The French Mediterranean is one of the world's most sought after holiday destinations, for many well-deserved reasons. The climate is sublime, the landscape stunning, and the stops offer everything from tranquil islands to "flash" destinations such as St Tropez, Monaco and Cannes. It all sums up to a perfect destination for an unforgettable boating holiday.
During the boating season, which extends from April to October, the wind rarely is too strong, the sea is generally quiet, the tides and currents are mostly negligible, the ports are numerous, and the visibility is exceptional. There is good reason why many of the most famous painters, including Picasso and Cezanne, chose this area to live - it's stunning!
The region offers almost too much choice for a one week holiday. Do you want to walk the Cannes Croisette in the footsteps of movie stars, take a spot on the beach in trendy St Tropez along side numerous celebrities, walk the old port of Nice and hit the casino in stunning Monaco, or are you looking for the quiet yachting in beautiful areas such as the Porquerolles or Lerins Islands, the Esterel Cliffs, and the beautiful seaside towns such as Villefranche and Eze-sur-Mer. Or see the villa'd splendor of the famous "Caps" of Antibes, St Jean Cap Ferrat, and d'Ail. The French Riviera is also the perfect starting point for an extended Mediterranean cruise, that can include Corsica, Sardinia, the Ligurian and Tuscan Italian coast, or over to Barcelona, Majorca and Ibiza in Spain. Decisions, decisions!
Southern France - The French Riviera
A coastline full of world famous destinations, the French Riviera or "Cote d'Azur" is one of the best yachting destinations in the world
See below for a sample itinerary.
French Riviera Climate
The unique position that the French Riviera holds between the Mediterranean Sea and the French Alps creates a micro-climate that makes the area's weather so delightful. Warm sunny days can be found all year round - its common to lunch in the sun in January, and the months of June and September are usually glorious. Temperature swings are not particularly extreme - 90+ degree heat is uncommon even in August because of the cooling effect of the Mediterranean, and snow is a very rare occurrence.
The famous "Mistral" wind does occur intermittently throughout the year, especially in the Var region (the western area) that is closer to the Rhone Valley where it originates. This can produce some exciting or hazardous sailing conditions.
Water temperatures are in the 70's to low 80's in the summer, perfect for water sports of all kinds.
Information on Specific Riviera Destinations
Island
Description
Antibes, Cap d'Antibes, Juan les Pins
Both an ancient Greek and Roman fortified town, today Antibes is a bustling port town and yachting center. The most notable landmark is the castle in Old Town, with its extensive ramparts. It has many old winding streets, a good variety of food, and is today heavily influenced by the yachting industry, as many key Yachts and Boat Brokerages are based there, and "yachties" abound.
The adjacent Juan-les-Pins town is a typical French seaside resort, offering sandy beaches and a good night life.
Bandol
Bandol is a seaside resort that offers many sandy beaches, cliffs, inlets in a beautiful natural environment surrounded by hills of pines and willows. The port itself shelters 1,500 boats of all sizes and plenty of seaside cafes. Its nearby vineyards are famous and reputed to have the best reds in the South of France - worth a side trip if you have time.
Cannes receives a massive dose of publicity each year because of the film festival, and there is a good reason why the film festival resides there. The city offers the panache and glitz that the movie industry seeks, plus a whole lot more. The beautiful curving Croisette boardwalk, spanning the entire bay and connecting the two ports, offers a sandy beach (replete with poodles and French ladies in fur and boots) and the famous hotels and designer shops that Cannes is known for. The main shopping street - Rue d'Antibes, is just behind the Croisette.
The bay itself is gorgeous, surrounded by hills and rock formations that reach all the way to the French Alps (which are visible on clear days), and full of amazing yachts. A visit to the French Rivera really wouldn't be complete without a stopover in Cannes for some shopping, lunch on the Croisette, and people/yacht watching.
Cassis
Cassis is a beautiful old fishing town near Marseille surrounded by stunning cliffs and rock formations. A visit is well worth it, for a relaxing lunch in the port, a hike in the hills, or a side trip to sample the best white wines in the area.
Fréjus/San Raphael
Fréjus is well known for its beautiful long and wide white sandy beaches and the nearby Roman ruins. It also boasts a nice old town, is a very popular tourist destination in the summer for French and visitors from all over Europe. San Raphael offers a bustling old town directly on the beach, and the third largest marina on the French Riviera.
Lerin Islands
The "Iles de Lérins" are two large islands that lie just off the coast of Cannes. Ile Sainte-Marguerite is the larger island and is covered by a pine and eucalyptus forest. There are a few cafes and restaurants, and history buffs can visit the cell where the Man in the Iron Mask was imprisoned. Ile Saint-Honorat, just south, has a Cisterian abbey that still produces a local wine. The passage between the islands is a popular anchor point for many of the yachts of the region, and a great place to stay for the night if you've been visiting Cannes or Antibes.
