FRENCH RIVIERA

French Riviera

CHARTER IN FRENCH RIVIERA

Charter a Yacht in French Riviera

A Private Charter to the French Riviera

The French Riviera—a broad stroke of coastline that paints the southeastern corner of France. Embraced by the Mediterranean climate and caught in a lively bourrée of French glamour and historical landmarks, the French Riviera has held its dignified reputation as the retreat for aristocrats and artists alike. Beneath its refined streets lined with glitzy boutiques and exclusive beaches and resorts lies the priceless beauty crafted by nature—sun dappled cliffs, cobalt waters, purple flowers dotting the mountainsides, and elegant cities with their backs against blankets of greenery.

But the French Riviera wasn’t always coaxing in tourists to its established resorts. Like the majority of Europe, the coastline was subjected to Greek and Roman influences, invasions by the hungry parties of the Visigoths, Saracens, Normans and the like, quarrels and scuffs between the House of Grimaldi and French authority. Then—despite the breezy weather beneath a Mediterranean sun, the region went unnoticed, left only to the sounds of fishermen casting lines off the banks, and quiet farmers tending to olive groves.

A Luxury Yacht Itinerary of the French Riviera Coastline

It wouldn’t be long until the French Riviera caught the eye of wealthy British aristocrats, and following the visits of novelist Tobias Smollett and Scottish doctor John Brown, the news of France’s hidden slice of paradise spread like wildfire. The fuss over this bit of coastline manifested in physical structures dripping in opulence and intricacies—the Monte Carlo Casino, the Villa Ephrussi constructed for the Rothschild family, the grand hotels fit for Queen Victoria in Menton, Grasse, and Cimiez, and nightclubs exclusive enough to host the Prince of Wales.

The French Riviera, with its long history serving the wealthy, the famous, and the royal, makes chartering the largest of yachts a simple task. The coastal town of Cannes ushers in the best, brightest, and richest for its annual world-famous film festival, and to occupy its attendees, the Promenade de la Croisette can entertain and delight even those who have everything with its high fashion boutiques, five-star restaurants, and stunning beaches along the waterfront avenue.

Nice, France sits at the foot of the Alps on the south east coast of the Mediterranean Sea along the French Riviera. So popular was Nice to the weary English in search of pleasant climate instead of their rain-drenched home that the Promenade des Anglais, “Walkway of the English” was named for the steady march of British tourists. Nice is home to the Hotel Negresco, botanical gardens, museums, the unparalleled Opéra de Nice, and hosts the epic Nice Carnival, attracting over a million visitors every year.

Sixty-two miles west by ease of charter or drive through the countryside is Saint-Tropez, a town not to be missed when exploring the best of the French Riviera. Saint-Tropez has a peculiar history, one of an unobtrusive fishing village and in stark contrast, and its role as a military stronghold, defined by the formidable Citadel of Saint-Tropez. The town was the first on the coast to be liberated during Operation Dragoon during World War II, but Saint Tropez rejects this as its defining moment. Instead, Saint Tropez is recognized as an artistic hub, where cinema’s French New Wave and the music scene’s Yé-yé movements took root. The city has built up a coinciding reputation as an exclusive seaside resort, with inspiring beaches, marinas and established ports to welcome yachters and boaters, luxury hotels, and citywide events with celebrations to last for days.

On the Franco-Italian border of the French Riviera sits Menton, aptly dubbed the “Pearl of France.” Warm summer nights and mild winters allow Menton to groom its numerous gardens: Jardin Serre de la Madone, the Jardin botanique exotique de Menton, the Fontana Rosa, the Maria Serena garden, and the gardens of Les Colombères. Touches of Jean Cocteau, famous French artist, can be seen in the Bastion Museum and in the wedding room at the Mairie, and of course, at the Jean Cocteau Museum. Its coastline falls way to smooth sands, bordered by green-blue waters. It is in Menton where the delightful Lemon Festival is held, where the Casino Gardens in the town’s center is decorated with lemons and citrus fruits to create impressive temporary statues.

A stop in Monaco is a necessity to those traveling the French Riviera. This second-smallest country in the world has much to offer in its good weather, its history beneath the ubiquitous Grimaldi family, arts and high-end entertainment, and flourishing gambling industry. Monaco knows how to have a good time, whether its with its Grad Prix, Carlo Rally, International Circus Festival, and of course, its casinos. Its slew of museums includes the Monaco Top Cars Collection, the Napoleon Museum, the New National Museum of Monaco, and the Oceanographic Museum.

Wandering the coast of the French Riviera will bring you to its picturesque cities, no doubt, but charter over to the small islands that dot the waters arm reach of the Mediterranean coastline. Porquerolles, sparse and secluded, offers a welcomed break from often-crowded beaches on the mainland during peak seasons, the Giens Peninsula though not as private, still gives sprawling views with plenty to do, and Embiez, the French island equipped with Blue Flag beaches, inhabited by intriguing wildlife. The Lérins Islands, four islands off of the beaten path, with Île Sainte-Marguerite’s mysterious “Man in the Iron Mask” prison, and the Île Saint-Honorat, where Cistercian monks call home in an 11th-century monastery at the edge of the sea.

Where Luxury Meets European Tradition: A French Riviera Private Luxury Charter

Villas, chateaus, luxury hotels, stretches of beaches along cerulean waters, casinos, fine arts, finer dining, and endless storefronts for shopping—the French Riviera awaits visitors craving grandeur amid tradition. With ports and marinas established in nearly every coastal city, chartering the French Riviera has been as effortless as its natural beauty inking the coastline.

Discovered by the wealthy and subsequently modernized and maintained by them, the French Riviera cuts no corners when it comes to the perfect holiday. You’ll find that distraction comes easy in the French Riviera, either in the bustling cities and their attractions, or inland, where purple flowers bloom against stony bluffs. The region’s rich history can be found in each step, in architecture, in its arts, in its foods, and in the stories of the cities themselves.

LUXURY YACHTS AVAILABLE FOR CHARTER IN French Riviera