The French Riviera is the most expensive water in Europe to charter on and the most concentrated: a hundred miles from Saint Tropez to Menton holds more large yachts in August than the rest of the Mediterranean combined. Within that hundred miles the price moves by a factor of five depending on which harbour the boat sits in, and Monaco is the top of it.
Monaco against Saint Tropez
Read on 11 September 2026, Sailo lists 10 boats at Monaco at an average of 4,954 EUR a day, from 1,000 to 9,460, with a captained 50 foot Solaris for twelve at 1,300 EUR for eight hours, a 34 foot Pursuit at 1,400 EUR for eight hours and a 65 foot Vallicelli at 960 EUR for four hours. Saint Tropez, forty miles west, lists 162 boats from 570 EUR a day to 24,000. Monaco has the higher floor; Saint Tropez has the depth and the higher ceiling.
Why Monaco boat rental lists so few boats
Because Port Hercule is small, its berths are among the most expensive in the world, and the yachts that lie there are mostly private rather than for charter. Ten listings is not a shortage of demand; it is a shortage of space. Anything chartered in Monaco is usually berthed at Cap d'Ail, Fontvieille or Beaulieu and brought round, and the price reflects the berth the day starts from.
Yacht rental France: what this coast offers a day charter
From Monaco, west past Cap Ferrat to Villefranche, which is a deep sheltered bay with the best swimming on this coast, or east to Menton and the Italian border. From Saint Tropez, the Pampelonne beach clubs and the nature reserve anchorages at Cap Taillat. From Cannes, the Iles de Lerins, which are ten minutes offshore and the best value day on the Riviera. The big yachts move between those three anchorages all summer.
August, and what to do instead
August is the peak in price, in traffic and in berth scarcity, and the second half of it is the hardest week of the year to book anything on this coast. June and September carry the same weather with a fraction of the boats and noticeably softer pricing. The mistral, a cold north westerly, blows down several times a month, flattens the sea and closes the exposed anchorages for a day at a time.
Questions people ask about yacht rental french riviera
How much is a yacht rental on the French Riviera?
Sailo lists 10 boats at Monaco averaging 4,954 EUR a day, from 1,000 to 9,460, and 162 around Saint Tropez from 570 to 24,000, read on 11 September 2026.
Why are there so few Monaco listings?
Port Hercule is small and its berths are among the most expensive in the world, and most yachts there are private rather than chartered. Boats chartered in Monaco are often berthed at Cap d'Ail, Fontvieille or Beaulieu.
Where is the best value day?
The Iles de Lerins off Cannes, ten minutes offshore, sheltered and free to anchor in most of the bay. The Riviera's expensive days are the ones that start in a famous harbour rather than the ones that end in a good anchorage.
When should you avoid?
The second half of August, which is the hardest fortnight of the year to book on this coast. June and September have the same weather, far fewer boats and softer prices.