Between Nice and the Italian border, the Alps drop almost straight into the sea and the coast folds into sheltered bays. In one morning you can leave Villefranche’s deep natural harbour, swim off the pine covered peninsula of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat, look up at the pink Villa Ephrussi from the water and reach Monaco for lunch. Two countries, many harbours, little open sea. Here are the harbours, four routes, the 2026 rules and what a skippered day includes.
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Quick answer: Monaco, Villefranche and Cap Ferrat by boat
- Best departure harbour: Villefranche-sur-Mer (Darse or Port de la Santé) for Cap Ferrat; Beaulieu-sur-Mer if you want to reach both Cap Ferrat and Monaco easily.
- Best half day route: a loop of Cap Ferrat from Villefranche, with a swim off Paloma or the Anse de Passable.
- Best full day route: Villefranche to Monaco along the cliffs of Èze and Cap d’Ail, lunch ashore, back by Cap Ferrat.
- Best months: June and September; late May and early October for quieter water.
- What to book ahead: skippered boats for July and August, any berth in Monaco, and anything at all during Grand Prix week in early June or the Monaco Yacht Show in late September.
This guide is part of our France by Boat series. The hub on French Riviera yacht charter compares the whole coast, from Saint-Tropez to Menton.
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Monaco puts you on the quay of Port Hercule, with Cap Ferrat and Menton each a short run by sea.
Harbours and marinas: where boats leave from
Nice Côte d’Azur airport serves the whole stretch. Drive times are rough guides; summer traffic on the coast road can double them.
- Villefranche-sur-Mer (Darse and Port de la Santé): two small harbours owned by the Département des Alpes-Maritimes. The Darse, under the citadel, is the base for many day boats; the Port de la Santé sits below the old town. Visitor berths depend on space; request them through the port’s website. Roughly half an hour from the airport.
- Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat: a compact village harbour on the east side of the peninsula, best for half days.
- Beaulieu-sur-Mer: a large marina between Cap Ferrat and Èze, well placed for routes in either direction.
- Port Hercule, Monaco: almost 760 berths, around 30 for visitors, according to the Monaco tourist office; VHF channel 12. Central and hard to get into in season.
- Port de Fontvieille, Monaco: 290 berths, 16 for visitors, 3 metre maximum draught; VHF channel 9.
- Port de Cap d’Ail: just across the border in France, beside Fontvieille; the practical answer when Monaco is full.
- Menton (Vieux Port and Garavan): the last French harbours before Italy, roughly an hour from the airport.
Four routes in detail
Times assume a fast motor boat in calm seas; sailing boats are slower.
1. Half day: around Cap Ferrat from Villefranche
Cross the bay to the Anse de Passable on the west side of the peninsula; swimming zones are closed to boats, so anchor outside and swim in. Continue past the lighthouse, round Pointe Saint-Hospice and its chapel, then up the sheltered east side to Paloma beach, the classic swim stop near Saint-Jean. Returning, the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild and its gardens crown the isthmus between the two bays. About four hours with two swims.
2. Full day: Villefranche to Monaco along the cliffs
Round Cap Ferrat, then follow the coast past Beaulieu’s Baie des Fourmis and Èze-sur-Mer, with the village of Èze perched far above. Beyond Cap d’Ail rises the Rock of Monaco, the Oceanographic Museum on its seaward cliff. Lunch in Monaco needs a berth or drop off arranged in advance; Cap d’Ail is the fallback. Swim on the way back. Plan seven to eight hours.
3. Full day: Monaco, Cap Martin and Menton to the Italian border
Head east past Larvotto (keep clear of the marine reserve) to the wooded tip of Cap Martin and the coves of Roquebrune. Lunch in Menton’s old town, then run to the frontier at Garavan, where the coast carries on into Liguria. For a longer passage, our guide to the Italian Riviera to the French Riviera by boat covers both sides. About six hours.
4. Longer: two to four days from Menton to Cap d’Antibes
Start in Menton, overnight in Monaco or Beaulieu, spend a lazy day around Cap Ferrat and a night in Villefranche, then cross the open Baie des Anges early to approach Cap d’Antibes from the east, ending at Port Vauban. To continue west, see Antibes by boat and Cannes by boat.
Rules: anchoring, speed and protected areas in 2026
There is no national park here, so no park fees. What matters are the orders of the Préfet maritime de la Méditerranée and, in Monaco, the Principality’s rules. This is what we verified on official sources for 2025 and 2026; local orders change, so check with your skipper or harbour office.
