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A 30 to 40m motor yacht the French Riviera in 2026 high season runs $140,000 to $235,000 per week plus a 30 percent APA, takes 8 to 10 guests, and is the densest charter market in the world by yachts per nautical mile. Roughly 350 yachts in the bracket operate the corridor between Saint-Tropez and Menton through August. The bracket is the most flexible size on the coast: Vieux Port Saint-Tropez when available, Port Hercule Monaco when available, Port Pierre Canto Cannes as overflow, and Cap Ferrat or Villefranche anchorages between ports. This page is the corridor-level overview; for port-specific rates and tactics, see the Saint-Tropez, Cannes, and Monaco bracket pages.
Why the bracket fits the French Riviera specifically
The French Riviera at the bracket is a port-hopping market, not an anchorage market. A typical seven-night charter touches three to five ports plus two to three anchorage days. The bracket is the right size for the slip and anchorage list:
- Saint-Tropez Vieux Port (limited slips, premium)
- Port Pierre Canto Cannes (overflow capacity)
- Vieux Port Cannes (slips, festival-week constrained)
- Port Vauban Antibes (large bracket capacity, central location)
- Port Hercule Monaco (premium, slot-driven)
- Beaulieu, Cap Ferrat, Villefranche (anchorage, well-protected)
- Port Pierre Canto and Port Cannes for the festival weeks
Above 40m, the Saint-Tropez Vieux Port slip count drops to single digits and the Monaco Port Hercule slip count collapses. Below 30m, the typical western-Med anchorages (Pampelonne, Esterel) require closer attention to holding and the day-tender pattern competes with the higher-density bareboat market.
The corridor is 60nm end to end. Saint-Tropez to Menton runs comfortably as a single charter week at the bracket, with two days in Saint-Tropez at the start, two days in Monaco at the end, and the Antibes-Cannes-Cap Ferrat run in between. The Esterel coast and Iles de Lerins are the standard anchorage relief points.
Weekly rate map for 2026
Ranges below are for high season (mid-July to late August) in 2026, before APA at 30 percent, gratuity at 10 percent, and French VAT under the French commercial exemption rules. Festival weeks (Cannes Film, Cannes Yachting Festival, Monaco Grand Prix, Monaco Yacht Show) are priced separately and run 35 to 120 percent above the corresponding base.
| LOA bracket | Motor yacht (low to high) | Sailing yacht (low to high) |
|---|---|---|
| 30 to 33m | $140K to $175K per week | $105K to $145K per week |
| 33 to 36m | $160K to $200K per week | $125K to $170K per week |
| 36 to 40m | $185K to $235K per week | $145K to $195K per week |
The bracket variation across the corridor is roughly 15 percent: Monaco-based yachts price highest, Cannes and Saint-Tropez sit in the middle, and Antibes and Nice-based yachts sit roughly 5 to 10 percent below the corridor average because port positioning matters less than embarkation flexibility for end-clients.
Shoulder season (mid-May to mid-June outside festivals, and from 20 September outside the Yacht Show) drops these by 20 to 30 percent. Mid-June and the first week of October are the value windows.
For broader context, see Mediterranean charter weekly rates and the French Riviera destination page.
What the bracket buys you in the Riviera fleet at this bracket
Cabins. 5 cabins for 10 guests is standard. The Riviera fleet is the most balanced in the Western Med between 4-cabin owner-spec and 5-cabin commercial; the corridor has both Saint-Tropez-style owner-spec inventory and Cannes-Antibes-style commercial inventory.
Crew. 7 to 9. The French Riviera carries the strongest professional crew bench in the Mediterranean because of the Antibes recruitment density. Last-minute crew swaps and emergency replacements are easier here than anywhere else in the Western Med.
Tenders. Two main tenders is standard with a high share of Riva-class display tenders in the Saint-Tropez and Monaco-flag fleets. Beach-landing tender for the Pampelonne and Esterel days matters more than display tenders for charter clients targeting day-anchor rotation.
At-anchor stabilizers. Required in the bracket. Pampelonne afternoon swell from late July onward and the Cap Ferrat anchorage in mistral conditions both test the kit.
Helipad. Useful at the upper end of the bracket. Nice Cote d'Azur airport is the corridor's fixed-wing transfer; the helicopter shuttle saves 60 to 90 minutes round trip on Saint-Tropez and Monaco transfers in August.
Trip shapes that fit the bracket
The Saint-Tropez to Monaco corridor week. Embark Saint-Tropez (two nights), Cannes (one night), Antibes anchor, Cap Ferrat anchor, Monaco (two nights), disembark Nice. Seven nights. The bracket fits everywhere on this run.
The Riviera plus Corsica cross. Embark Saint-Tropez or Nice, work the eastern corridor to Cap Ferrat, then cross to Calvi (Corsica), Saint-Florent, return via Porquerolles to the corridor. Ten nights. The Corsica passage adds genuine variety to a pure-Riviera week.
The festival platform week. Embark anywhere on the corridor, base the yacht as the hospitality platform for the relevant festival (Cannes Film, Cannes Yachting Festival, Monaco Grand Prix, Monaco Yacht Show), day-rotate Esterel or Cap Ferrat between events. Four to seven nights.
For destination context, see Charter French Riviera, the Saint-Tropez bracket page, the Cannes bracket page, and the Monaco bracket page.
Where the bracket struggles on the French Riviera
Quiet weeks. The French Riviera in August is loud, busy, and crowded at every anchorage and slip. Charter clients who want a quiet week should consider Corsica, the Hyeres Islands extended, or the Italian Ligurian Coast shoulder.
Single-port week. The corridor rewards a moving charter. Charter clients who want a stationary week should base in Saint-Tropez specifically rather than booking a corridor-flexible yacht.
Long-passage weeks west. The Riviera to Mallorca run is awkward at the bracket; the Pelagos sanctuary crossing west of Toulon is the choke point. Charter clients planning the run should reposition Saint-Tropez to Porto Vecchio or Saint-Tropez to Palma at the start.
What we would book
For two couples, seven days in late June: a 33m motor yacht with 4 cabins, Saint-Tropez to Monaco corridor week. Budget $170K plus APA plus VAT, all-in roughly $260K. Booking lead time: 5 to 7 months.
For a family of 8 to 10, ten days in early August: a 38m motor yacht with 5 cabins, corridor week with Saint-Tropez Vieux Port and Monaco Port Hercule overnights confirmed. Budget $225K plus APA plus VAT, all-in roughly $350K. Booking lead time: 9 to 11 months.
For Yachting Festival hospitality, twelve guests, five nights: a 38m motor yacht based Port Pierre Canto Cannes. Budget roughly $190K plus APA plus VAT, all-in roughly $300K with the festival premium baked into the gross rate. Booking lead time: 9 to 12 months.
Build, refit, what to ask
The French Riviera 30 to 40m fleet is the largest and most refit-active in the Mediterranean because of the Antibes IYCA yard density. A 2014 to 2024 build with a 2022 or later refit is the realistic value zone. The corridor's visual saturation means a build-year premium decays faster here than at quieter destinations; an older yacht with a current refit holds its corridor positioning if the AV and exterior styling are current.