Between Menton and the Hyères islands, the Côte d’Azur packs famous harbours, pine-covered capes and sandy anchorages into a short stretch of coast. Cap Ferrat’s coves, the monastery island of Saint-Honorat, the red Estérel cliffs and the Port-Cros National Park all lie within a day of a marina, and Corsica adds Bonifacio’s white cliffs and the Scandola reserve. This hub opens our France by Boat series and covers areas, bases, rules and routes for 2026.
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Quick answer: the French Riviera by boat in 2026
- Best departure harbour: Antibes (Port Vauban) or Cannes, both close to Nice airport and within easy reach of the Lérins islands and the Estérel.
- Best half day route: Cannes or Golfe-Juan to the Lérins islands, swimming off Sainte-Marguerite.
- Best full day route: Villefranche along Cap Ferrat to Monaco and back, or Saint-Tropez to Pampelonne and Cap Taillat.
- Best months: June and September; late May and early October for quieter harbours.
- What to book ahead: the boat and skipper, marina berths for event weeks, and night buoys at Port-Cros, which require a reservation.
Check prices and availability
Nice airport sits between Monaco, Antibes and Cannes, so every Riviera marina is a short transfer away.
The cruising areas at a glance
Most charters stay within one or two of these five areas.
- Monaco and the eastern Riviera: Villefranche, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, Beaulieu and Monaco: short hops between deep bays. See Monaco, Villefranche and Cap Ferrat by Boat.
- Antibes and Cannes: Cap d’Antibes, Golfe-Juan, the Lérins islands and the red rocks of the Estérel. Read Antibes by Boat and Cannes by Boat.
- Saint-Tropez and the Gulf: the port, the Baie des Canoubiers, Pampelonne and the wild capes of Camarat and Taillat. See Saint-Tropez by Boat.
- The Hyères islands: Porquerolles, Port-Cros (a national park) and the Levant, where much of the island is a military zone.
- Corsica: in the south, Bonifacio, the Lavezzi islands and Porto-Vecchio, covered in Bonifacio by Boat; in the north and west, Calvi, Scandola and Ajaccio, covered in Calvi and Scandola by Boat.
Coming from Liguria? Our Italian Riviera to the French Riviera by Boat guide covers the crossing, and the Yacht Charter in Italy hub covers the Italian side.
Harbours and marinas: where the boats leave from
Transfer times are approximate; allow more in July, August and event weeks.
- Port Hercule, Monaco: below the Casino and the Rock, roughly 30 to 45 minutes from Nice airport. Monaco has its own maritime rules; ask the harbour.
- Villefranche-sur-Mer and Beaulieu: about 30 minutes from the airport.
- Port Vauban, Antibes: beside the old town, around 25 to 30 minutes from the airport. A major superyacht base.
- Golfe-Juan: between Antibes and Cannes, with a short run to the Lérins islands.
- Cannes, Vieux Port and Port Pierre Canto: the Vieux Port beside the Palais des Festivals, Port Pierre Canto at the eastern end of the Croisette; roughly 30 to 40 minutes from the airport.
- Saint-Tropez: in the village; often 90 minutes or more by road from Nice airport.
- Hyères: about 10 to 15 minutes from Toulon-Hyères airport; the base for Porquerolles and Port-Cros.
- Bonifacio, Ajaccio and Calvi: Figari airport is roughly 25 to 30 minutes from Bonifacio; Ajaccio and Calvi airports about 10 to 15 minutes from their ports.
Five routes in detail
1. Half day: Cannes or Golfe-Juan to the Lérins islands
Anchor over sand off the southwest side of Sainte-Marguerite, swim, then take the tender ashore to Fort Royal and the cell linked to the Man in the Iron Mask. Saint-Honorat, home to a working monastery, has a small tender pontoon on its north side and a shop selling the monks’ wine; local guidance says swimming there is not permitted. Arrive before 11am or late afternoon, as the channel fills quickly in summer.
2. Full day: Villefranche, Cap Ferrat and Monaco
From Villefranche or Beaulieu, round Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat with swim stops in its eastern bays, then continue past Èze-sur-Mer and Cap d’Ail to Monaco for lunch ashore. At roughly 7 nautical miles each way, the day is about swimming, not mileage.
3. Full day: Saint-Tropez, Pampelonne and Cap Taillat
From the old port, cross the Baie des Canoubiers and round Cap Camarat to Pampelonne, where tenders run guests ashore to the beach clubs for lunch. Continue to Cap Taillat and L’Escalet for quieter swimming. Afternoon sea breezes can make the return choppy.
