The French Riviera, or Côte d’Azur, is best experienced from the water. By road, you catch fleeting glimpses of the sea through heavy summer traffic, battling for parking and walking down steep cliff paths in the heat. By yacht, the coastline opens up properly—hidden red-rock coves, exclusive peninsulas, glamorous beach clubs, and pristine marine reserves that feel completely different when you arrive by sea.
Cruising along the coast between Cannes and Monaco, you pass dramatic bays framed by pine-covered hills and towering villas. Head west toward the Estérel, and the scene shifts to striking red rocks tumbling into deep blue water. Drop anchor at the Lérins Islands, and you step straight into a pine-scented oasis—no crowds, no queues, no friction.
In a single day, you can move between lively, world-famous beach atmospheres and quiet, untouched rocky creeks. Swim in marine reserves, cruise past iconic billionaire capes, stop for a chic lunch with your feet almost in the sea, then finish with a slow sunset run back towards your home port.
If you want to experience the true glamour and natural beauty of the Côte d’Azur properly, exploring it by yacht is what makes it seamless. Discover our French Riviera yacht charter options and plan a day that flows exactly how you want it to.
Sunset anchoring – Plage Passable on Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat faces west, capturing beautiful afternoon warmth and sunset light.
Swimming & snorkelling – La Pointe de l’Aiguille and the Larvotto marine reserve both provide incredible water clarity and marine life.
Beach club atmosphere – Paloma Beach and the shores of Cannes are ideal for anchoring offshore before a glamorous lunch.
Quiet escape – The hidden rocky coves of Île Sainte-Marguerite or the deep red creeks of the Estérel coast offer supreme privacy.
Dramatic cliffs & scenery – Mala Beach in Cap d’Ail sits beneath towering cliffs and spectacular villas, offering a breathtaking backdrop.
Full day scenic route – Combine the Lérins Islands with a cruise along the Estérel coast for a varied and relaxed charter day.
Generally calm summer seas – The bays between Cannes and Monaco often offer flat, protected cruising during settled summer weather.
Sheltered anchorages – The deeply indented capes (like Cap Ferrat and Cap d’Antibes) provide excellent protection depending on wind direction.
Popular anchoring zones – The waters off Île Sainte-Marguerite and Mala Beach become busy in peak season; early arrival secures the best swing room.
Depth considerations – The Riviera coast drops off quickly in many places. Anchoring often happens in 5 to 15 metres of water, requiring careful positioning over sandy patches to protect the marine environment.
Mala Beach (Cap d’Ail) – Dramatic cliffs, emerald water, and an exclusive atmosphere that is notoriously hard to reach by land.
Paloma Beach (Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat) – Iconic, historic, and incredibly chic pebble beach favoured by the global elite.
Île Sainte-Marguerite (Cannes) – Peaceful island coves, pine trees, and crystal-clear water just off the mainland.
La Pointe de l’Aiguille (Théoule-sur-Mer) – Striking red rocks meeting golden sand, offering some of the coast’s best snorkelling.
Plage Passable (Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat) – Sheltered, warm, and west-facing for extended afternoon sunshine.
Larvotto Beach (Monaco) – Urban glamour meets an unexpected marine reserve, teeming with fish.
La Gravette (Antibes) – A sheltered sandy beach tucked beautifully under the historic city ramparts.
Les Calanques de Maupas (Estérel) – Secluded red rock creeks with deep blue water, perfect for dropping anchor away from the crowds.
Port Gallice Beach (Juan les Pins) – Calm, shallow, and featuring fine white sand.
Esclamandes Beach (St Aygulf) – A long, wilder sandy stretch that is excellent for watersports.
Mala Beach is gorgeous, but by land, it requires navigating roughly 100 steep steps down the cliffside (and back up again at the end of the day). By yacht, you bypass this entirely, gliding directly into a breathtaking bay surrounded by high, sheer cliffs and magnificent Belle Époque villas. The water here is an incredible, sparkling mix of dark blue, turquoise, emerald, and jade. View our boats and yachts here.
