During the festival, Cannes turns to face the sea. The bay fills with yachts, the most sought-after parties are held on deck, and a charter becomes the most coveted base of the fortnight — part venue, part retreat, part vantage point.
For the two weeks of the festival each May, a yacht is the single most useful thing to have in Cannes — a private address steps from the action, a stage for hosting, and a way out when the crowds become too much. Here is how to use it well. For the wider experience ashore, see our guide to the Cannes Film Festival in luxury.
The berth beside the Palais
A yacht in the Vieux-Port sits steps from the Palais des Festivals and the red carpet — the most convenient address in Cannes when the streets are gridlocked and a car can take an hour to cross town. These berths are very few and reserved a year ahead. Beyond the port, a mooring in the Bay of Cannes offers the same atmosphere and the same skyline, with a short tender ride to the quay — often the more relaxed choice, and a more affordable one.
A stage for entertaining
The festival’s defining gatherings happen on the water. A chartered yacht gives you a private deck to host on — a dinner for key guests, a brand launch, a late drink away from the crush — with a professional crew and, if you wish, a chef to match. For those doing business at the festival, it is the most valuable room in Cannes.
The retreat
Just as valuable is the escape. When the Croisette overwhelms, the yacht slips out to a quiet anchorage off the Lérins islands — a swim, a long lunch, an afternoon of calm before the evening begins again. To return refreshed each night, while everyone ashore battles the crowds, is the festival’s best-kept advantage.
Book early, plan privately
The best yachts and berths are reserved six to twelve months ahead, and the prime port moorings far sooner. A concierge secures the charter, the berth and the hospitality as one, and coordinates the tenders, transfers and invitations around them. Many guests pair the yacht with a villa in the hills — see also our guides to renting a villa for the festival and how the elite experience it.