordinated by your concierge.
Where a French Riviera hotel week asks you to compromise — one town, one restaurant scene, one beach — a private yacht charter French Riviera itinerary keeps the whole coast in play. Anchor for a swim off Cap Ferrat, tender in for lunch at a Paloma Beach cabana, cruise to Antibes for the afternoon, then close the day with dinner at Le Cap on the Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat. The following morning you are in Cannes or Saint-Tropez. That kind of choreography is exactly what a professional charter crew and a Monaco-based concierge exist to deliver.
The Riviera also happens to be the deepest charter market in the Mediterranean. More MYBA-central-agency yachts are homeported between Monaco and Antibes than anywhere else in the world, which means shortlist quality is very high — you are choosing between exceptional yachts rather than settling for available ones. LYC Monaco holds relationships with every major central agent operating on the coast, and shortlists are curated by fit (guest count, itinerary, style) rather than by inventory.
Ports, marinas & berths in French Riviera
Monaco — Port Hercule
Port Hercule is the pivot of the entire Riviera charter industry. Its central quays (Quai Rainier III and the T-Jetty) are the most sought-after berths in the Mediterranean, and the yachts moored there are within a discreet walk of Casino Square, the Hôtel de Paris, the Yacht Club de Monaco and the Grand Prix circuit. During event weeks berth allocation is tight and often confirmed close to arrival; outside events, Port Hercule remains the most convenient embarkation port on the coast.
The neighbouring Cala del Forte marina at Ventimiglia — a short cruise east across the Italian border — increasingly acts as an overflow harbour for guests who value quieter provisioning and a more private embarkation. Your concierge will recommend the right harbour based on the size of the yacht, the guest list and the itinerary that follows.
Antibes — Port Vauban & IYCA
Port Vauban is the largest yacht harbour on the Mediterranean by berth count, and the neighbouring IYCA (International Yacht Club of Antibes) hosts many of the coast's largest superyachts. For yachts unable to secure a Monaco berth during peak weeks, Antibes is the natural alternative — a thirty-minute helicopter transfer or ninety-minute cruise back to the Principality.
Antibes itself is one of the more underrated ports on the Riviera. The Old Town, the Marché Provençal and Cap d'Antibes with its cliff-top hotels (Eden-Roc, Cap-Éden-Roc) provide a substantial ashore programme in their own right.
Cannes — Vieux Port & Port Canto
Cannes has two main harbours. Vieux Port sits at the western end of La Croisette and holds most of the working yachts in season, while Port Canto (at the eastern end, closer to Palm Beach) is the quieter, more residential option. Both accommodate larger yachts subject to availability, though allocation during the Cannes Film Festival in May and the Cannes Yachting Festival in September is exceptionally tight.
Most weeks a yacht will use Cannes as an anchor-off port — dropping the hook east of Île Sainte-Marguerite and tendering guests into Vieux Port for evenings ashore. That approach avoids berth fees, preserves privacy, and places guests within a fifteen-minute tender of both La Croisette and the Îles de Lérins.
Saint-Tropez — Vieux Port
Saint-Tropez in July and August is one of the most photographed ports in Europe. Berths in the Vieux Port are tight, expensive, and unmatched for atmosphere — a stern-to berth on the main quay with the town's pastel façades directly ahead is the classical Saint-Tropez arrival. Larger yachts (typically over 50 metres) usually anchor off Pampelonne and use the tender.
Neighbouring ports at Cogolin and Port Grimaud offer overflow berths for yachts that cannot secure Vieux Port and prefer to be alongside rather than at anchor. Both are a short tender or ten-minute drive from Saint-Tropez itself.
Villefranche-sur-Mer, Beaulieu & Menton
Villefranche is one of the deepest and most sheltered natural harbours on the Riviera, and a favourite overnight anchorage for yachts that have finished the day in Monaco but want to escape the harbour lights. Beaulieu-sur-Mer's small marina holds a handful of larger yachts, and the town itself is a discreet, low-key evening ashore. Menton on the Italian border rewards guests who want a slower, more residential French Riviera experience.