The bay exudes a premium, exclusive energy. Because land access is so challenging, the crowd leans toward dedicated beach club guests and those arriving by sea. It is sophisticated and visually stunning, attracting a polished international crowd looking for high-end relaxation rather than a chaotic party scene.
Tender access is straightforward, with private venues operating small drop-off points.
High-end private restaurants like Eden Plage Mala dominate the shoreline.
Advance booking is absolutely essential in July and August.
Perfect for a highly structured, glamorous lunch stop.
The water clarity is spectacular, thanks to the mix of sand and pebbles on the seabed. It drops off quite quickly, providing excellent deep-water swimming right off the back of the yacht. It is highly photogenic and incredibly refreshing.
Arrive by mid-morning to secure a prime anchoring spot, as the bay is relatively small and highly coveted by local day-boats.
Mala Beach is visually spectacular but loses the sun earlier in the afternoon due to the towering cliffs behind it. Plan this as a late-morning swim and lunch stop, then cruise out to the open water of Cap Ferrat for the late afternoon sun.
Named after Paloma Picasso, this beach sits in a tiny, sheltered cove on one of the world’s most exclusive peninsulas. Arriving by yacht allows you to anchor in the deep, incredibly clear waters off the cape—often sharing the bay with some of the most impressive superyachts in the world. The tender ride into the small shingle beach feels intimate and historic.
Discreet, chic, and relaxed. Paloma Beach maintains a timeless, retro-Riviera charm from its 1950s origins. It attracts the quiet wealth of Cap Ferrat residents and yacht owners looking for excellent food without a loud club scene. The atmosphere is serene, sophisticated, and deeply focused on the stunning natural surroundings.
Tendering into the restaurant’s small pier is simple and elegant in calm conditions.
The iconic Paloma Beach restaurant offers a dedicated tender service for anchored yachts.
Reservations are highly recommended, as the venue is small and intensely popular.
Ideal for a relaxed, two-hour lunch followed by swimming directly off the yacht.
The seabed is primarily pebbles and gravel, which keeps the water immaculately clear. Snorkelling along the rocky edges of the cape is excellent. The cove is naturally protected from the wind, making it a very comfortable anchorage.
Mid-afternoon is stunning here. The cove provides beautiful natural shade later in the day, making it a very comfortable spot to relax as the sun begins to lower.
If the easterly wind picks up, the bay at Paloma can become choppy. Simply have your captain cruise five minutes to the other side of the Cap Ferrat peninsula (Plage Passable) for perfectly flat water.
Just a short cruise off the coast of Cannes, Île Sainte-Marguerite is a pedestrian-only island heavily forested with Alepppo pines and eucalyptus. By ferry, crowds flock to the main port. By yacht, you cruise to the opposite side of the island and drop anchor in the shallow, protected “plateau” between Sainte-Marguerite and Saint-Honorat. It feels like a wild, natural escape just minutes from the mainland’s urban bustle. View our boats and yachts here.
The atmosphere depends entirely on where you anchor. The rocky coves on the southern side are incredibly peaceful, natural, and highly family-friendly. If you anchor near the famous La Guérite restaurant, the energy shifts to a vibrant, high-energy, bohemian social scene.
Tender access is simple across the island, with dedicated pontoons at major restaurants.
La Guérite offers one of the most famous, high-energy boat-access lunches on the Riviera (reservations critical).
Alternatively, the island is perfect for a quiet, chef-prepared picnic tendered ashore to a private cove.
Great for both high-end dining or barefoot exploration.
The water between the islands is shallow, sandy, and impossibly turquoise, making it one of the best places on the coast for paddleboarding, seabobs, and relaxed floating. The tiny rocky coves are excellent for rock pooling and snorkelling.
Mid-morning is ideal for finding the perfect, quiet cove before the afternoon breeze picks up and the anchorages fill with day-boats from Cannes.
Take the tender ashore to explore the 17th-century Fort Royal, where the Man in the Iron Mask was imprisoned, for a dose of history between swim stops.
