Sailing area · French Riviera
Cabin Charter on the Côte d’Azur: Sailing Trips in the South of France
On the Côte d’Azur and the Provence coast, you sail between Marseille and Monaco: the rocky inlets of the Calanques, the islands off Hyères, Saint-Tropez, Cannes and Nice. On a cabin charter trip, you book a berth and sail with a skipper. You do not need a sailing licence.
Updated: 2 November 2026 · Redaktion toernfinder.de
from 6 providers compared
The essentials at a glance
Season
March to October, most dates in July and August
Duration
Usually one week
Most common departure ports
Marseille, Nizza, Bormes-les-Mimosas, La Caletta and Pisa
Requirements
No sailing licence required
Week-long trip per person
mostly 690–890 €
Current trips on the French south coast
Here you can see a changing selection of current trips on the French Mediterranean coast. Your enquiry goes directly to the provider.
Sailing on the Côte d’Azur: the sailing area
The French Mediterranean coast is a varied sailing area: steep rocky coastlines, islands with anchorage bays and famous harbours lie close together. The daily legs are usually short.
- Calanques: narrow rocky inlets between Marseille and Cassis, a national park since 2012. Anchoring is only permitted in certain places here.
- Islands off Hyères: Porquerolles, Port-Cros and Levant, with pale beaches and clear water. Port-Cros is also a national park.
- Gulf of Saint-Tropez: well-known harbours, plenty of activity in summer and good anchorages nearby.
- Îles de Lérins: two islands right off Cannes, popular as an overnight anchorage.
- Antibes, Nice and Monaco: large harbours and cities, and Corsica is not far from here either.
From Nice or Antibes it is around 100 nautical miles to Corsica, a crossing of one day and one night. You can find more about the island under Cabin Charter in Corsica. For a detailed impression of the sailing area, see the trip report from the Côte d’Azur.
Harbours on the Côte d’Azur and in Provence
The table above shows where the sailing trips start. For some harbours there are detailed profiles with directions on how to get there and tips.
MarseilleOld harbour in the middle of the city, starting point for the CalanquesHarbour profile →
Bormes-les-MimosasClose to Porquerolles and Port-CrosHarbour profile →
Nice (Port Lympia)City harbour by the old town, heading towards Monaco and CorsicaHarbour profile →
Saint-Laurent-du-VarMarina west of Nice, close to the airportHarbour profile →
Wind on the Côte d’Azur: what is the Mistral?
The Mistral is a cold, strong north-westerly wind. It blows down the Rhône valley into the Mediterranean, often for several days at a time and at gale force. It is strongest in the west around Marseille and off Hyères, and usually weakens towards Nice.
In summer the Mistral blows less often than in spring and autumn. On the remaining days, a light to moderate sea breeze often dominates the afternoon. The skipper therefore plans with a margin in hand and, when the Mistral blows, chooses sheltered harbours and bays.
Törnfinder data
Sailing trips on the Côte d’Azur in numbers
Analysed: all sailing trips on the French coast published on Törnfinder. As of: 04.11.2026.
Most common departure ports
- 1Marseille35 trips
- 2Nizza15 trips
- 3Bormes-les-Mimosas4 trips
- 4La Caletta1 trip
- 5Pisa1 trip
86 %of trips last 7–8 days
88 %are round trips, start and finish in the same port
6different departure ports
4countries on offer, led by France and Italy
150 nmcovered by a typical week-long trip
As of 04.11.2026: Törnfinder lists around 60 French Riviera trips from 6 providers. 86 % last 7–8 days and 88 % are round trips with the same start and end port. Most trips start in Marseille, Nizza and Bormes-les-Mimosas, and most departures are in July and August. A week-long trip usually costs 690–890 € per person.
How these figures are calculated
All sailing trips published on Törnfinder in the French Riviera sailing area with a start date from today are analysed; the figures are recalculated twice a day. Prices are the providers’ figures per person; offers for a whole yacht with skipper, which are charged per boat, are not included in the prices. “Usually” refers to the middle half of the offers; the cheapest and the most expensive quarters are left out. The departure harbour is the starting harbour named in the listing, and a round trip is a sailing trip with the same departure and destination harbour. The texts on this page are written and checked by the editorial team of toernfinder.de.