Signature anchorages & day cruises
Cap Ferrat — Passable and Paloma
The Cap Ferrat peninsula is the classical morning anchorage on any French Riviera yacht charter from Monaco. Passable Beach on the western side is protected from the easterly summer breeze; Paloma Beach on the eastern side opens onto the Rade de Villefranche. Both are minutes from Port Hercule and lend themselves perfectly to a long lunch on board, a swim off the platform and a mid-afternoon repositioning further west.
Îles de Lérins — Sainte-Marguerite & Saint-Honorat
The Lérins islands off Cannes are, together with Cap Ferrat, the most-used day anchorage on the Riviera. Sainte-Marguerite offers pine-shaded coves and the Fort Royal (of Man in the Iron Mask fame); Saint-Honorat is home to the Cistercian monastery and its small-production Lérins wine. Both are within thirty minutes' cruise of Cannes, and the anchorage between the two islands is one of the more sheltered on the coast.
Cap d'Antibes — Anse de l'Argent Faux & Baie de la Garoupe
Two of the prettiest coves on the Riviera, both on the Cap d'Antibes peninsula. La Garoupe on the eastern side is a shallow, sandy anchorage lined with beach clubs (Plage Keller and Plage Joseph are the classical lunches). L'Argent Faux on the western side is quieter and more suited to a swim and a tender excursion to Eden-Roc.
Pampelonne bay
Pampelonne is the anchorage. Five kilometres of open sand fronted by the beach clubs that made Saint-Tropez famous — Club 55, Nikki Beach, Loulou, Verde by Ferdi, Byblos Beach, La Réserve — and, in high season, a fleet of yachts that turns the bay into a floating village. Tables at every club are pre-arranged by the concierge before you arrive, and the tender programme (drop-off, extraction, transfers into Vieux Port for dinner) is co-ordinated with the crew each morning.
Rade de Villefranche & Baie des Fourmis
The Rade de Villefranche is deep, calm and iconic — the natural overnight anchorage for yachts that don't want to stay inside Port Hercule. Neighbouring Baie des Fourmis at Beaulieu is smaller, quieter and closer to the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild if guests want a shore excursion. Both are within thirty minutes' cruise of Monaco.
Îles d'Hyères — Porquerolles and Port-Cros
For guests extending a Saint-Tropez charter westward, the Îles d'Hyères are a rewarding day or two. Porquerolles is a national park with vineyards, quiet coves and easy tender excursions ashore; Port-Cros is a strictly protected marine reserve with some of the clearest water on the coast.
Best time for a French Riviera yacht charter
The Riviera charter season effectively runs from late April to early October. Water temperatures cross 20°C in June and hold through September; peak air temperatures come in late July and August, when the coast is at its busiest.
June and September are the concierge's favourite months. Water is warm enough for the full watersports programme, restaurants and beach clubs are open but not oversubscribed, and berths — outside the specific event weeks — are available at short notice. September in particular offers some of the finest weather of the year and, after the Monaco Yacht Show closes in late September, the harbour and the coast return to a calmer rhythm through October.
Two event weeks dominate the calendar and need to be planned six to twelve months ahead. The Monaco Grand Prix in late May turns Port Hercule into the most privileged grandstand on the Formula 1 calendar. The Monaco Yacht Show in late September fills every quay with the newest builds in the industry. The Cannes Film Festival in mid-May and the Cannes Yachting Festival in early September have the same effect on Cannes' harbours. Outside those weeks, the Riviera is remarkably manageable.
The Mistral is the only meaningful weather variable to plan around. It funnels down the Rhône valley and typically affects the western Riviera (Saint-Tropez and further west) more strongly than Monaco and the eastern coast. Your captain will monitor the forecast and, where necessary, adjust the itinerary — often by holding east for a day — so that guests remain comfortable at anchor.
Sample French Riviera yacht charter itineraries
Itinerary 1
3-night weekend — Monaco to Cannes
The classical Riviera weekend from Monaco. Embark Friday afternoon at Port Hercule, cruise gently west along the coast with two overnights at anchor, and disembark Monday morning in Cannes or return to Monaco.
- FriEmbark Port Hercule 16:00. Champagne on the aft deck, then a short cruise to the Rade de Villefranche for the first night at anchor. Dinner on board.
- SatMorning at Cap Ferrat (Paloma or Passable). Lunch on board with the swim platform down, then reposition west past Cap d'Antibes to the Îles de Lérins. Dinner ashore in Cannes.
