Are you dreaming of a holiday full of fun and adventure? Visit the French Riviera by boat and your dream will come true.
Located on the border with Liguria, the Côte d’Azur presents itself as an unmissable itinerary, a place of great charm in which to enjoy a spectacular sea by boat, thanks to the numerous bays and ports that allow you to stop and experience the beauty of the sea and of the inland.
It is the ideal holiday if you want to combine the noisy silence of the sea, the beauty of nature without giving up the chic worldliness that only the Côte d’Azur can offer.
The French Riviera by boat: between fun and beauty
The stretch of coast between Sanremo and Saint Tropez is one of the most famous in Europe for fun-filled holidays: beaches overlooking the turquoise sea, an impervious mountain with villages on the rocks and a lively nightlife.
Not only fun and enchanting glimpses of the sea: these places also offer new itineraries, including art galleries dedicated to the Impressionist masters, villages with ancient charm and historic centers.
The Côte d’Azur is presented as a territory full of surprises, able to satisfy travelers of all ages and to offer unique experiences both along the coast and in the hinterland: the idea of taking a tour of the Côte d’Azur by boat, combining passion for the sea to that of adventure, it could be perfect.
The Côte d’Azur, with its colors and shades, has been a source of inspiration for the Impressionist movement for centuries. In fact, painters such as Picasso, Matisse and Renoir have tried to reproduce the magnificent color of the Côte d’Azur sea on canvas.
Boat holidays on the French Riviera are very popular with tourists from all over the world. There are millions of visitors who come here every year.
There are those who decide to live the experience of the French Riviera by boat, being lulled by the waves of the sea. A journey out of time and space, to the rhythm of the sea current. Also, and above all, this is the French Riviera by boat.
A boat holiday on the Côte d’Azur is the best if you are looking for a fun experience with the right compromise between sea and chic towns with an exclusive boat.
Munich
One of the most popular destinations for tourists visiting the French Riviera is Munich. Thanks to its charm of a small Principality suspended between luxury and gallantry of yesteryear and the countless activities that the place offers, the famous city-state is an unmissable stop.
Munich and the Montecarlo district in particular attract millions of visitors from all over the world every year. If visiting the Principality of Monaco is an out of the ordinary experience, doing so during a sailing holiday can be even more exciting.
Starting right from the port of Monaco, sailing towards the east, a first stop on your holiday could be Roquebrune-Cap-Martin (Roccabruna): a picturesque medieval village overlooking the sea, Roccabruna has always been a favorite destination for artists and aristocrats, who here they took refuge there to find inspiration or simply to relax and enjoy the natural beauty of the place.
Menton: splendid pearl of the French Riviera
Continuing the holiday route on the Côte d’Azur by boat, you will meet Menton, a colorful town perched overlooking the sea, characterized by wonderful beaches and numerous attractions of a historical and architectural nature, but also parks, gardens and museums to be discovered.
Menton has a vast naturalistic and cultural offer.
Pointing the bow towards the west, on the other hand, another place not to be missed is Villefranche-sur-Mer, a municipality of very few inhabitants, but which surprises for its landscape and architectural beauties.
Small fishing village, Villefranche is characterized by a colorful old town and a breathtaking view of the Cap Ferrat peninsula.
Nice, the capital of the French Riviera between gastronomy and tradition
The tour along the French Riviera by boat continues towards Nice, the largest city on the coast. Nice is a city with a thousand-year history, which has known different dominations and which from each of these has inherited part of its current uniqueness.
The old city recalls some of the main Italian seaside resorts, first of all Genoa, both in architecture and in its teeming with life, with narrow alleys and alleys, colorful houses and a myriad of people who stop and walk among typical shops and delicatessens.
Nice’s seafront is always crowded with citizens and visitors, who can also indulge in their sporting activities here, such as running and cycling.
Easily recognizable in the most social photos, thanks to the characteristic blue benches, which line the promenade of the Bay of Angels, it is a city that does not offer only tourism, good nights and tanning.
In fact, for art lovers, Nice requires a longer stop than other places: there are numerous attractions in the city. Just think of the museums, such as those of Chagall, Matisse and the Archaeological Museum, but also of the historic buildings, including Villa Massena, and religious buildings.
Antibes, the city of Picasso
And from Nice we continue our boat holidays on the Côte d’Azur up to Antibes Juan Le Pins, a village that inspired some works by Picasso, which can be admired in the museum dedicated to the artist.
The historic center of Antibes overlooks the sea of a thousand shades of blue.
Continue along the Côte d’Azur by boat to Cap d’Antibes, in the small port of Olivette, where the colorful boats create an evocative, postcard-like scenery.
There is nothing better than a swim in the heart of the crystalline sea of the French Riviera: Cap d’Antibes is home to beautiful beaches for snorkeling. There are many isolated coves along the coast.
Cannes
Sailing along the coast you will meet the splendid seaside city with pastel-colored houses: it is Cannes, the town that is divided into wonderful streets that lead to the castle, famous because from here you can admire a crazy panorama.
Its promenade is perfect for lovers of shopping and good food.
Saint Tropez
Elegance, ostentation, yachts, luxury and nightlife: welcome to Saint Tropez.
Besides nightlife, Saint Tropez has beautiful beaches: Bouillabaisse, Caneliers, Salins, Tahiti, Pampelonne.
In Saint Tropez ancient and modern merge: walking in the center you pass from the small village of the marina to an avant-garde area full of trendy shops, clubs and elegant restaurants.
But the beauty of the Côte d’Azur by boat reaches its peak with a stop on the pristine shores of the Hyères Islands.
French Riviera by boat: the Hyres archipelago
A few miles from Italy you will find your Caribbean. You can enjoy them thanks to the sailing holidays.
The archipelago is made up of three main islands, all three unique: Porquerolles, Port Cros and Le levant.
With the boat holidays it is possible to visit them all, diving off into the blue and crystalline waters, snorkeling among the most colorful fish of the Mediterranean.
The island of Porquerolle
The white beaches, the forests of maritime pines, the lavender, the blue sea make this small island one of the most protected places in the world from an environmental point of view. In fact it is a magnificent ecological oasis: it is possible to visit the hinterland on foot or by bicycle.
The most beautiful beaches on the island are Plage de la Courtade and plage de Notre Dame.
Port Cros
The second of the Hyres Islands, Port Cros, is famous for its marine reserve – the ideal place for diving and snorkeling.
Right here you can admire the underwater path that allows you to swim for 30-40 minutes, admiring the precious underwater life.
Thanks to the sailing holidays you can visit its most beautiful beaches and immerse yourself in its underwater splendor as much as you want.
Isle du Levant
The other island to visit during your holiday on the French Riviera by boat is Isola du Levant.
Only 8 km long, it is almost entirely occupied by the navy, but the north-western tip is reserved for the naturist village of Héliopolis.
The stretch of coast offers beautiful coves and two beaches, Les Grottes Plage, where nudism is mandatory and Plage de Sable Levant
In short, the Côte d’Azur by boat is the perfect holiday to experience the sea to the full, from the blue sea to the nightlife, from snorkeling to nudist beaches: on the Côte d’Azur nothing is really missing.
Do you want to set sail on this paradise? On Letyourboat you will find many solutions to experience unforgettable boat holidays on the French Riviera.