Best time to travel for a sailing trip on the Côte d’Azur
The season runs from spring to autumn. July and August are hot and the harbours are full, while June and September are quieter and often cheaper.
When the trips start
Most French Riviera trips start in July and August. Trips are available from March to October.
2
Mar5
Apr5
May7
Jun14
Jul10
Aug7
Sep6
OctAll sailing trips on the French coast published on Törnfinder for the next twelve months. As of: 04.11.2026.
How much does a sailing trip on the Côte d’Azur cost?
A week of cabin charter on the French Riviera usually costs 690–890 € per person, with a day on board costing around 110 € on average. Harbour fees on the Côte d’Azur are high in summer, which is why many skippers like to anchor in bays.
| Trip duration | Price per person (usually) | per day | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7–9 days, week-long trip | 690–890 € | around 110 € | 50 |
| 10–15 days | 1,100–1,200 € | around 100 € | 6 |
"Usually" means: the middle half of all offers falls within this range; the cheapest and most expensive quarters are not included. Click on the duration to see the corresponding trips.
On top of the trip price come travel costs and usually the ship's kitty for food, harbour fees and diesel. The box shows what typically belongs in it.
What's included in the price and what goes into the crew kitty
Included in the trip price
- Your bunk on board
- The vessel
- The skipper
Usually via the crew kitty
- Food
- Hafengeld
- Diesel
Usually around 150–300 € per person per week, depending on what the group agrees, for example whether restaurant visits are included. On some boats, meals are already included in the price.
It is best to clarify in advance with the provider exactly what is included.
Also nearby
Many of these trips also call at these countries. Each card shows all trips there.
Italy
275 trips
next departure 07.11.2026
week usually 750–1,000 € per person
Show trips →Spain
241 trips
next departure 07.11.2026
week usually 790–950 € per person
Show trips →the United Kingdom
78 trips
next departure 16.11.2026
week usually 1,000–2,600 € per person
Show trips →Popular trip types
Besides classic crew trips, these trip types are offered most often here.
Family sailing
4 trips
Short legs and swim stops, children are welcome.
next departure 24.07.2027
week from 900 € per person
Show trips →Mileage-building
2 trips
Long passages with night sailing, many miles in a short time.
next departure 17.04.2027
from 990 € per person
Show trips →Event sailing
1 trip
By ship to Hanse Sail, Kiel Week and other harbour festivals.
next departure 15.07.2027
week from 1,600 € per person
Show trips →Frequently asked questions about sailing on the Côte d’Azur
Short answers to the questions that come up most often before a sailing trip in the south of France.
Where can you sail on the Côte d’Azur?
Between Marseille and Monaco: in the Calanques, around the islands off Hyères, in the Gulf of Saint-Tropez, off Cannes and as far as Nice. From there, Corsica can also be reached in a single crossing.
What is the best time to go sailing in the South of France?
From May to October. June and September are pleasantly warm and quieter than the high season in July and August.
What is the Mistral?
A cold, strong north-westerly wind that blows through the Rhône Valley into the Mediterranean. It can blow at strong wind force for several days, most strongly in the west around Marseille. The skipper then heads for sheltered harbours and bays.
How much does a sailing trip on the Côte d’Azur cost?
A week of cabin charter usually costs 690–890 € per person. Travel and, usually, the onboard kitty come on top, and on the Côte d’Azur harbour fees make up a large part of it. The onboard kitty is usually around 150–300 € per person per week.
Do I need a sailing licence?
No. On a cabin charter trip, the skipper sails the boat. If you want to charter a yacht yourself, you need a licence and usually a radio certificate.
Can you sail from the Côte d’Azur to Corsica?
Yes. From Nice or Antibes it is around 100 nautical miles, a crossing of about a day and a night. Some trips combine the Côte d’Azur with Corsica.
Find your sailing trip on the Côte d’Azur
Use the filter to search by date, duration and boat type, and send your enquiry directly to the provider.