- SunAnchorage between Sainte-Marguerite and Saint-Honorat. Long lunch, watersports, and an early evening cruise back east to Villefranche or Cap Ferrat.
- MonLate breakfast at anchor, short repositioning cruise, and disembarkation into Monaco by 11:00.
Itinerary 2
7-night classical Riviera — Monaco to Saint-Tropez
The most requested week on the French Riviera. Westbound from Monaco, with each port giving up its best day before the yacht moves on. Full brief in our Monaco to Saint-Tropez guide.
- SatEmbark Port Hercule. Overnight in the Rade de Villefranche.
- SunCap Ferrat morning. Reposition to Cap d'Antibes for the afternoon and overnight.
- MonAnchorage at Baie de la Garoupe. Lunch on board, afternoon tender to Eden-Roc, overnight anchored off Cannes.
- TueÎles de Lérins day. Evening ashore in Cannes.
- WedOvernight westbound cruise to Saint-Tropez. Arrive Pampelonne for a late-morning anchor drop.
- ThuPampelonne beach clubs and dinner in Vieux Port Saint-Tropez.
- FriÎles d'Hyères day cruise (Porquerolles). Return to Saint-Tropez for the final evening.
- SatLate breakfast at anchor, disembarkation into Saint-Tropez by 09:00.
Itinerary 3
10-night eastbound — French Riviera into Liguria
For guests who prefer to head east from Monaco rather than west. Combines the Côte d'Azur with Portofino, the Cinque Terre and the Gulf of Poets — a quieter, more classical Italian coastline.
- Days 1–2Monaco embark. Cap Ferrat, Villefranche, and the eastern French coast. Overnight cruise into Liguria.
- Days 3–5Portofino, Santa Margherita and Rapallo. Anchor in the Portofino harbour, dinner at Splendido Mare.
- Days 6–7Cinque Terre coastline — Vernazza, Monterosso and Portovenere anchorages.
- Days 8–10Return westbound via Sanremo and Menton for the final two nights, disembarking Monaco on the morning of day 11.
Best yachts for French Riviera
For a French Riviera itinerary, three yacht profiles dominate our shortlists. Fast displacement or semi-displacement motor yachts (Sunseeker, Sanlorenzo, Ferretti, Azimut Grande) in the 25–45 metre bracket move gracefully between ports and offer beam enough for genuine at-anchor entertaining. This is the workhorse category for most Riviera weeks.
For guests prioritising a specific hotel-quality ashore programme and less at-sea time, a 20–30 metre Riva or Wajer day-cruise-focused yacht paired with waterfront villa or hotel accommodation is a very Monaco-native way to structure a stay. We regularly arrange this hybrid — the yacht handles the days on the water; the hotel or villa handles the evenings ashore.
For a proper superyacht experience — beach club, tender garage, dedicated crew of eight to twelve, multiple guest tenders — the 40-metre-plus displacement builds (Feadship, Benetti, Oceanco) are unrivalled. These are the yachts we shortlist for Grand Prix weeks, Yacht Show weeks, and any charter where the yacht itself is the venue rather than the transport. Browse our full Monaco charter fleet for representative examples.
On board & ashore
The Riviera is where the ashore programme genuinely matters. Every port on the coast has a signature restaurant scene, and part of our role as concierge is to hold the right table at the right hour without any of it feeling arranged. In Monaco that means Le Louis XV, Le Grill, the Yacht Club and Twiga. In Villefranche and Cap Ferrat, Paloma Beach and La Voile d'Or. In Cannes, La Palme d'Or, Baoli and the beach clubs along La Croisette. In Saint-Tropez, Club 55, La Vague d'Or, Le Girelier and dinner in Vieux Port.
On board, the tender and toy programme on a Riviera charter is a real differentiator. Well-specified yachts carry a fast primary tender (Wajer, Pascoe, Castoldi), a second smaller tender, seabobs, paddleboards, jet-skis and, on larger builds, an inflatable water park and diving equipment. Beach clubs at swim-platform level — with sofas, bar service and a passerelle straight into the water — have become the standard for anchor days.