4. Full day: Hyères to Porquerolles and Port-Cros
Porquerolles is a short crossing from Hyères. Anchor on sand off Notre-Dame or the Plage d’Argent, then lunch in the village. On a longer day, continue to the Bagaud buoy field at Port-Cros. This is the most regulated route in the region (see below).
5. Longer: Bonifacio, the Lavezzi and the Sardinian strait
Leave Bonifacio past the cliffs and the Grotte du Sdragonato sea cave, then run to the Lavezzi islands for granite coves. Northern Sardinia is close across the strait, so this area pairs naturally with Sardinia by Boat and La Maddalena; ask the skipper about the paperwork for crossing.
Sample 7-day route: Antibes to Saint-Tropez and back
- Day 1: Antibes to the Lérins islands; night in Cannes.
- Day 2: along the Estérel past Théoule, Cap Roux and Agay to Saint-Raphaël.
- Day 3: to Saint-Tropez, roughly 30 to 35 nautical miles from Antibes in total.
- Day 4: Pampelonne, Cap Camarat and Cap Taillat; night in the Gulf.
- Day 5: west to Porquerolles; book a Port-Cros night buoy or a berth in Porquerolles harbour in advance.
- Day 6: back east to Saint-Tropez or Sainte-Maxime.
- Day 7: return to Antibes, with a last swim at the Lérins islands.
Rules: protected areas, anchoring and speed
Rules come from the Préfecture maritime de la Méditerranée, the Port-Cros National Park and, in Corsica, the Office de l’Environnement de la Corse. They change often, so ask your skipper for the current version.
- Posidonia seagrass: anchoring on Posidonia is banned. For larger vessels, Préfecture maritime orders restrict anchoring to permitted areas: from 20 m in the eastern Alpes-Maritimes (from the Var river to the Italian and Monegasque border) and from 24 m in the western Alpes-Maritimes, the Hyères roadstead and the Bouches de Bonifacio.
- 300 m coastal band: 5 knots is the limit within 300 m of the shore, and 3 knots in harbours. Marked swimming zones off beaches are closed to motor boats; reach the shore only through the buoyed access channels.
- Port-Cros: in the national park, 5 knots within 300 m and 12 knots between 300 and 600 m. The 68 Bagaud buoys operate from 15 April to 15 October: free by day (8am to 6pm), paid and reserved at night, with someone aboard. Anchoring is banned for vessels over 24 m, and only boats with black water tanks may anchor. Jet skis are banned throughout the park.
- Porquerolles: anchoring in the Hyères roadstead has been banned for vessels over 24 m since 15 December 2020; contact the semaphore station before stopping. From 15 June to 30 September, landing is banned on the Gros Sarranier islet, between Cap Rousset and the Plage Blanche, and on the Grand Langoustier peninsula. In 2026, to protect nesting Mediterranean shags, navigation, anchoring and stopping were banned from 2 April to 1 June in a 200 m strip east of the Gabinière islet at Port-Cros and within 50 m of Cap des Mèdes at Porquerolles; similar closures may return each spring, so check with the park.
- Bouches de Bonifacio reserve: access channels are for transit only at a maximum of 5 knots. Anchoring is banned in marked zones in parts of Rondinara and around Cavallo and Piana. At the Lavezzi, anchoring is allowed only in marked zones for vessels under 24 m during the season, landings are limited to set points, and dogs are not allowed. From 2026, a Préfecture maritime order closes four seabird sectors, north of Lavezzu and around Ratino, Porraggia and Perduto, to navigation, anchoring and stopping for five years.
- Scandola reserve: anchoring is allowed only from sunrise to sunset, never overnight, and is banned day and night in the strict reserve between the island of Garaglo and Punta Palazzu. Fishing and scuba diving are banned. 2026 is an information phase; quotas, licences and QR code registration are being prepared for a decree expected around the turn of 2027. A 2017 order barred ships of 500 gross tonnes and over; our research could not confirm whether it has since been amended, so check with the skipper.
- Fees: beyond Port-Cros night buoys and harbour dues, we found no official visitor fee; check with the park or harbour.
Types of boat and what a charter includes
- Day boats: motorboats, RIBs and day cruisers, with a skipper or, with the right licence, without.
- Skippered yachts: sailing yachts, catamarans or motor yachts with a professional skipper, for a day or a week.
- Crewed superyachts: larger yachts with captain, chef and crew, mostly based in Monaco, Antibes or Cannes; length limits where they may anchor.
Inclusions vary. Ask in writing whether fuel, food and drinks, marina berths, buoy fees, the skipper’s meals and cleaning are included, and how VAT is shown on the contract.
