Yachting and Cruising
Many people that come to the Riviera leave with the image of gleaming white pleasure boats and yachts docked at the old port of Antibes, St-Tropez, Nice, Port Grimaud or Monaco.
Boats large and small have been a part of the Mediterranean coast scenery since the times of the Greek explorers that first landed on these shores. Before the arrival of the rich and famous, the local people of course lived off the sea and their daily rhythm was dictated by the tide. Even today the descendents of the coastal fishermen prefer to have a boat on a dock vs. a car in the garage and carry on the tradition of their fathers by bringing fresh fish to the port-side markets every morning.
For the last 100 years or so, these small fishermen boats have been dwarfed by the luxury yachts of the Riviera. In recent years this has become a fully- fledged industry, vital to the region’s economy. Nowhere else on earth is there so much extravagant floating real estate in one place. While some harbors – like Cannes or St-Tropez – see the traditional pointu fishing boats go happily about their business alongside sleek luxury vessels, the many new ports designed exclusively for private yachts have made the Riviera the uncontested world centre for a new type of craft, dubbed the “megayacht” – fully crewed private vessel over 36 meters long.
Riviera harbors are open to anyone wishing for a closer look at the lifestyles of the rich and famous. Between the Italian border at Menton and the port of Marseille 127 nautical miles (235 km) to the west there are 130 of these harbors, totaling 82,000 moorings. Riviera ports shelter a third of the world’s megayacht fleet. Yachting occupies over 3,500 local businesses and provides more than 16,000 jobs, not including crew.
Monaco was Aristotle Onassis’s favorite harbor, but Antibes’s Port Vauban is the true center of Mediterranean yachting. The inner harbor is home to several hundred smallish vessels but the IYCA (International Yacht Club of Antibes) outer port is now home to some of the world’s most prestigious megayachts, berthed with their sterns to the wide quay known as “millionaires’ row”.
Famous names still frequent Riviera ports but, except in a few cases, with cautious discretion. The costs of running one of these boats often means that an entire offshore company is set up to own and manage the vessels, which partly explains the majority of British, Cayman or Bermudian flag yachts on the Cote d’Azur.
If a taste of the seafaring life sounds tempting, a used 18-metre model can be had for about $2.5 million. If you want something with a bit more speed or cabin space you should be aiming to spend about $5.0 million. Today, yachts worth more than $50.0 million are not at all uncommon and you should count on 10 percent of the boat’s value as the cost of annual upkeep.
Chartering offers a cheaper solution for those on a “budget”. For about $10,000 a day you can hire a modest 22-metre. 4 cabin yacht, but if you plan on throwing large parties on board you’ll need something bigger with a crew included, at around $50,000 a day. Prices do not include berthing fees, fuel, food or drink.
Yachting and Sailing Destinations
Depending on the boat size and your experience, it is possible to sail alongside the coast, stopping at picturesque islands and shores.
Below find a list of suggested sailing trips out of the port of Nice:
1. East to Portofino, Italy (5-6 days)
2. East to Cap Ferrat, through Monte-Carlo to Cap Martin (1-2 days)
3. West to Antibes, Cap Antibes (1-2 days)
4. West to Cannes and Iles de Lerins, (2-3 days)
5. West to Ste- Maxime, Port Grimaud and St. Tropez. (2-3 days)
6. West to Iles de Porquerolles (4-5 days)
7. West to Calanques de Cassis and Marseille (5-6 days)