Cruising west from Cannes, the landscape changes dramatically at Théoule-sur-Mer. The Estérel mountains meet the sea, creating striking, fiery red rock formations that contrast brilliantly against the deep blue water. Pointe de l’Aiguille offers a rich golden, grainy sand beach hidden among these rocks. By yacht, you get the best vantage point of this geological marvel without having to hike down the coastal trails.
Natural, scenic, and slightly wilder than the polished capes to the east. It is a fantastic spot for families and active charter groups. The energy is relaxed and focused on the stunning environment rather than beach club socialising.
Tender access requires care around the dramatic rock formations.
This is a natural park area with very limited commercial facilities.
Better suited to dining on board your yacht with the spectacular red cliffs as your backdrop.
A pure nature stop rather than a dining destination.
This is arguably the best snorkelling spot on this stretch of the coast. The water is pristine, and the submerged red rocks are teeming with marine life. There are plenty of safe, deep-water rocks for teenagers and active guests to jump from.
Morning to midday offers the most striking visual contrast, as the high sun illuminates the red rocks and turns the water a vivid, vibrant blue.
Combine this with a slow, scenic cruise further along the Estérel coast to view the Calanques de Maupas, where you can drop anchor in deep water creeks with zero crowds.
Situated on the northwest side of the Cap Ferrat peninsula, Passable looks directly across the bay toward Villefranche-sur-Mer. Arriving by yacht, you tuck into a highly sheltered bay backed by a high stone wall covered in magnificent summer bougainvillea. It feels like a private, secret garden right on the water’s edge.
Lovely, warm, and highly family-friendly. The stone wall radiates heat, making it a very comfortable anchorage even outside the peak summer months. It is cheerful and relaxed, lacking the intense exclusivity of Paloma Beach, making it a great place to anchor with children who want to paddleboard around the yacht.
Tendering ashore is flat, calm, and effortless.
Passable Restaurant offers excellent, casual-chic dining directly on the beach.
Reservations are recommended for lunch in high season.
Well suited to a relaxed, sandy-toes lunch stop.
The seabed is a mix of gravel and sand, ensuring excellent water clarity. Because it is so sheltered, the water is usually glassy and calm, making it a perfect spot to deploy the yacht’s inflatable toys and floating platforms.
Late afternoon is spectacular. Because it faces west, it holds the sun much longer than other beaches on the cape, making it the perfect spot for a late-day swim and a sundowner cocktail on the aft deck.
If the famous bay of Villefranche-sur-Mer is too crowded with cruise ships or large yachts, simply slip across the bay to Passable for a much quieter, more intimate anchorage with the exact same beautiful sunset views.
Larvotto offers an experience unlike anywhere else on the coast. You are anchored right in front of the highly urban, glamorous skyline of the Principality of Monaco, yet incongruously, the water beneath you is a protected marine reserve. By yacht, you get the ultimate contrast: city glitz in front of you, open sea behind you, and an abundance of marine life right under your hull. View our boats and yachts here.
Glamour encapsulated. The public areas are spacious, while the private beach clubs are deeply sophisticated and bustling with Monaco’s elite. It is highly social, urban, and visually fascinating.
Tender access is highly organised, often dropping off at dedicated pontoons outside the sea wall.
Home to high-end lounges and exceptional restaurants right on the promenade.
Booking is essential for the private beach clubs.
Perfect for combining a beach morning with an afternoon of luxury shopping in Monte Carlo.
The beach consists of tiny, smooth stones, and the water is remarkably clear. Because it is a marine reserve, you can swim and snorkel among large schools of fish—a rarity in heavily populated Mediterranean bays. The sea wall provides excellent protection from passing boat wakes.
Midday is perfect if you want to soak up the vibrant Monaco atmosphere, tender in for a world-class lunch, and people-watch.
Anchor just outside the marine reserve boundary, take the tender in for lunch and a stroll around the Japanese Gardens, then return to the yacht for an evening cruise back down the coast as the Monaco city lights turn on.
A pristine crescent of white sand tucked directly beneath the historic ramparts of Old Antibes.