The 300 metre band and speed
Along the whole French Mediterranean coast, registered boats are limited to 5 knots within 300 metres of the shore, whether or not the band is buoyed (Préfecture maritime order 019/2018). The same limit applies within 100 metres of a diver’s flag. In the Villefranche roadstead the rule is stricter: north of the line between Pointe Madame and Pointe Pilone, 5 knots applies across the whole bay, not only near the shore (order 053/2020). Buoyed swimming zones are closed to boats; yellow buoyed access channels are for transit only.
Villefranche and Cap Ferrat
- Several no anchoring zones, including around the navy buoys, near Pointe Pilone and Pointe de la Rascasse, and the Port de la Santé channel; a further zone is closed to boats of 20 metres or more.
- From 1 June to 30 September, three zones off Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat are closed to all motor boats, tenders included, and the Anse de Passable has a buoyed access channel for that period.
- Off Villefranche, two zones are closed to motor boats all year.
- The commune runs mooring buoy fields. Our research turned up contradictory information on visitor buoy numbers and anchoring outside them, which we could not confirm officially, so check with the Villefranche mooring office.
Beaulieu and Èze
Between 1 June and 30 September, Beaulieu’s beach has a 25 metre wide access channel at 5 knots and a 100 metre deep zone closed to motor boats at its eastern end. Èze-sur-Mer has similar zones from 1 May to 30 September. In both communes, boats of 20 metres or more may not anchor within the 300 metre band at any time.
Larger yachts and anchoring time
Between the mouth of the Var and the Italian border, boats of 20 metres and over are barred from anchoring in zones shown on official SHOM charts, to protect Posidonia seagrass (order 204/2020, amended by 122/2025); around Antibes the threshold is 24 metres. Since 2025, anchoring in one place in French waters is generally limited to 72 hours, after which boats under 24 metres must move on (order 077/2025), and vessels of 45 metres or 300 gross tonnage and over need prior authorisation to anchor (order 157/2024, amended in 2026).
Monaco: a separate state
Monaco sets its own rules. Anyone calling at Port Hercule or Fontvieille, or anchoring in Monegasque waters, completes formalities with the Maritime and Airport Police Division: a police data sheet, crew and passenger lists, a health declaration and the passports of everyone on board. Ask your skipper how this is handled. The Larvotto marine reserve off the eastern beaches is closed to anchoring and fishing, and motor boats must stay outside its buoys.
Event closures: how they worked in 2026
- Grand Prix (4 to 7 June 2026): Port Hercule was reserved for authorised boats. Tenders needed a pass applied for by 24 April and were limited to 9 metres in the port. Expect similar rules each year.
- Monaco Yacht Show (23 to 26 September 2026): Port Hercule was closed to all traffic at night and open by day only to boats with an organiser’s badge, at 3 knots. Check the next edition’s notice before planning a Monaco landing in late September.
Types of boat and what a skippered charter includes
- RIBs and speedboats: quick, ideal for half days; little shade.
- Classic wooden day boats: elegant, for short runs and long swims.
- Motor yachts: shade and a cabin for full days.
- Sailing yachts and catamarans: best for the multi day route; catamarans suit families.
A skippered day usually includes the boat, skipper, fuel for an agreed route, water and towels. Often extra: additional fuel, lunch ashore, a hostess, berthing or landing fees in Monaco and buoy fees in Villefranche. Get it in writing, including whether a Monaco landing is arranged.
Bareboat: in French waters, a motor boat with more than 6 hp (4.5 kW) requires the permis plaisance, coastal option for up to 6 nautical miles from shelter; below that power no licence is needed, and at sea a sailing boat needs none either, even with a larger auxiliary engine, as long as sail is its main propulsion. Charter bases set their own requirements for foreign licences; check with the base.
Route comparison
| Route | Departure | Duration | Highlights | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cap Ferrat loop | Villefranche | About 4 hours | Passable, Pointe Saint-Hospice, Paloma, Villa Ephrussi | First day, swimmers |
| Cliffs to Monaco | Villefranche or Beaulieu | 7 to 8 hours | Èze, Cap d’Ail, the Rock, lunch in Monaco | Couples, first time visitors |
| Cap Martin and Menton | Monaco or Cap d’Ail | About 6 hours | Roquebrune coves, Menton old town, Italian border | Repeat visitors, Italy lovers |
| Menton to Cap d’Antibes | Menton | 2 to 4 days | Monaco, Cap Ferrat, Baie des Anges, Antibes | Families, slow cruising |
Best months, winds and practical tips
June and September give warm water and space. July and August are busy, with buoys and berths filling early. May and October are quiet but cooler.