Marseilles is a superb Provencal port, that suffers from and undeserved bad image. It has a beautiful old port, offers 2600 years of history (it was started by the Phonecians in 600BC and then succeeded by Greeks and Romans) and provides everything that a Mediterranean port city should, including the famous Bouillabaisse. It is a perfect gateway for a Mediterranean cruise, as more and more airlines are now flying there, and the other destinations of the Cote d'Azur are within easy reach. The coastline is spectacular, and you are quite near the Porquerolles, Cassis and Bandol.
Monaco is almost synonymous with style, money, gambling and Formula 1 in many people's minds, and deservedly so. It also hosts many of the worlds largest and most amazing yachts. But beyond the glitz, Monaco is a stunningly beautiful town/country with the Grimaldi Palace, impressive mountainous backdrop, and architecture (where it hasn't been overrun by sleek high-rises that hold all the millionaires). It's definitely worth a stop on any itinerary.
Nice
Nice is both a very popular boating destination, as well as the main entry point to the French Riviera because of the Nice/Cote d'Azur airport. It is a fairly large town, with approximately 400K inhabitants, but also retains its old world charm in the beautiful Old Port and the Old Town with its excellent markets. From the Promenade des Anglais, which is a long boardwalk curving along the entire waterfront, you still get a feeling for its early 1900's splendor with the beautiful architecture. You can find all kinds of restaurants and activities, as befits a town of its size. One warning, the beach is pebbled, not sandy.
Porquerolles/Iles d'Or
Porquerolles is the biggest of the three islands of Or in the Hyères gulf (near Toulon). It is a very popular destination for all types of boats, as it offers many bays and harbors, and nearly unspoiled terrain (80% of the island is protected park). The island boasts a 3 star Michelin restaurant, and several other places for excellent sea food. The north of the island offers beautiful sandy beaches, the south excellent cliffs and rock formations. Many visitors rent bikes to fully explore the island.
Saint Tropez gained its fame for the long expanse of private sandy beaches and its quaint old port town. The beaches are done the way the French do it - you purchase a chair and umbrella for the day, take a long lunch at the attached restaurant with plenty of rose wine, and don't worry about anything else. The town offers a broad array of cuisine, from simple cafe to 3 star Michelin, and numerous shops (from exclusive labels to touristy souvenir shops).
You may run into a movie star or celebrity, but most of them hide away on the private beaches or in their exclusive villas. Best to concentrate on the boating, which is beautiful, and to be thankful that you can reach St Tropez by water instead of the continually clogged single road into town!
Villefranche
A quaint and beautiful port between Nice and Monaco, Villefranche is a perfect port for a night stay when cruising the Cote d'Azur on any boat. The medieval port has the requisite red roofs, vaulted passages over cobblestone streets, and a distinctive church steeple. The beautiful views of the town and surrounding hills and cliffs make this a fantastic stopover.
If you’re chartering a Luxury Yacht, you can start your holiday in most any port, the most common being Antibes, Cannes and Monaco. If its sailing you're looking for, we can find you the right boat in nearly any port between Marseille and Monaco.
A holiday on the French Riviera will provide ample sun, beauty, activities, cuisine and a French "Savior Faire" that's not available anywhere else!
A Typical 7 Day Luxury Cruise Itinerary from Cannes
Day 1: Arrive afternoon Nice Cote d’Azur airport, transfer to your Yacht berthed in the Port of Cannes.
Day 2: St. Tropez for lunch at Club 55 and a day at a private beach
Day 3: Porquerolles for swimming, biking, and enjoying the peace and quiet. Dinner at Le Mas du Langoustier
Day 4 : Iles Lerins for relaxation, seeing Cannes, and the cell of the Masked Man
Day 5: Villefranche to see the beautiful port and explore the old town
Day 6: Monaco for sightseeing and a try at the Casino
Day 7: Nice for a visit to the old town before transferring back to the Airport
The above itinerary is designed for a motor yacht. To do the same route on a sailing yacht you should plan two weeks.
If you'd like any suggestions about the French Riviera, please feel free to contact us.
Our Yachts in the French Riviera
Fitting for the French Riviera, we have plenty of Luxury and Super Yachts available for Charter, from several ports including Cannes, Antibes, Monaco and St Tropez. We also offer a broad range of Sailing Yachts perfect for enjoying this gorgeous area, and many of offshore cruisers for that special day cruise. We can also get you a Riva or Mangusta if you really want to do the Riviera with some flash.
Given that many visitors to Cannes are attendees at conferences or festivals, we offer a full range of boats to rent to entertain and stay on at the Festivals, even if you're not a movie star ;-) Please browse through these yachts we have on the site, and let us know which one(s) may be of interest. If you don't find the perfect boat or have specific needs, we can search for it for you, so just fill out our custom booking form and we'll get right on it!
