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A 30 to 40m motor yacht in Saint-Tropez in 2026 high season runs $145,000 to $235,000 per week plus a 30 percent APA, takes 8 to 10 guests, and is the most-requested charter bracket on the eastern Cote d'Azur summer corridor. Saint-Tropez rates sit at the high end of the Western Med range in this bracket. The Port of Saint-Tropez (Vieux Port) inner-quay slip is the limiting factor; rate alone does not secure it. Charter clients who want a town-quay overnight should ask for the slip booking before contracting.
Why the bracket fits Saint-Tropez specifically
Saint-Tropez is a 25nm summer corridor rather than a destination loop. The high-value run is the Gulf of Saint-Tropez itself plus the immediate coast: Pampelonne Beach anchorage (Club 55, Nikki Beach, Le Mas, Bagatelle), the Bay of Cavalaire, Ile du Levant, the Hyeres Islands (Porquerolles, Port-Cros), and west to the Calanques near Cassis on extended weeks.
The 30 to 40m bracket is the right size for the Pampelonne anchorage day, the Vieux Port evening berth (when a slip is available), and the Hyeres island day. Above 40m the Vieux Port slip count collapses and the yacht is pushed to Port Pierre Canto in Cannes or to anchor off Pampelonne for the full week. Below 30m the Pampelonne anchorage holding is less stable in the late-summer onshore swell.
The bracket also crosses the eastern Riviera comfortably. Saint-Tropez-Cannes-Monaco-Antibes is a single charter run for a week itinerary, and the bracket fits all four ports.
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 (which applies on the portion of the charter spent in French waters under the French commercial exemption rules). The Saint-Tropez Vieux Port berthing fees are not included in the charter rate; APA absorbs them and they can run €3,000 to €7,000 per night for the bracket in August.
| LOA bracket | Motor yacht (low to high) | Sailing yacht (low to high) |
|---|---|---|
| 30 to 33m | $145K to $175K per week | $110K to $145K per week |
| 33 to 36m | $165K to $200K per week | $130K to $170K per week |
| 36 to 40m | $190K to $235K per week | $150K to $195K per week |
Shoulder season (mid-May to mid-June, and after 5 September) drops these by 20 to 30 percent. The end of May (Bravade) and the first half of October (Voiles de Saint-Tropez) carry event-week pricing that runs against the standard shoulder pattern; if the charter falls on either week, expect rates close to August.
For broader rate context, see Mediterranean charter weekly rates and the Saint-Tropez destination page.
What the bracket includes in the Saint-Tropez fleet at this bracket
Cabins. 5 cabins for 10 guests is the standard. The Saint-Tropez fleet has the highest share of 4-cabin owner-spec yachts in the bracket because more of the local charter fleet comes from selective owner charter rather than full-time charter operators.
Crew. 7 to 8. The chef placement matters more in Saint-Tropez than elsewhere in the Western Med because the onboard chef competes directly with the eating-out scene (Loulou Ramatuelle, Cucina Byblos, Senequier, La Vague d'Or). Some yachts in the bracket carry a second chef during the August weeks specifically to keep the kitchen at restaurant level for both dinner aboard and provisioning lunch service.
Tenders. Two main tenders is standard, frequently one specialist day-tender with a wave-runner or Riva-class profile for shore runs to Pampelonne and one beach-landing tender for the Hyeres day. Jet skis are common.
At-anchor stabilizers. Required. The Pampelonne anchorage takes afternoon onshore swell from late July through August and yachts without zero-speed stabilizers see a meaningful drop in evening comfort. This is one of the few Western Med destinations where the stabilizer kit is a near-mandatory spec.
Helipad. Useful at the upper end of the bracket. La Mole airport handles fixed-wing arrivals and Nice has the helicopter shuttle; a touch-and-go helipad on the yacht reduces transfer time meaningfully in August traffic.
Trip shapes that fit the bracket
The Saint-Tropez-anchor week. Embark Saint-Tropez Vieux Port (when available; otherwise Port Pierre Canto Cannes), day at Pampelonne, Hyeres Islands, Porquerolles, Cavalaire, return Saint-Tropez. Seven nights. The bracket fits everywhere.
The eastern Riviera week. Embark Saint-Tropez, Cannes (evening), Antibes, Monaco (two nights for casino and Salle Garnier), Cap Ferrat, return Saint-Tropez. Seven nights. Port-heavy itinerary; higher APA settlement on slips and fuel.
The Saint-Tropez-Corsica cross. Embark Saint-Tropez, Pampelonne and Hyeres, then Calvi (Corsica), Saint-Florent, return via Porquerolles. Ten nights. The bracket handles the passage. Best in late June or early September when the Ligurian Sea is calmer.
For destination context, see Charter Saint-Tropez and Charter French Riviera.
What does not work at this bracket in Saint-Tropez
Vieux Port slip access in peak August. The slip count for the bracket in the inner Vieux Port is in the low double digits. Annual permit-holders take the bulk of summer inventory. Charter clients who want the well-known stern-to-the-quay Saint-Tropez evening photo need the broker to confirm a slip booking before contracting. The slip is the single most-asked-about variable on any Saint-Tropez charter in this bracket.
Single-night events with road traffic. Saint-Tropez road access in August is genuinely difficult. Charter clients with a single-night shore plan (specific restaurant booking, beach club event, casino night in Monaco) should plan helicopter or tender transfers, not road transfers. The yacht's tender is faster than the road in August.
Long-passage weeks. Saint-Tropez is a corridor base, not a passage-making base. Charter clients planning a Sardinia or Mallorca passage should consider repositioning weeks from Saint-Tropez to Sardinia in early September; the bracket can do it, but the charter shape is awkward.
What to book
For a couples-only Saint-Tropez week, two couples, seven days in late June: a 33m motor yacht with 4 cabins, Saint-Tropez-anchor week. Budget $175K plus APA plus VAT, all-in roughly $275K. Booking lead time: 6 to 8 months.
For a family of 8 to 10, ten days in early August: a 38m motor yacht with 5 cabins, eastern Riviera week with one Vieux Port night confirmed in the contract. Budget $225K plus APA plus VAT, all-in roughly $345K. Booking lead time: 9 to 11 months for August.
For a sailing-led trip, six guests, ten days in early September: a 38m sailing yacht out of Saint-Tropez, Saint-Tropez-Corsica cross. Budget $170K plus APA plus VAT, all-in roughly $255K. Booking lead time: 5 to 7 months. Early September after the Cannes Yachting Festival is the best Saint-Tropez window of the year.
Vintage and refit checks
The Saint-Tropez 30 to 40m fleet skews newer because the destination's status premium pulls fresh builds into the charter rotation. A 2016 to 2024 build with a recent refit is the realistic value zone. The Pampelonne anchorage and the Vieux Port evening profile both reward newer yachts with current exterior styling and audio spec; older yachts in the bracket struggle to compete on visible spec, regardless of their underlying engineering.