The mountains shelter this coast from strong northerlies. Summer usually brings calm mornings and an afternoon sea breeze; easterlies send swell onto Cap Ferrat’s tip and Cap Martin. Météo-France publishes coastal forecasts; let your skipper decide.
- What to bring: passports for any Monaco landing, reef shoes, a light layer for the return run, reef safe sun cream.
- Seasickness: the bays are calm, open stretches less so; take a remedy beforehand.
- Booking timing: book summer and event weeks months ahead.
- August crowds: start before 9am, swim first and lunch late.
From Menton, the Italian coast is in sight. Italy’s answer to this stretch lies further east around Portofino; see Portofino and the Cinque Terre by boat, yacht, wine and golf on the Italian Riviera, or the wider yacht charter in Italy hub.
Charlotte’s tip: start in Villefranche, end in Monaco
Rather than chasing a Monaco berth, book a skippered boat from Villefranche or Beaulieu, swim around Cap Ferrat in the calm morning, and have the skipper drop you in Monaco for a late lunch, returning by car. Confirm the landing is arranged before you book.
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Villefranche-sur-Mer is the most practical base for Cap Ferrat, with boats leaving from the harbours below the old town.
Where to stay near the harbours
Several of these hotels are seasonal; check opening dates.
Hôtel Hermitage Monte-Carlo, Monaco
A Belle Époque hotel near the Casino, facing Port Hercule and the Rock, with 259 rooms and suites, direct access to the Thermes Marins Monte-Carlo spa and Michelin starred restaurants including Pavyllon Monte-Carlo. Port Hercule is a short walk down the hill.
Best for: a Monaco base with the harbour at your feet.
Check rates at Hôtel Hermitage Monte-Carlo
Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat, A Four Seasons Hotel, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat
Seven hectares of gardens near the tip of the peninsula, a seafront pool at Club Dauphin reached by funicular, a spa and the Michelin starred Le Cap. The regional tourist board lists it as open from 6 March to 15 November 2026. The village and its harbour are about 2 kilometres away.
Best for: a resort stay with Paloma and Passable minutes away by sea.
Check rates at Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat
La Réserve de Beaulieu, Beaulieu-sur-Mer
A Florentine style palazzo on the water’s edge in Beaulieu, with a pool and spa. Beaulieu’s marina lies along the same seafront, within walking distance. The hotel closes for overnight stays in winter while its bistro stays open, with the full spa returning in spring; confirm dates with the hotel.
Best for: sea views, quiet glamour and easy access to both Cap Ferrat and Monaco.
Check rates at La Réserve de Beaulieu
Hôtel Welcome, Villefranche-sur-Mer
A four star hotel on the Quai Amiral Courbet, right on Villefranche’s harbour front, with sea views and balconies. The Port de la Santé is in front of the door and the Darse is a short walk along the waterfront. The tourist board lists it as open until 8 November 2026 and again from 26 December 2026; confirm with the hotel.
Best for: stepping from breakfast onto the boat.
Cap Estel, Èze
Built on a two hectare private peninsula at Èze-sur-Mer, with indoor and outdoor pools, a spa and the Michelin starred La Table du Cap Estel, run by chef Kévin Garcia since 2025. The regional tourist board lists it as open from 10 May to 18 October 2026. Beaulieu’s marina is a short drive west; ask the hotel whether a boat can collect you.
Best for: seclusion between Cap Ferrat and Monaco.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a passport to visit Monaco by boat?
Yes. Maritime police formalities for boats calling at Monaco include the passports of everyone on board.
Can I anchor anywhere in Villefranche bay?
No. Several zones are closed to anchoring, boats of 20 metres and over face extra limits, and the commune runs mooring buoy fields. Never anchor on Posidonia; ask your skipper where anchoring is currently allowed.
Is it worth chartering a boat during the Monaco Grand Prix?
Only if the race is the point. Port Hercule is restricted during race week in early June and the coast is busy; for quiet coves, choose another week.
Can I go from Monaco to Italy by boat in a day?
Yes, Menton and the Italian border are a short run east of Monaco. For a longer Italian leg, see our guide to the Italian Riviera to the French Riviera by boat.
Planning more of the Riviera by boat?
