Few stretches of the Mediterranean change character as quickly as the water between Sanremo and Nice. In under 25 nautical miles you leave the palm-lined harbours of the Riviera dei Fiori, pass the cliffs at the Italian border and arrive among the façades of Menton, the towers of Monaco and the deep bay of Villefranche. By boat it is one continuous coast: breakfast in Liguria, lunch in France, and an aperitivo back in Italy by sunset.
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Quick answer: the Italian Riviera to the French Riviera by boat
- Best departure harbour: Sanremo for a full day into France; Cala del Forte in Ventimiglia for the shortest hop.
- Best half day route: Ventimiglia to Menton and back, past the Balzi Rossi cliffs.
- Best full day route: Sanremo to Monaco and Cap d’Ail, with a swim and lunch in France.
- Best months: June and September.
- Book ahead: boat and skipper, any visitor berth in Monaco or Villefranche, and lunch in August.
This guide bridges our Italy by boat series and our new French Riviera yacht charter guide.
Check prices and availability
Monaco sits at the heart of this route: about 17 nautical miles from Sanremo and around 5 from Menton.
Harbours and marinas on both sides of the border
Distances are our own straight line estimates; drive times are rough.
- Sanremo: Portosole east of the centre and the old port by the town. The natural base for a day into France. Nice airport is roughly an hour by road, Genoa airport nearer two.
- Bordighera: a small harbour about 11 miles from Monaco, for smaller boats and a quieter start.
- Cala del Forte, Ventimiglia: a marina run by Monaco Ports, the operator of Port Hercule and Fontvieille, taking yachts up to 70 metres, about 8 miles from Monaco.
- Portofino and Genoa: for the longer cruise, roughly 85 and 75 miles from Monaco. See Portofino and the Cinque Terre by Boat.
- Menton: the first French town, with the Vieux Port below the old town and Garavan harbour by the border.
- Monaco: Port Hercule below Monte-Carlo and Port de Fontvieille; Nice airport is roughly 30 to 45 minutes by road.
- Villefranche-sur-Mer and Nice: Villefranche’s Port de la Darse and Port de la Santé in a deep, sheltered bay; Nice’s Port Lympia just round Cap de Nice. Beaulieu-sur-Mer, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat and Cap d’Ail have smaller harbours in between.
Is there a ferry? We found no scheduled public ferry between the Ligurian Riviera and Monaco or Nice for 2026. Monaco Ports has operated a shuttle boat, Monaco One, between Monaco and Ventimiglia for clients of its ports, not the general public. Otherwise the coastal train is the scheduled option.
Four routes in detail
Times assume a motor yacht at about 20 knots or a sailing yacht averaging about 6, slowing to 5 knots near the French shore. Agree the plan with your skipper on the morning.
Route 1, half day: Ventimiglia to Menton
Roughly 5 miles from Cala del Forte to Menton: around 20 minutes by motor yacht, about an hour under sail. You pass the Balzi Rossi, red limestone cliffs at Grimaldi where prehistoric caves open just above the water at the border. This is not a sea cave coast, so enjoy them from the boat. Swim off the shore east of Menton, then lunch in the old town above the Vieux Port, and be back by mid afternoon.
Route 2, full day: Sanremo to Monaco and Cap d’Ail
About 17 miles each way: under an hour by motor yacht, around three hours under sail. Run west past Bordighera and Ventimiglia, along the Menton seafront and round Cap Martin with its villas and pines, until Monaco rises above Port Hercule. Visitor berths must be arranged in advance, so many skippers continue to Plage Mala at Cap d’Ail, where smaller boats may anchor in a designated zone and reach the beach through a marked channel. Lunch above the beach, then return in the late afternoon light.
Route 3, full day one way: Bordighera to Villefranche and Nice
Roughly 16 miles from Bordighera to Villefranche, or 22 from Sanremo. Pass Menton and Monaco, the cliffs below Èze and the calm water off Beaulieu. Villefranche’s bay is the swim stop: deep, clear and protected from most winds. Lunch on the harbourfront, then round Cap de Nice to Port Lympia, close to the old town.
Route 4, three to four days: Portofino to Nice
- Day 1: Portofino past Genoa to Loano or Alassio, about 45 miles. Isola Gallinara off Albenga is a regional nature reserve; check landing and anchoring rules with your skipper.