While land access requires walking through the old town and entering via an archway in the city walls, arriving by yacht means dropping anchor in the deep water just outside Port Vauban—Europe’s largest marina. You can tender directly to the edge of the swim lines and swim ashore. The backdrop is extraordinary: the 16th-century stone ramparts of the old town rise vertically from the beach, with the Picasso Museum overlooking the bay.
Sheltered, calm, and highly family-friendly. Because it is protected by the city walls and a small breakwater, the water is exceptionally flat and safe. It attracts a mix of locals and tourists exploring the old town, offering a relaxed, unpretentious energy that is totally removed from the beach club scenes of Cannes or Saint-Tropez.
Tender access: Drop-offs are possible near the swim lines; no dedicated tender dock on the beach itself.
Boat pick-up: N/A (Public beach).
Reservations: N/A.
Sittings: Open all day.
Duration: Ideal for a morning swim and a casual picnic before heading into Old Antibes for the afternoon.
Cuisine: There is a simple snack kiosk in the summer, but La Gravette is famous as a picnic beach.
Style: The best approach is to send your crew ashore early to the nearby Marché Provençal (one of the coast’s best markets) to gather fresh bread, cheeses, and charcuterie for a luxurious lunch on the sand.
Early to mid-morning. It gets very busy by mid-afternoon in peak season, so arrive early for the best anchoring position and a quiet swim before the crowds descend from the old town.
Hidden red-rock creeks plunging into sapphire water, offering a wild, secluded escape.
The Estérel coast, stretching between Mandelieu and Saint-Raphaël, is arguably the most dramatic coastline on the Riviera. By road, access to the water is limited to a few steep, winding trails. By yacht, you glide past the towering red porphyry cliffs and drop anchor in tiny, deep-water calanques (creeks) like Maupas. You have the luxury of swimming in pristine, secluded natural pools that are almost impossible to reach by land.
Wild, quiet, and deeply focused on nature. This is the antithesis of the Pampelonne party scene. The crowd consists of local boaters, nature lovers, and charter yachts seeking a peaceful retreat. It is fantastic for families who enjoy exploring, snorkelling, and swimming in dramatic landscapes.
Tender access: Direct access to small rocky inlets via your private tender, but requires careful navigation due to submerged rocks.
Boat pick-up: N/A (No commercial venues).
Reservations: N/A.
Sittings: N/A.
Duration: Perfect for a quiet morning swim or a relaxed afternoon anchored away from the crowds.
Cuisine: N/A. This is the perfect location to have your yacht’s chef prepare a fresh, Mediterranean lunch to eat on the aft deck while anchored in the creek.
Best Time to Visit Late morning to early afternoon provides the best light—the high sun illuminates the vibrant red of the rocks and turns the water an incredible shade of deep blue.
A highly sheltered, fine white-sand beach offering some of the calmest waters on the coast.
Located on the western edge of the Cap d’Antibes, just beside the Port Gallice marina, this beach is naturally protected from the wind and swell. Arriving by yacht, you anchor in the wide Bay of Golfe-Juan and tender in. It’s an incredibly straightforward and comfortable stop, bypassing the intense crowds of the main Juan-les-Pins beaches while still enjoying the same soft, white sand.
Exceptionally calm, safe, and family-friendly. Because the water is so shallow and sheltered, it is a favourite for those with young children. The energy is cheerful and laid-back, lacking the high-octane glamour of nearby beach clubs, making it a perfect spot for a relaxed, low-stress afternoon.
Tender access: Very easy. You can drop off guests right at the edge of the beach or use the adjacent marina facilities if arranged.
Boat pick-up: N/A (Public beach, though private sections exist).
Reservations: N/A for the public beach; recommended if booking a sunbed at a local concession.
Sittings: Open all day.
Duration: Excellent for an extended, relaxed afternoon of swimming and paddleboarding.
Cuisine: Several casual beach restaurants and kiosks operate nearby, offering simple Mediterranean fare and cold drinks.
Style: Relaxed, toes-in-the-sand dining.
