A Day-Charter Itinerary from Cannes by Yacht
Depart from the Vieux Port and trace the coast from the Lérins Islands east to Cap d'Antibes — roughly 18 nautical miles of sheltered Riviera cruising.
From the port outwards
- 01
09:00 · Cast off — Vieux Port de Cannes
Board at the Vieux Port where your crew has already loaded provisions from Marché Forville. A short safety briefing on the aft deck, then the skipper eases out past the harbour wall. Morning light on La Croisette makes a fine backdrop as the boat turns south toward open water.
- 02
10:00 · Swim and snorkel — Île Sainte-Marguerite
Anchor in the turquoise shallows off the island's north shore, where the seabed is Posidonia sand at three to five metres. The tender drops you near the old Fort Royal for a walk through eucalyptus forest. Morning is best here — afternoon swell from the south can make the anchorage less comfortable.
- 03
13:00 · Waterfront lunch — Cap d'Antibes
Cruise east for roughly 45 minutes and pick up a mooring near the Garoupe beach area. The crew serves a chilled lunch on the flybridge or you take the tender ashore to a seafood restaurant along the cape. Book a table in advance during July and August — shoreside spots fill quickly.
- 04
16:30 · Scenic cruise — Corniche de l'Estérel
Head west past Théoule-sur-Mer toward the red volcanic cliffs of the Massif de l'Estérel. The coastline is best appreciated from 200 metres offshore where the colour contrast between rock and sea is most vivid. Swell is typically gentle on summer afternoons, so the passage suits an open-air aperitivo on the foredeck.
- 05
19:30 · Sunset and nightcap — Golfe de la Napoule
The skipper positions the yacht in the Golfe de la Napoule for a westward sunset view across the bay. Champagne service on the aft deck while the Estérel ridge turns amber. From here the return to Port Pierre Canto takes under 20 minutes, setting you ashore in time for a late dinner along the Boulevard de la Croisette.
About Cannes
Cannes earns its reputation as a Riviera embarkation point through geography as much as glamour. Port Canto — the city's primary luxury marina — sits within a fifteen-minute crossing of the Lérins islands, where Île Sainte-Marguerite and Île Saint-Honorat offer sheltered anchorages in calm, shallow water suited to families and long afternoon swims. Head east and you reach the headlands of Cap d'Antibes and the buoyed anchorage at Golfe Juan inside a half-day loop. Turn west and the red Esterel cliffs near Théoule-sur-Mer provide a quieter, more dramatic backdrop — far from the bustle of the bay. These short distances keep fuel costs contained, which matters when you're reviewing APA estimates before committing to a charter.
Our fleet of 37 vessels reflects the range of what people actually do here. A 10 m Riva Aquariva is the right tool for a sunset run across the Baie de Cannes — two hours on the water, golden light on the Croisette, back at the dock before dinner. A 20 m Sunseeker Predator 68 handles a full-day corporate lunch at anchor off Sainte-Marguerite with space for up to twelve guests on deck. For multi-day routing — Cannes to Monaco via Nice and Cap-Ferrat, or a slow westward cruise with overnight provisioning from Marché Forville — the 40 m Benetti Oasis 40 or 50 m Feadship Emerald carry the cabin count and crew to make that comfortable. We present day-rate and APA guidance upfront so you can compare formats without guesswork.
Seasonality shapes what's possible. May's Film Festival drives extraordinary demand for berths and day charters — booking three to six months ahead is prudent. June through September is the core leisure window; in July and August, early departures to the Lérins anchorages beat the midday crowd. October brings MIPCOM, emptier bays and low-angled light that rewards an evening cruise. Even the cooler months between November and April remain viable for coastal day charters when the Mistral relents and the sun holds. Whatever the format — a two-hour sunset circuit, a half-day family outing, or a week-long Riviera passage — the planning starts with your group size, your dates and how far you want to go.