- Day 2: on to Sanremo, about 25 miles, with an evening in the old town, the Pigna.
- Day 3: Sanremo to Monaco, with a swim off Menton.
- Day 4: a short run to Villefranche, then Nice.
Our Yacht, Wine and Golf on the Italian Riviera guide adds golf and Pigato to the Ligurian half. To continue west, see Antibes by Boat and Cannes and the Lérins Islands by Boat.
Rules: borders, speed, anchoring and protected areas
Sources: Préfecture maritime de la Méditerranée orders and Monaco’s maritime police guidance. Orders change, so confirm with your skipper or the harbour office.
Crossing the border by sea
- Italy to France: both are in Schengen. The French border control declaration applies to boats arriving from outside Schengen, so not to a boat coming from Italy. Carry passports and the boat’s papers, and check customs status with your skipper if the boat comes from outside the EU.
- Monaco: yachts berthing in Port Hercule, Fontvieille or Yacht Club de Monaco, or anchoring in Monegasque waters, must complete a police form, a crew and guest list and a maritime health declaration, and present every passport to the maritime police on Quai Antoine 1er. Cash above €10,000 must be declared. A berth must be assigned before arrival; port control is on VHF 12 or 16.
- Events: during the Grand Prix and the Monaco Yacht Show, Monaco’s ports publish special access restrictions.
France: the 300 metre band
- Speed: 5 knots within 300 metres of the shore, islands and rocks, all year, marked or not. In Villefranche’s bay, north of the line from Pointe Madame to Pointe Pilone, 5 knots applies beyond the band too.
- Channels and swim zones: marked channels to beaches are for direct transit at 5 knots, with no stopping or anchoring. Beside them, zones closed to motor boats protect swimmers, for example in Villefranche, at Lilong, Fossettes and Scaletta on Cap Ferrat (1 June to 30 September) and at Plage Mala (1 May to 30 September).
- Anchoring: off Cap d’Ail, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat and the Villefranche coast between Beaulieu and Èze, vessels of 20 metres or more may not anchor within the 300 metre band. Since 2020 the Préfecture maritime has also banned large yachts (20 or 24 metres and over, depending on the zone) from anchoring on mapped Posidonia seagrass meadows in the Alpes-Maritimes. The Mala anchoring zone is reserved for boats under 20 metres with waste holding tanks.
- Buoys: tying up to navigation or channel buoys is prohibited.
Monaco: the Larvotto reserve
About 33 hectares off the Larvotto beaches, marked by buoys. Motor boats may not enter, anchoring and all fishing are banned, and diving is regulated.
Italy: harbour office ordinances
Each Italian harbour office issues a summer bathing ordinance that reserves a strip near the shore for swimmers and sets coastal speed limits. We could not find a consolidated 2026 text for the Sanremo and Imperia district, so ask your skipper. We found no national marine protected area between Sanremo and the border; Portofino’s protected area, with its own rules, matters only on Route 4.
Pelagos Sanctuary
The whole route lies in the Pelagos Sanctuary for marine mammals, agreed between Italy, France and Monaco. If dolphins or whales appear, slow down, keep your distance and let the skipper follow the sanctuary’s code of conduct.
Licences: why the border matters
In Italy, a hired motor boat can be driven without a licence if its engine is no more than 30 kW (about 40.8 hp) and you stay within 6 miles of the coast. According to French boating press, France requires a permis plaisance for any motor boat above 4.5 kW (6 hp), with the coastal licence covering up to 6 miles from a shelter. A boat you may drive licence free in Liguria therefore needs a licence in French waters. Confirm whether your national licence is accepted in France before booking, or simply take a skipper.
Types of boat and what a skippered charter includes
- RIB or open motor boat (7 to 12 metres): fun for the Menton hop, exposed on a longer day.
- Motor yacht (12 to 20 metres): shade, a cabin and a bathroom; right for Monaco or Villefranche.
- Sailing yacht or catamaran: slower but calmer, ideal for the cruise from Portofino.
- Crewed yacht over 20 metres: comes with a tender, but faces the stricter French anchoring rules.
Usually included: boat, skipper, insurance, snorkelling gear and soft drinks. Often extra: fuel (significant on a fast boat over 35 miles), lunch ashore, harbour fees for visitor berths and extra crew. There are no park fees on this stretch. For a one way trip, ask who pays the boat’s return run.
