Yacht Charter Cannes

Yacht Charter Cannes

On a Cannes yacht charter with Borrow a Boat you can explore much of French Riviera and Côte d'Azur within an easy sail. Whatever you want from a French Riviera yacht charter, from its high society fun to beautiful coastline, a Cannes sailing holiday is going to be an unforgettable experience.

Famed as the jewel in the crown of the French Riviera, Cannes is a party town for the rich and famous in a large part due to its annual festivals. Corporate and business entertainment is a core part of this. Let's take a quick look at three important parts of the town.

Inland and on the hills behind downtown Cannes is Le Suquet. This old quarter is where the residents lived in the days of piracy. With its fort, churches and on a defendable steep hill, it was a place of safety. Nowadays you won't be safe from the tourist crowds in Le Suquet who come here to enjoy the cafes, historic architecture and churches, along with views of the Lerins Island archipelago out to sea.

The Palais des Festival is the part of Cannes that makes the news every year thanks to the Cannes Film Festival with its A-list guests and razzamatazz. Located on the La Croisette waterfront promenade, the Palais des Festival hosts many such events annually as the major convention centre in Cannes itself.

The Promenade La Croisette is a 2km long thoroughfare linking the old port with downtown Cannes. This is widely reputed to be among the best such promenades in Europe, in part due to the beautiful beaches (most manmade as so much of Cannes) and the famous hotels, casinos and night spots that run down the length of it. One of the major Cannes events everyone can enjoy is the Pyrotechnic Festival through July and August - yes, world class firework displays...

The port of Cannes is home to three marinas including Port Canto that are host to many an A-list party during the different Cannes events through the year. The Vieux Port (old port) is also home to the annual Cannes Yachting Festival(2nd week of September). The Cannes Yachting Festival, with its 500+ exhibitors and 600+ yachts and boats, is one of the most important boat shows in the world.

Whether coming for a day charter or longer sailing trip you will find your way down here to one of the three marinas to board your charter yacht.

Explore Cannes By Renting A Yacht

So, having boarded your sailing yacht or motor yacht private yacht charter in Cannes, where could you go?

Perhaps on a bespoke yacht charter you could head for Cannes as a base to enjoy the Monaco Grand Prix? Monaco is just a few hours to the east by sea, and while society gazes at the Monaco Grand Prix you could enjoy it as part of your Côte dAzur sailing holiday out of Cannes...

Just 5km offshore are the Lérins islands, Cannes islands that are both beautiful to look at from afar and a seriously good place to chill out after the unrelenting buzz of the mainland. St Marguerite is the largest of the four, but doesn't have any hotels. This means that if you're on a day charter this will mean heading home for the evening, or on a longer charter holiday, youy stay aboard your charter yacht. Ile St Honorat is smaller than St Marguerite, but is owned by a Cistercian Monastery. You can visit, perhaps buying their famous wines and liqueurs from the monastery shop...

Just to the east of Cannes is Golfe Juan, where Napoleon landed for the final time in France before being vanquished at Waterloo soon after. The town celebrates his landing - their forebears welcomed him - but other than that you will find its quiet sleepiness a refreshing change from downtown Cannes!

To the west of Cannes is the top end holiday village of St Tropez. Originally a quiet fishing village, its quaint beauty made the town a magnet for society and royalty types in the 1900s. This reputation has remained and now Saint Tropez is still a popular haunt for those who move in certain circles, even as the world has shrunk considerably over the ensuing decades.

How To Get To Cannes

Nice Airport is a major regional airport with airlines flying in from much of Northern Europe and beyond.

Cannes is a 25 minute shuttle ride away from Nice Airport

Marinas In Cannes

Vieux Port de Cannes

This large marina has charter companies and boat owners working into it that offer super yachts, luxury yacht charter, bespoke yacht charter, catamaran, motor yacht and monohull sailing yacht charter yachts on a bareboat or private yacht charter basis. You can day charter or do a boat rental for a week or more as your budget and time allows.

Berth Characteristics:

800 berths

Max Length 147m (476 Feet)

Max Draught 5m (16 Feet)

List of additional services: Shore power, water, showers, WC, changing rooms, fuel, ATM, bar, restaurant, shipyard, waste and waste water collection.

Port Pierre Canto

Port Canto is a large marina has charter companies and boat owners working into it that offer super yachts, luxury yacht charter, catamaran, motor yachtand monohull sailing yacht charter boats on a bareboat or private yacht charter basis. You can enjoy a day charter boat rental or a longer sailing holiday from here.

Berth Characteristics:

598 berths

Max Length 80m (262 Feet)

Max Draught 7m (23 Feet)

List of additional services: Shore power, water, showers, WC, changing rooms, fuel, ATM, bar, restaurant, shipyard, waste and waste water collection.

