Anchorages and cruising on the French Riviera
Our waters
From the Îles d'Or to Monaco, seventy miles of coastline our captains know cove by cove, according to the wind and the season.
- hand‑picked anchorages
- 10
- miles of coastline
- 70
- offices, two ports
- 2
A good anchorage isn't found on an app. It is chosen in the morning, with the captain, by looking at where the wind is coming from.
The chart
Ten anchorages we love
From west to east, from the Îles d'Or to Monaco. Distances are given in nautical miles from our Saint‑Tropez office.
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01Îles d'Or
Porquerolles
The Plage d'Argent and the Plage Notre‑Dame, water you would swear was tropical, pines down to the sand. You spend the day there, and the afternoon cycling across the island.
- From Saint‑Tropez
- 32 miles
- For
- Swimming, lunch on board, cycling
- Shelter
- North of the island in an easterly
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02National park
Port‑Cros
The wildest island on the coast, protected since 1963. The underwater trail at La Palud, the bay of Port‑Man, and a silence you will find nowhere else.
- From Saint‑Tropez
- 25 miles
- For
- Snorkelling, walking, peace and quiet
- Shelter
- Regulated anchoring, on buoys in summer
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03Saint‑Tropez peninsula
Cap Taillat
A sandy isthmus between two coves, protected by the Conservatoire du littoral. Not a building on the horizon, just the coastal path and the umbrella pines.
- From Saint‑Tropez
- 8 miles
- For
- Wild cove, coastal path
- Shelter
- A cove on each side, depending on the wind
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04Ramatuelle
Pampelonne
Five kilometres of sand facing the open sea. The first anchorage of the week, lunch at a beach club by tender, and the sunset from the deck.
- From Saint‑Tropez
- 4 miles
- For
- Beach clubs, dinner on board
- Shelter
- Well sheltered from the mistral
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05Our home port
Saint‑Tropez
The old port, the Quai Suffren and our office. You embark on Saturday in the late afternoon and return on Friday evening for a last dinner facing the village.
- From Saint‑Tropez
- Home port
- For
- Embarkation, village, markets
- Shelter
- A sheltered port, berths to book early
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06Agay and Anthéor
L'Estérel
Coves of red porphyry plunging into deep blue water. You anchor at the foot of the rocks, swim from the swim platform, and the evening light sets the massif ablaze.
- From Saint‑Tropez
- 15 miles
- For
- Coves, swimming, paddleboarding
- Shelter
- Coves sheltered from the westerly
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07Off Cannes
Lérins islands
The stretch of water between Sainte‑Marguerite and Saint‑Honorat, turquoise over sand. The monks still make their wine there, and Cannes is only ten minutes away by tender.
- From Saint‑Tropez
- 27 miles
- For
- Turquoise water, monastery, Cannes
- Shelter
- The channel between the two islands
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08Antibes and Juan‑les‑Pins
Cap d'Antibes
La Garoupe, its villas hidden among the pines, and Port Vauban, where the largest yachts in the Mediterranean line up. In the evening, old Antibes and its ramparts.
- From Saint‑Tropez
- 31 miles
- For
- Anse de la Garoupe, Port Vauban
- Shelter
- The west side in an easterly
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09Between Nice and Cap Ferrat
Villefranche
The deepest harbour on the coast, between the ochre façades of the village and the villas of Cap Ferrat. A postcard anchorage, calm in every season.
- From Saint‑Tropez
- 45 miles
- For
- Sheltered harbour, village, Cap Ferrat
- Shelter
- Excellent shelter, except from due south
-
10Port Hercule
Monaco
Our second office, facing the Rock. Arrival at blue hour, dinner on board as the city lights up, and the Grand Prix or the Yacht Show seen from the deck.
- From Saint‑Tropez
- 52 miles
- For
- Port Hercule, Grand Prix, Yacht Show
- Shelter
- Port, by reservation
The winds
Why the route changes every morning
Three winds make the weather on this coast. The captain reads them at dawn, then proposes the anchorage of the day.
North‑west
The mistral
It sweeps down the Rhône valley, strong and dry, and leaves behind a sky of rare clarity. The captain then looks for anchorages east of the capes: Pampelonne, the coves of the Estérel, Villefranche.
East and south‑east
The easterly
More humid, it raises a long swell. You tuck in west of the capes and into the deep harbours, or stay in port for a morning to explore the village.
In the afternoon
The sea breeze
On fine days, the land warms up and the sea blows towards the coast after lunch. It is the hour of the sailing yachts, and the moment to move to the night's anchorage.
The seasons
When to cruise, when to buy
01
May and June
Water at 18 to 22 °C
The coast awakens. The anchorages are free, the light lingers, and charter rates are those of the low season.
02
July and August
Water at 24 to 26 °C
High season. The best yachts are booked in winter and the ports are full: a broker who knows the captains makes all the difference.
03
September and October
Water at 20 to 23 °C
Our favourite season. The sea is still warm, the crowds have gone, and Monaco hosts the Yacht Show.
04
November to April
Winter lay‑up
The yachts head to the yards. It is the best time to buy: viewings in peace, surveys out of the water, negotiations without the pressure of summer.
Anchoring without harm
The Posidonia seagrass meadows
These underwater meadows shelter fish, clear the water and hold the sand on the beaches. A yacht's anchor can tear out square metres of them, and they grow back by barely a few centimetres a year.
Since 2019, vessels over twenty‑four metres may no longer anchor in the seagrass meadows of French Mediterranean waters. Our captains know the sandy areas and the authorised buoys: you enjoy the cove, and it stays intact.
- Over 24 m
- No anchoring in the seagrass
- 1 to 6 cm
- A meadow's growth in one year
- Port‑Cros
- A national park since 1963
Your week
Let's plot your route together
Tell us your dates and your wishes: a broker proposes a yacht and a first route, which the captain will adjust every morning.