Licences for bareboat: according to the French Ministry for the Sea, a permis plaisance is required for motor boats with more than 4.5 kW (6 hp); the coastal option allows navigation up to 6 nautical miles from a shelter. No licence is needed to sail a sailing boat at sea. EU nationals may use a licence issued in their EU country on a French-flagged boat, within its limits. The ministry’s page does not mention the ICC, so whether an ICC or another non-EU licence is accepted must be confirmed with the charter base in writing.
Routes compared
| Route | Departure | Duration | Highlights | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lérins islands | Cannes, Golfe-Juan | Half day | Sainte-Marguerite, Fort Royal, monastery | First-timers, families |
| Cap Ferrat and Monaco | Villefranche, Beaulieu | Full day | Cap coves, Èze, Monaco lunch | Couples, short distances |
| Pampelonne and Cap Taillat | Saint-Tropez | Full day | Beach club lunch, wild capes | Social days, swimming |
| Porquerolles and Port-Cros | Hyères | Full day | Sandy beaches, national park | Nature lovers |
| Lavezzi islands | Bonifacio | Full day | Cliffs, sea cave, granite coves | Clear water, snorkelling |
| Antibes to Saint-Tropez loop | Antibes | 7 days | Lérins, Estérel, Gulf, Porquerolles | A full week on the water |
Best months, winds and practical tips
June and September offer warm water and space at anchor. In July and August, Pampelonne, the Lérins islands and Porquerolles fill by late morning. May and October are quieter, with cooler water.
The mistral, a strong northwesterly, is felt most around the Hyères islands and the western Var; the coast east of Cannes is generally more sheltered. The strait of Bonifacio funnels westerlies and can turn rough quickly.
Event weeks fill marinas. In 2027 the Festival de Cannes runs from 11 to 22 May and the Monaco Grand Prix from 4 to 6 June. The Monaco Yacht Show is usually held in late September, and Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez usually runs from late September into early October.
- Bring reef-safe sun cream, a hat, a light layer for the return and soft-soled shoes.
- Prone to seasickness? Choose a morning departure, a larger boat and a seat near the stern.
- Book several months ahead for July, August and event weeks.
Charlotte’s tip: split the week between the Riviera and the islands
For a first week, spend two or three days on short trips from Antibes or Cannes, then head west to Saint-Tropez and Porquerolles while the forecast is calm. Keep one flexible day for the mistral, and reserve the Port-Cros night buoy once the weather window is clear.
Check prices and availability
Nice keeps Monaco, Antibes and Cannes within a short transfer.
Where to stay near the harbours
Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc, Antibes
At the tip of Cap d’Antibes in a nine-hectare park, roughly 15 minutes by car from Port Vauban. It has a private pontoon, a heated seawater pool cut into the rock, a Dior spa and the Michelin-starred Louroc. It is seasonal: the regional tourist board lists opening from 20 April 2026 but gives both 18 and 19 October as the closing date, so confirm with the hotel.
Best for: superyacht guests and couples wanting a pontoon at the hotel.
Check rates at Hôtel du Cap-Eden-Roc
Hôtel Barrière Le Majestic, Cannes
On the Croisette facing the Palais des Festivals, a few minutes’ walk from the Vieux Port and about 2 km from Port Pierre Canto. It has a heated outdoor pool, a spa and its own private beach, Ciro’s Cannes.
Best for: Lérins island days and the film festival.
Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo, Monaco
Next to the Casino de Monte-Carlo and roughly a ten-minute walk down to Port Hercule. Guests use the Thermes Marins spa opposite and dine at Le Louis XV, Alain Ducasse’s restaurant.
Best for: Cap Ferrat days and Grand Prix week.
Check rates at Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo
Cheval Blanc St-Tropez
On the Plage de la Bouillabaisse, about 2 km from the village and its port. It has a beach pontoon, and La Vague d’Or holds three Michelin stars. The hotel is seasonal; check opening dates with the hotel.
Best for: Pampelonne days with a beach at the door.
Check rates at Cheval Blanc St-Tropez
Hotel Genovese, Bonifacio
A four-star hotel within the citadel ramparts above the sea, with the marina below the old town; pool, spa and restaurant. The Corsican tourist board lists an opening period of 10 December to 2 November; ask the hotel for winter dates.
Best for: Lavezzi days and the Sardinian strait.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a licence to hire a boat on the French Riviera?
Not with a skipper. Bareboat motor boats over 4.5 kW (6 hp) need a permis plaisance or an accepted equivalent.
Where can I anchor near Cannes and Saint-Tropez?
On sand, never on Posidonia, and outside swimming zones; larger yachts only in permitted zones.
Can I stay overnight at Scandola?
No. Anchoring in the reserve is allowed only from sunrise to sunset, and stricter rules are being prepared for 2027.
When are the marinas busiest?
July, August and event weeks: Cannes in May, the Grand Prix in June, the Yacht Show and Les Voiles in autumn.
