From Port Hercule the Riviera opens in two directions, and the best weeks afloat usually combine a little of each.
Key takeaways
- From Port Hercule the whole French and Italian Riviera is within a day's cruising, so itineraries flex from a single afternoon to a full week.
- West lies the glamour of Cannes and Saint-Tropez; east, the quieter Italian Riviera toward Portofino — most weeks combine a little of each.
- Distances are short: Cannes is about 18 nautical miles, Saint-Tropez 32, Portofino around 90.
- Routes are shaped to the weather, the sea state and your pace, not a fixed schedule.
- We plan the anchorages, berths and beach-club bookings ahead so the days flow effortlessly.
West along the French coast
Heading west you pass Cap-Ferrat and Nice, the yachting harbour of Antibes, and on to Cannes and the Lérins islands. The western anchor of most itineraries is Saint-Tropez, 32 nautical miles away — best reached with an early start, with the beach clubs of Pampelonne a tender-ride from the anchorage.
East into Italy
Heading east you cross the frontier to Menton and Sanremo, where Ligurian cooking and a belle-époque casino mark the change of register. The crowning destination is Portofino — a pastel village around a perfect pocket harbour, an overnight or multi-day leg from Monaco.
Planning your week
We shape the route around your dates, the weather and your pace, balancing the glamour of Monte-Carlo and Saint-Tropez with the calm of the Lérins and the Italian coast. Start from our yacht charter in Monaco page.
A day west: Cap-Ferrat to Cannes
The shortest itineraries never leave the French coast and still feel complete. Within an hour of Monaco lie Cap-Ferrat and the deep, sheltered bay of Villefranche, perfect for a first swim; a little further, the yachting cape of Antibes and the calm of Juan-les-Pins. At around eighteen nautical miles, Cannes and the Îles de Lérins make an easy day-run — anchor off Île Sainte-Marguerite for clear, shallow water, lunch at a beach club, and be back in Monaco by evening. It is the gentlest introduction to the coast and the most popular day out we arrange.
The western anchor: Saint-Tropez
Saint-Tropez, about thirty-two nautical miles from Monaco, is the furthest of the classic day-runs and the western turning point of most week-long itineraries. It rewards an early start: leave after breakfast and you can be anchored off the long sweep of Pampelonne by lunch, with the afternoon for the beach clubs and the village before the run back or a night at anchor. The old port, where yachts moor stern-to against the cafés, is pure theatre; the quieter coves around Cap Camarat are its calm counterpoint.
East across the Italian frontier
Turn east from Monaco and the register changes within a few miles. Menton, just seven nautical miles on, is the gentle gateway — a pastel old town and famous gardens minutes from the border. Cross into Italy and Sanremo brings a belle-époque casino, palm-lined promenades and the first taste of Ligurian cooking, about twenty-four miles from Port Hercule. It is the natural staging point for the longer run along the Italian coast, and the moment a Monaco charter becomes an Italian one.
The crown: Portofino and Liguria
Around ninety nautical miles from Monaco, Portofino is an overnight or multi-day leg rather than a day-trip — a pastel village wrapped around a perfect pocket harbour, backed by its green headland. Moorings are few and prized, so we arrange a berth or nearby anchorage well ahead. Around it the Gulf of Tigullio opens up: Santa Margherita and Rapallo, the hidden abbey of San Fruttuoso, and the Cinque Terre a little further on. It is the crowning destination of a Riviera-to-Italy week, and the village feels like the journey's reward.
A classic week, balanced
The best weeks combine both directions. A typical seven days might open with an easy run to Cannes and the Lérins, push west to Saint-Tropez for a night off Pampelonne, then turn back east through Monaco and across to Sanremo and Portofino, finishing among the Ligurian harbours. Another stays closer, alternating glamorous evenings in Monte-Carlo and Cannes with quiet days at anchor. We sketch two or three drafts and refine the one that suits your dates, your pace and the kind of week you want.
Day charters and short itineraries
Not every itinerary needs a week. A day charter distils the coast into a few perfect hours — a swim off Cap-Ferrat, a beach-club lunch, back by evening — while two or three days reach Cannes, Saint-Tropez or the Italian frontier in unhurried stages. Short itineraries suit a first taste of the Riviera, a celebration, or guests with limited time, and we shape them with the same care as a full week.
How we plan your route
Every itinerary is built around you and the conditions, never a fixed package. We start from your dates, your party and the places you most want to see, then shape a route the captain can adjust day by day to the weather and the sea state. Berths, cruising permits, cross-border formalities and beach-club bookings are handled ahead, so the only thing you track is the horizon. Start from our yacht charter in Monaco page, or tell us your dates and we will draft a route within the day.
Anchorages and where to swim
Much of the pleasure of a Riviera itinerary lies between the harbours, at anchor. The clear water off Île Sainte-Marguerite at Cannes, the sheltered depths of Villefranche bay, the coves around Cap d'Antibes and Cap Camarat near Saint-Tropez are all favourites for a swim and a long lunch. Eastward, the Ligurian water around Portofino and San Fruttuoso is among the clearest on the coast. We choose anchorages for shelter, seclusion and the time of day, moving on as the light and the crowds shift, so the swimming is always at its best.
Sailing yacht or motor yacht
The character of an itinerary changes with the yacht. A motor yacht covers distance quickly and comfortably, opening more of the coast in a week and suiting those who want speed between stops and generous deck space. A sailing yacht or catamaran trades pace for a quieter, lower-wake passage and the romance of canvas, ideal for unhurried weeks and calm anchorages. We advise on the trade-off for your route — a fast motor yacht for an ambitious Monaco-to-Portofino run, a sailing yacht for a gentle week around the French capes.
When to cruise
The season runs April to October, with the warmest, calmest water from June to September. May brings the Grand Prix and the Cannes Film Festival, June and September the best balance of warm sea and quieter coast, and high summer the liveliest harbours. Each window suits a different itinerary: a glamorous event-week base, a serene shoulder-season cruise, or a full summer programme. We plan around your dates and the forecast, and can shift a leg a day either way to follow the best weather along the coast.
Where to begin
If you are weighing a first itinerary, start with how long you have and how you like to spend a day on the water. A single day or a long weekend is best kept to the French coast — Cannes, the Lérins, perhaps Saint-Tropez — while a full week earns the run east to Italy and the reward of Portofino. Tell us your dates, your party and whether you lean toward lively harbours or quiet anchorages, and we return a draft route, indicative pricing and the right yacht, usually within the day. From there we refine it together, adjusting the stops and the pace, until the week on the water is exactly yours.
Frequently asked questions
How far can we go in a week?
A comfortable week reaches Saint-Tropez to the west or Portofino to the east; ambitious weeks do both.
Can we cross into Italy?
Yes — the Italian Riviera is a natural extension east, and we handle berths and formalities.