The Best Marinas on the French Riviera for Superyachts

Spend a little time on the French Riviera in summer and one thing quickly becomes clear: life here revolves around the sea.

Along the coastline from Monaco to Saint-Tropez, harbours fill with an extraordinary mix of vessels. There are sleek day cruisers heading out for lunch in a nearby bay, classic sailing yachts preparing for regattas, and enormous superyachts that look more like floating villas than boats.

Yachting has been part of Riviera culture for well over a century. In the early days, aristocrats and artists sailed these waters in elegant yachts long before the modern superyacht era began. Today the scale may be different, but the appeal remains the same — calm Mediterranean waters, beautiful anchorages, glamorous towns, and a lifestyle that feels perfectly suited to life on deck.

Some harbours put you right in the middle of the action, steps from casinos or beach clubs. Others sit beside old towns where the pace feels slower and the views are just as memorable.

For anyone exploring the Côte d’Azur by yacht, these are some of the most important and interesting marinas on the French Riviera.

Port Hercules, Monaco

There are many famous marinas in the Mediterranean, but few are as instantly recognisable as Port Hercules in Monaco.

The harbour sits directly beneath Monaco’s dramatic skyline. From the docks you can see the terraces of Monte Carlo rising above the water, packed with luxury hotels, apartment towers, and the occasional rooftop pool. It’s an impressive setting even before you notice the yachts.

What makes Port Hercules special is that it’s one of the few deep-water ports on this stretch of coast. That means the very largest yachts — the kind that stretch beyond 100 meters — can berth here comfortably.

In late September the harbour becomes the centre of the yachting world during the Monaco Yacht Show. For several days, some of the most remarkable yachts ever built line the quays while brokers, designers, and potential buyers move from deck to deck.

Another unforgettable moment arrives during the Monaco Grand Prix. During race weekend, the harbour fills with yachts whose guests watch the cars race through Monaco’s narrow streets just above the port. The atmosphere is unlike anything else in motorsport.

Even outside those headline events, Port Hercules is rarely quiet. Crews prepare yachts for the summer season, charter guests come and go, and the harbour itself feels like a constantly changing gallery of naval design.

Port Vauban, Antibes

A short cruise along the coast brings you to Port Vauban in Antibes, the largest marina in the Mediterranean.

If Monaco feels glamorous, Port Vauban feels serious about yachts. With more than 1,500 berths, it’s a huge harbour and an important operational base for vessels working throughout the Mediterranean season.

The most famous section is Billionaires’ Quay or IYCA, where some of the world’s largest private yachts spend the summer months. Walking along this stretch of dock can be slightly surreal — the yachts here are so large they resemble floating apartment blocks.

What makes Antibes particularly appealing, however, is the contrast between this modern yachting infrastructure and the town itself.

Just a few minutes from the marina, you find yourself wandering through narrow streets lined with cafés and small shops. Markets spill into the squares, locals play pétanque in the shade, and the pace of life suddenly feels very different from Monaco.

The old stone walls overlooking the harbour date back centuries, and the impressive Fort Carré still dominates the skyline. Art lovers often stop by the nearby Musée Picasso, where Picasso once lived and worked.

For many crews, Port Vauban becomes a kind of seasonal home base.

Port de Saint-Tropez

If Monaco represents Riviera glamour, Saint-Tropez represents Riviera legend.

The harbour here is instantly recognizable. Rows of pastel-colored buildings line the quay, their reflections dancing in the water while yachts sit moored just meters away. It’s a view that has appeared in countless photographs over the decades.

What surprises many visitors is how small the port actually is. Compared with places like Antibes, the marina feels intimate and lively rather than enormous.

That intimacy is part of the appeal. Step off the yacht and you’re immediately in the center of town. Restaurants spill onto the waterfront, cafés are filled with people watching the boats come and go, and small streets wind up through the old quarter.

Many visitors arrive by yacht simply to spend the afternoon at Pampelonne Beach, home to some of the Riviera’s most famous beach clubs. The legendary Club 55 has been welcoming yacht guests for decades, while Nikki Beach Saint-Tropez offers a livelier atmosphere.

Each autumn the harbour also hosts Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez, when elegant classic yachts gather in the bay alongside modern racing vessels.

Few places capture the Riviera spirit quite like Saint-Tropez.

Vieux Port de Cannes

The Vieux Port de Cannes sits at the base of the old quarter of Le Suquet and remains one of the most recognisable harbours on the Riviera.

What makes this port particularly interesting is its location beside the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès. Because of that, the harbour ends up playing a role in many of the city’s biggest events.

Most people associate the port with the famous Cannes Film Festival. During those weeks in May, the harbour becomes part of the festival scene itself. Superyachts host private receptions, film industry parties move from deck to deck, and the port feels like an extension of the red carpet.

But Cannes is busy well beyond the film festival.

In spring, thousands of real estate professionals arrive for MIPIM. Shortly after comes Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, one of the biggest events in the creative industry.

Later in the year the city hosts the Cannes Yachting Festival, which turns the harbour into one of Europe’s most important showcases for new yachts.

Another major gathering is TFWA World Exhibition & Conference, attracting luxury brands and travel retail leaders.

Because of this constant flow of events, the Vieux Port stays active for much of the year rather than just during the summer.

On quieter days it’s simply a pleasant place to wander. Restaurants overlook the harbour, fishermen still work parts of the quay, and just offshore the Lérins Islands offer calm water and beautiful anchorages only a short cruise away.

Why the Riviera Still Matters to the Yachting World

There are plenty of beautiful coastlines in the Mediterranean, but the French Riviera remains something special.

Part of it is geography. Within a relatively short distance you can cruise between Monaco, Antibes, Cannes, and Saint-Tropez — each with its own personality.

Part of it is tradition. Events like the Monaco Yacht Show and Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez have helped keep the region at the center of the yachting world.

And part of it is simply atmosphere. Long summer evenings, restaurants overlooking the water, and the quiet pleasure of watching yachts arrive and depart as the light changes across the harbour.

However you arrive — by superyacht, charter yacht, or simply walking along the docks — the Riviera still offers one of the most memorable maritime landscapes in Europe.