Mid-morning is beautifully quiet, though the sheltered nature of the bay makes it comfortable throughout the entire day.
A vast, exposed stretch of sand offering excellent winds and world-class watersports.
Esclamandes is the largest sandy beach in the Fréjus area, and it feels entirely different from the sheltered coves of the Alpes-Maritimes. It is wide open to the sea. Arriving by yacht gives you ultimate flexibility—you can anchor far offshore for privacy, or move closer to the designated watersports zones. Because it is wilder and more exposed, it offers excellent holding in pure sand. View our boats and yachts here.
Active, sporty, and wild. Esclamandes is the Riviera’s premier destination for kitesurfing, windsurfing, and (when the conditions are right) bodysurfing. The energy is outdoorsy and athletic. It is the perfect stop for charter groups who want to deploy the yacht’s full arsenal of water toys, e-foils, and waverunners. Note: The beach is divided into sections, including a family zone, a kitesurfing zone, and a naturist zone at the far end.
Tender access: Easy drop-offs directly onto the sand, though you must respect the designated swimming and watersports channels.
Boat pick-up: N/A (Public beach).
Reservations: N/A.
Sittings: Open all day.
Duration: Ideal for an active afternoon of sports followed by a relaxed evening anchorage.
Cuisine: A few private beach clubs and kiosks operate during the summer (like La Plage), offering decent Mediterranean food and cocktails.
Pricing: Casual dining, generally €40–€80 per head.
Style: Very relaxed; perfectly fine to arrive salty from a kitesurfing session.
Afternoons are best if you are looking for wind to sail or kitesurf, as the thermal breezes kick in. If you want calm water for paddleboarding, early morning is essential.
Seeing the beaches listed individually is useful, but experiencing them in the right sequence is what makes a charter day flow properly. Below are three example routes focused on pacing, scenery, and dining.
A refined route focused on classic glamour and dramatic capes.
Morning swim – Plage Passable: Start the day in the glassy, sheltered waters of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat. Enjoy the warm morning sun and paddleboarding.
Lunch – Paloma Beach: Cruise slowly around the iconic Cap Ferrat peninsula. Anchor off Paloma and tender into the historic cove for a refined, discreet Mediterranean lunch.
Afternoon – Mala Beach: Cruise east to Cap d’Ail. Drop anchor beneath the towering cliffs of Mala for a spectacular deep-water swim in emerald waters.
Sunset – Monaco Arrival: Finish the day by cruising into the bay outside Larvotto Beach, enjoying cocktails on the flybridge as the Principality lights up for the evening.
This route works best for groups wanting high-end dining and visually spectacular anchorages.
A nature-focused day blending clear shallows with dramatic geology.
Morning – Île Sainte-Marguerite: Depart Cannes and anchor immediately between the Lérins Islands. Enjoy the pristine, shallow turquoise water before the bay fills up.
Lunch – La Guérite: Tender over to the island for a high-energy, unforgettable lunch.
Afternoon – La Pointe de l’Aiguille: Cruise west across the Bay of Cannes to the Estérel coast. Anchor near the red rocks for an afternoon of snorkelling and exploring the striking coastline.
Return Leg – Sunset Cruise: A slow, scenic cruise back to your home port as the setting sun turns the red rocks of the Estérel a fiery crimson.
This route offers an incredible contrast between vibrant social scenes and raw natural beauty.
A softer-paced route built around sandy bays and sheltered swimming.
Swim – La Gravette (Antibes): Start with a morning coffee on deck while anchored near the historic ramparts of Antibes, followed by a quick swim.
Lunch – Eden-Roc or Port Gallice: Cruise around the Cap d’Antibes. Anchor and tender in for either a Michelin-starred event at Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc or a relaxed, sandy-toes lunch near Port Gallice.
Sunset – Cap d’Antibes Anchorage: Find a quiet cove on the western side of the cape to enjoy the late afternoon warmth and a peaceful end to the day.
This route works perfectly for families or groups wanting minimal cruising time and maximum relaxation.
