Menton by yacht, 5 nm from Monaco
The last French town before Italy — gardens, lemons and a gentle old port.
A yacht from Monaco to Menton covers about 5 nautical miles in a straight line: 25 min of cruising at 12 knots, 15 min at 20. Crewed days are published from €1,500 (day boat) to €10,000 and up (superyacht); a week on a 20–30 m motor yacht runs €25,000 – €65,000, plus APA of 25–35% and VAT at 20%.
Menton is the quiet easterly counterpoint to Monaco's glamour: a pastel old town climbing from the sea, celebrated gardens and a calm harbour minutes from the Italian border.
It makes a serene first leg heading east toward Sanremo and the Ligurian coast, about five miles from Port Hercule.
Why choose Menton for a day from Monaco?
About five nautical miles from Port Hercule, Menton is the gentle counterpoint to Monaco's glamour — a pastel old town climbing from the sea, famous gardens, and a calm harbour minutes from the Italian frontier. It makes a serene half-day from Monaco for those who want beauty without the crowds, and a natural first leg for any cruise heading east.
How does a charter continue from Menton into Italy?
Menton marks the threshold between France and the Italian Riviera, and a day here often becomes the start of a longer eastbound passage. From its anchorage the coast opens toward Sanremo, the Ligurian shore and ultimately Portofino. We handle the simple cross-border formalities so the transition from French to Italian waters is seamless, and time the leg to the weather and your pace.
Ashore, Menton rewards a slow morning: the celebrated Serre de la Madone and Val Rahmeh gardens, the lemon-scented old town climbing in pastel tiers, and a market that already feels half Italian. It is the gentlest of introductions to the change of register that waits across the border, and a calm counterpoint to a week that may grow livelier as it heads east.
Where does a yacht stop in Menton?
Menton has two harbours. The Vieux Port lies at the foot of the old town, below the campanile of Saint-Michel; the Port de Garavan, inaugurated in 1967 and run with the old port under the Ports de Menton, sits a kilometre east against the Italian frontier and is the one that takes visiting yachts. Neither is built for the largest units, so a superyacht on a day from Monaco anchors in the Baie de Garavan instead and runs guests in by tender — a five-minute ride to a quay where the lemon trees begin. The bay is open to the south and best in the morning before the afternoon breeze fills in.
What is there to do ashore in Menton?
Menton is a town for a slow morning. The old town climbs from the port in ochre and pink tiers to the basilica of Saint-Michel-Archange, whose parvis of black and white pebbles looks back over the bay; the covered market of 1898 on the Quai de Monléon is the best food market east of Nice. The gardens are the real reason to come: the Serre de la Madone, Val Rahmeh with its botanical collection, the Jardin Fontana Rosa. The Cocteau museum and the Bastion by the port complete a half-day that pairs naturally with lunch on the quay and an afternoon swim in the bay before the short run home.
How much does a yacht charter to Menton cost?
At 5 nm, Menton is a day charter: a crewed day is published from €1,500 (Pirelli 1100, excluding fuel) to €6,600 (Prestige 680) and €10,000 and up for a superyacht. As a stop on a longer charter the weekly brackets below apply.
| Yacht size | Weekly rate | APA (25–35%) |
|---|---|---|
| Motor yacht 20–30 m | €25,000 – €65,000 | €6,250 – €22,750 |
| Superyacht 30–40 m | €65,000 – €180,000 | €16,250 – €63,000 |
| Premium superyacht 40–45 m | €140,000 – €320,000 | €35,000 – €112,000 |
| Megayacht 45 m+ | €280,000 – €800,000+ | €70,000 – €280,000+ |
APA — 25–35% of the fee, median 35% across MYBA listings — covers fuel for the run to Menton, harbour dues, food and drink, and the balance is returned. VAT at the standard 20% rate applies to charters starting in France or Monaco; crew gratuity is customary at 5–15% of the fee (MYBA guidance).
- International Yachts Charter & Brokerage — Monaco Yacht Show 2026 charter rates — retrieved 2026-09-05
- Monaco Boats (The S Collection) — Yacht charter prices in Monaco — retrieved 2026-09-05
- Vital Charters — What's included in a yacht charter fee: MYBA contract (2026), survey of MYBA listings — retrieved 2026-09-05
- service-public.gouv.fr — Taux de TVA (fiche F23567, "Vérifié le 18 juin 2025") — retrieved 2026-09-05
- Gouvernement Princier de Monaco — monentreprise.gouv.mc, TVA — retrieved 2026-09-05
Rates retrieved 2026-09-05.
Which harbour and anchorages does a yacht use in Menton?
Port de Menton-Garavan
- From Port Hercule
- 5 nm (straight line) · 25 min at 12 knots · 15 min at 20 knots
- Berths
- marina inaugurated in 1967 (Ports de Menton)
- Anchorages
- Baie de Garavan
Distances are computed between the OpenStreetMap positions of Port Hercule and Port de Menton-Garavan; the actual coastal route is a little longer.
- OpenStreetMap / Nominatim — retrieved 2026-09-06
- Ports de Menton (site officiel) — retrieved 2026-09-06
- OpenStreetMap / Nominatim — retrieved 2026-09-06
When is the best time to charter a yacht to Menton?
Recommended season: April–October.
The season runs April to October, the warmest water from June to September. July and August fill the anchorages of Menton; June and September give the same sea with more room. Monaco Grand Prix week (late May) and the Monaco Yacht Show (23–26 September 2026) pull departure rates toward high season, even for a day to Menton.
- Monaco Yacht Show — official site (home + billetterie) — retrieved 2026-09-05
Frequently asked questions
How far is Menton from Monaco by yacht?
About five nautical miles in a straight line — a short, easy run that makes Menton a relaxed half-day from Monaco or the calm first leg of a cruise east toward Italy.
Is Menton a good quiet alternative to busier ports?
Yes. Menton offers the beauty of the Riviera — a pastel old town, celebrated gardens, a calm harbour — without the bustle of the bigger resorts, making it ideal for a peaceful day or a gentle start to an eastbound passage. It is also one of the most charming towns on the coast to explore on foot between swims.
Is Menton a day trip or a stop on the way to Italy?
Either. From Monaco it is the shortest run of all — a relaxed half-day with a swim and lunch in the bay — and on an eastbound week it is the last French stop before Sanremo, so the yacht often anchors here for lunch and clears into Italy in the afternoon.
How much does a yacht charter from Monaco to Menton cost?
From the published Monaco brackets: a day from €1,500 (day boat, excluding fuel) to €10,000 and up for a superyacht; a week from €25,000 – €65,000 for 20–30 m to €280,000 – €800,000+ above 45 m, exclusive of APA (25–35%) and VAT (20%).
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