Ashore excursions are a large part of the pleasure. Vineyard visits inland from Saint-Tropez (Domaine Ott, Château Léoube, Château Minuty), the Grimaldi Museum in Antibes and the Fondation Maeght in Saint-Paul-de-Vence, morning helicopter transfers to a lunch in Monaco — all of these can be built into the charter with your concierge. On event weeks (Grand Prix, Yacht Show, Film Festival), hospitality packages, garage passes and paddock invitations are the more common ashore programme.
Charter costs, APA and VAT
French Riviera charter rates are set at the yacht level rather than the destination level, but the coastline itself is at the top of the European market — expect Monaco and Saint-Tropez to price at the top of the range within any given yacht size band. Typical weekly base rates for a 30–40 metre motor yacht run from €140,000 to €280,000, with 40–60 metre builds from €280,000 to €650,000 and true superyachts (60m+) at €700,000 and above.
On top of the base fee, the industry-standard APA (Advance Provisioning Allowance) covers fuel, food, drinks, port fees, tenders and shore transfers. On the Riviera we typically budget APA at 30–35% of the base rate for a moderate-usage week, higher for itineraries with a lot of movement (Monaco–Portofino–Corsica) or heavy provisioning (fine dining every night on board).
French VAT applies to the portion of the charter conducted in French waters. Yachts embarking in France may qualify for the reduced effective VAT rate depending on itinerary; yachts embarking in Monaco and only day-cruising to French waters may fall outside this. Every quote LYC Monaco issues is fully broken down (base, APA, VAT, delivery) so you know exactly what you are committing to. For the full pricing framework, see Monaco yacht charter prices.
French Riviera yacht charter FAQs
What is the best month for a French Riviera yacht charter?+
June and September are the sweet spots — warm seas, calmer weather and quieter berths than the July–August peak. May and October remain excellent for shoulder-season charters, particularly for guests who prefer fewer tenders in every anchorage.
Where do most French Riviera yacht charters start?+
Monaco (Port Hercule) and Antibes (Port Vauban / IYCA) are the two dominant embarkation ports for larger yachts. Cannes and Saint-Tropez are also common start ports in summer, subject to berth availability.
How long should a French Riviera yacht charter be?+
Three-night weekend charters cover Monaco to Cannes comfortably. Seven-night itineraries add Saint-Tropez and the Îles de Lérins. Ten to fourteen nights allow a proper eastbound leg into Italy or a southbound loop via Corsica.
Can I do a one-way French Riviera charter?+
Yes. One-way charters (Monaco to Saint-Tropez, Cannes to Portofino, and similar) are entirely standard, though most yachts apply a repositioning fee. Your concierge negotiates this into the contract.
Do I need to speak French?+
No. Every crew we place operates in English by default, and marina and port staff along the coast are used to international clients. Menus, briefings and safety demonstrations are English-first.
Is a French Riviera yacht charter suitable for families?+
Yes — most weeks we book on the Riviera include children. We match you to yachts with dedicated children's cabins, appropriate toys (paddleboards, seabobs, tenders sized for young guests), and crews experienced with family charters.
What about the Mistral wind?+
The Mistral funnels down the Rhône valley and typically affects the western Riviera more strongly than Monaco. Your captain will adjust the itinerary — often by holding east for a day — so guests feel comfortable at anchor.
Can we combine a French Riviera charter with a Grand Prix or Cannes Film Festival stay?+
Yes, and these are among our most requested weeks. Berths inside Port Hercule during the Grand Prix and inside Vieux Port Cannes during the Film Festival are exceptionally tight — enquire six to twelve months in advance.
Related destinations & guides
- Yacht charter MonacoFlagship Monaco charter hub — costs, fleet, itineraries.
- Yacht charter CannesCannes-specific harbour, Lérins and Film Festival brief.
- Yacht charter Saint-TropezPampelonne, Ramatuelle and westbound routes.
- Monaco to Saint-Tropez by yachtRoute, timings and one-way brief.
- Cannes to Monaco by yachtReciprocal eastbound route from Cannes.
- Week-long yacht charterFramework for a full seven-day charter.
- Monaco yacht charter pricesRates, APA and VAT explained.
- Charter fleetCurated Monaco-based charter yachts.
By the concierge desk · Monaco