Port du Moure Rouge

This mid-sized marina has charter companies and boat owners working into it that offer catamaran, motor yacht and monohull sailing yacht charter boats on a bareboat, or private yacht charter basis. Due to the smaller size of vessels here, you're likely to find a day charter speed boat or sailing dinghy here than the large yachts in the other two marinas.

Berth Characteristics:

450 berths

Max Length 9m (30 Feet)

Max Draught 1.4m (4.6 Feet)

List of additional services: Shore power, water, showers, WC, changing rooms, fuel, ATM, bar, restaurant, shipyard, waste and waste water collection.

Suggested Sailing Routes From Cannes

On your bespoke yacht charter or bareboat charter you can explore either the French or Italian Riviera - or both - in a two week sailing holiday. Let's explore the possibilities you have on your luxury charter yacht with two itineraries below:

7 Days - French Riviera: As a first port of call, it's just a 5km sail out to the Lerins Island archipelago. Enjoy a day's swimming off the beaches and spend the night off Ile St Honorat. West now to St Tropez for a day or two enjoying the laid back top end resort. From Saint Tropez spend the next day's sailing heading for Monaco to enjoy the unrivalled buzz of the principality. Another short sail, this time to Paloma Beach on St Jean Cap Ferrat for a spot of relaxation off this exclusive resort. Golfe Juan will be your final port of call before returning to base in Cannes.

14 Days Italian Riviera: From Cannes to the westernmost town of the 'true' Italian Riviera it is about eight hours sail on a relatively powerful motor yacht. From here you can explore the different towns as far west as Cinque Terre at the far eastern end of the region. Enjoy the luxury of Portofino and Vernazza amongst other jewels in the Italian seaside crown. Perhaps find a quiet anchorage to yourself an be all alone on the Mediterranean Sea for an evening or two, surrounded by the sheer beauty of the coastline. Either coast hopping back up the west Mediterranean to Cannes, or heading straight across the bay, return your yacht for handover.

Best Times To Hire A Yacht In Cannes

The sailing season in Cannes is best from May to October. The major party towns heat up to full frenzy in June to August, and so do the prices. It is very much down to what you want from a sailing holiday in the region. If partying all night is on the cards, the top DJs will hit the region in that time and you will have quite a memorable time. If the quiet life is what you seek, then do try to get out during term time - the sea is still warm in September and October too.

Sailing Weather In Cannes

The Mistral tends to build from September and eases away in May, though this can blow fiercely for several days at a time even in midsummer.

The NE breeze common to coastal Mediterranean France never really gets above 17 knots or so so there will be some boisterous sailing but never more than is fun. You will see more precipitation towards the beginning and end of the sailing season (May and October) but the temperatures rarely stray below 15-17 degrees during those times. In the height of summer (July/August) it isn't as hot as southern Europe, though you will see the odd few days in the 30+ C range. For Northern Europeans and those from other cooler climes this makes for fantastic sailing!

FAQs:

What should I consider when hiring a Yacht or Boat?

The main points to consider are what is your budget, have you got the necessary sailing experience and qualifications to manage the boat if it's not going to have a skipper, whom you are taking sailing, where exactly you wish to go and what will the weather be like on the proposed dates of your trip.

What are the Marinas in Cannes?

There are three marinas in Cannes - Vieux Port takes 800 vessels of up to 147m LOA and Port Canto takes 598 vessels of up to 80m LOA. Meanwhile, Port du Moure Rouge takes small boats of up to 9m LOA.

When are the best times to hire a boat in Cannes?

The high season is in July and August. Things get expensive and restaurants competitive. The city and sailing destinations nearby tend to relax a bit, become more friendly and cheaper outside of the peak season.

Do you have to pay a deposit when hiring a Yacht in Cannes?

You will typically pay 50% up front on booking the yacht hire and the balance on arrival. You will either pay a security deposit with your credit card on departure or can get insurance covering damage in advance. In some cases (such as the recent Covid situation) charter companies may be more flexible but this depends on the individual charter companies themselves.

What should I think of before I hire a Yacht or Boat in Cannes?

You should consider do you have the experience to handle the yacht charter or boat hire before you book and where do you want to go along with what the weather will be like. Bring warm weather and cool weather clothing if it looks like the weather can be cool as well as warm and remember at sea it can be cool on most evenings.

What Qualifications Do I need to hire a boat or yacht?

If you want to sail without a skipper then you will need relevant qualifications like RYA Day Skipper/International Certificate of Competence (ICC)/ASA 104 Bareboat certificate or the US Sailing Certificate. For small 'day boats' or if you choose to have a skippered on board your yacht charter you typically don't require licences.