Route comparison
| Route | Departure | Duration | Highlights | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ventimiglia to Menton | Cala del Forte | Half day | Balzi Rossi cliffs, Menton old town | A first taste of France by sea |
| Sanremo to Monaco and Cap d’Ail | Sanremo | Full day, return | Cap Martin, Monaco skyline, Plage Mala | Guests based in Sanremo |
| Bordighera to Villefranche and Nice | Bordighera or Sanremo | Full day, one way | Èze cliffs, Villefranche bay swim | Ending a trip with a flight from Nice |
| Portofino to Nice | Portofino or Genoa | 3 to 4 days | The whole Riviera, two countries and Monaco | A slow, celebratory cruise |
Best months, winds and practical tips
June and September bring warm water, long days and fewer boats. July and August offer the best swimming but full harbours and the highest demand for berths.
The Alps shelter this corner of the coast, and summer days are often settled with a light afternoon sea breeze. A stronger southwesterly or easterly can still raise a rough sea off Cap Martin; trust the skipper’s call.
- Bring: passports, reef-safe sun cream, a hat and a light layer.
- Seasickness: sit towards the stern and take tablets before boarding.
- Booking: reserve July and August boats several weeks ahead and get any Monaco berth confirmed in writing.
- August: leave early, swim before 11am and book lunch for a little after 1pm.
Charlotte’s tip: sail one way and let the luggage take the road
If your trip moves from Liguria to the Côte d’Azur, make the boat day your transfer. Ask your Sanremo hotel to send the bags ahead by car, board with a beach bag and passports, and arrive by sea in time for a swim in Villefranche bay. Have the skipper quote the one way trip including the return run.
Where to stay near the departure harbours
Check prices and availability
Sanremo is the best Italian base for a day into France, with two harbours and a seafront of grand hotels.
Royal Hotel Sanremo
On Sanremo’s seafront since 1872, with a heated seawater pool designed by Gio Ponti (seasonal; ask the hotel for dates), a spa and a palm garden. Portosole and the old port are about 1.5 kilometres east, a short taxi ride. The hotel closes for a winter break, so check dates.
Best for: a grand hotel base for Routes 2 and 3.
Check rates at Royal Hotel Sanremo
Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo
Open since 1864 on Place du Casino, with harbour views and about a ten minute walk down to Port Hercule. Thermes Marins Monte-Carlo, with a heated seawater pool, connects directly to the hotel, and Le Louis XV, Alain Ducasse à l’Hôtel de Paris, is the signature restaurant.
Best for: arriving by sea and staying on in Monaco.
Check rates at Hôtel de Paris Monte-Carlo
Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat, A Four Seasons Hotel
About seven hectares of gardens near the tip of the Cap Ferrat peninsula, with the Club Dauphin infinity pool and cabanas above the sea, a spa and a kids’ club. Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat harbour is roughly 2 kilometres away. The hotel is seasonal and reopens in early spring, so check dates.
Best for: a peaceful final stop after Route 3 or 4.
Check rates at Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat
Hôtel La Pérouse, Nice
A four star boutique hotel set into the cliff of Castle Hill above the Baie des Anges, with a pool cut into the rock, the citrus-shaded Le Patio restaurant and a rooftop, La Vista; ask the hotel what the rooftop serves during your stay. Port Lympia is on the other side of Castle Hill, roughly a 15 minute walk.
Best for: ending the cruise in Nice before a flight home.
Check rates at Hôtel La Pérouse
Splendido, A Belmond Hotel, Portofino
Splendido occupies a former monastery on the hillside above Portofino’s harbour and reopened in June 2025 after renovation. The harbour is a short ride below. Ask about seasonal opening dates.
Best for: the first night of the longer cruise.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far is Sanremo from Monaco by boat?
About 17 nautical miles in a straight line: under an hour on a motor yacht, around three hours under sail.
Do I need a passport to sail from Italy to France?
There is no Schengen border declaration between Italy and France by sea, but carry passports. In Monaco, every passport must be presented to the maritime police; skippers normally arrange this.
Can I hire a boat without a licence in Sanremo and drive it to Monaco?
Usually not. Italy allows licence-free hire up to about 40.8 hp within 6 miles of the coast, but France requires a licence above 6 hp. Book a skipper.
Is there a public ferry from the Italian Riviera to Monaco or Nice?
We found no scheduled public ferry for 2026. Take the coastal train, or charter a boat for the day.
