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The Cote d'Azur is the highest-density charter market on earth and the 40 to 50m bracket is the bracket the route was built for. In 2026 high season, a 40 to 50m motor yacht Cannes, Antibes, Monaco, Cap Ferrat, Villefranche, and Saint-Tropez runs $210,000 to $440,000 per week plus 30 percent APA, takes 8 to 12 guests, and carries 10 to 14 crew. Roughly 90 to 110 yachts in this bracket are based on the Cote d'Azur for the May to October season, with another 50 to 70 transiting in and out.
Why the bracket fits the Cote d'Azur specifically
The Cote d'Azur is a marina-night route, not an anchorage route. Unlike Croatia, Greece, or the Bahamas, where the day ends at anchor in a protected bay, the Cote d'Azur charter day typically ends stern-to in a marina or anchored within tendering distance of a town centre. Antibes IYCA, Cannes Vieux Port and Port Pierre Canto, Monaco Quai des Etats-Unis, Saint-Tropez Old Port, and Villefranche are the binding access points, and the 40 to 50m bracket is the upper limit for reliable slot allocation in all of them.
A 47m yacht with a 9.5m beam and a 3.0m draft can hold a Monaco quai slot during Grand Prix week if booked 12 months out. A 55m yacht with a 10.5m beam typically cannot. The 40 to 50m bracket is the LOA range where the marina geometry still works and the slot competition is tractable.
The route is also short. Cannes to Saint-Tropez is 30 nautical miles. Monaco to Saint-Tropez is 50 nautical miles. The bracket carries the right cruising speed for one-tide repositioning and the right fuel economy to do it without burning through the APA on a single transit.
Weekly rate map for 2026
The rate ranges below are for high season (mid-July to late August) in 2026, before APA at 30 percent and gratuity at 10 to 15 percent.
| LOA bracket | Motor yacht (low to high) | Sailing yacht (low to high) |
|---|---|---|
| 40 to 43m | $210K to $270K per week | $170K to $225K per week |
| 43 to 47m | $245K to $345K per week | $200K to $285K per week |
| 47 to 50m | $310K to $440K per week | $250K to $360K per week |
The Cote d'Azur premium over the broader Med average in this bracket is roughly 15 to 25 percent, driven by marina fees (Monaco and Saint-Tropez are the two most expensive marinas in the world by per-night fee), arrival management at peak weeks, and the chef-and-stewardess premium that the Riviera labour market commands. Cannes Film Festival in May, Monaco Grand Prix in late May, and the Saint-Tropez August run each carry a further 20 to 35 percent premium on top of the high-season range.
For wider rate context, see Mediterranean charter weekly rates.
What you actually get on the Cote d'Azur in this bracket
Cabins. 5 cabin layout dominates: full-beam master, two VIP doubles, two doubles. The Cote d'Azur charter group is overwhelmingly two couples or three couples plus friends, so equally-sized doubles outweigh convertible twins for most bookings.
Crew. 10 to 13 crew. The chef is the single most important hire on the Cote d'Azur because the comparison set (Tetou for bouillabaisse, La Vague d'Or in Saint-Tropez, the Nikki Beach lunch run, the Hotel du Cap dinner) is at restaurant level, not at hotel-cooking level. A captain who personally knows the Antibes IYCA dockmaster and the Monaco Capitainerie is a different category of operator from a captain who calls in slots through an agent. Ask for tenure.
Tenders. A primary 9 to 10m tender for transfers to the marinas at Cannes Croisette, Saint-Tropez Pampelonne beach clubs, and Monaco Larvotto. A secondary 6 to 7m tender for shorter runs. Jet skis and water toys are expected, though water-sports usage is lighter on the Cote d'Azur than in Croatia or the Bahamas.
Stabilizers. At-anchor stabilizers required. The Cote d'Azur summer afternoon south-east swell at Pampelonne is real, and the Cap Ferrat anchorages take chop after 3pm in the prevailing summer pattern.
Connectivity. Starlink or equivalent high-bandwidth at-anchor connectivity is now expected. The Cote d'Azur charter client is more likely than the Croatian or Greek charter client to be on calls during the trip, and the broker should confirm bandwidth, not just installed equipment.
Trip shapes that fit the bracket
The 40 to 50m bracket fits virtually every Cote d'Azur route shape.
The classic Cote d'Azur week. Embark Antibes or Nice, day to Cannes, overnight Saint-Tropez (anchor Pampelonne or marina if a slot is held), overnight Saint-Tropez again, day to Cap Ferrat, overnight Monaco, return Antibes. The bracket is the right size everywhere on this route.
The Monaco event week. Embark Antibes, hold a Monaco quai slot for the duration (Grand Prix in May, Yacht Show in September), with day-runs to Cap Ferrat and Beaulieu. Seven nights, the bracket is right at the practical ceiling for slot reliability.
The Saint-Tropez fortnight. Embark Antibes, base off Saint-Tropez (alternating Pampelonne anchorage and Old Port stern-to) for ten of fourteen nights, with day-runs to Cannes and Iles d'Or. Common for repeat August clients who want one-base summer.
The extended Cote d'Azur to Corsica. Embark Antibes, work the Cote d'Azur for four nights, then south-east to Calvi, Saint-Florent, Bonifacio, and the Lavezzi Islands. Ten to fourteen nights. The bracket handles the open-water Ligurian crossing without strain.
For destination-by-destination context, see Charter Saint-Tropez, Charter Cannes, and Charter Monaco.
Where this bracket falls short on the Cote d'Azur
Saint-Tropez Old Port at peak. The Old Port slot count for 40 to 50m yachts is roughly 15 to 20 and the August allocation is overbooked by August 1. Plan to anchor Pampelonne and tender, or hold the slot via a long-term Capitainerie relationship. Brokers can help. Some.
Monaco quai slots Grand Prix week. The Grand Prix Sunday is the most concentrated single-day demand event on the global calendar. The 40 to 50m bracket can hold a slot but the rate carries a 50 to 100 percent premium on the standard high-season rate. Confirm slot allocation in writing before signing.
Off-season repositioning weeks. October to November in the Cote d'Azur is a captain-discretion weather window. The bracket handles the autumn weather, but the broker who suggests "extend the season into October" should be honest about the variability.
The pick
For two couples, seven days in late June, classic Cote d'Azur week: a 43m motor yacht with 5 cabins, modern Italian aesthetic, embarkation Antibes. Budget $290K plus APA, all-in roughly $400K. Booking lead time: 6 to 9 months.
For a family of 10, ten days in mid-August, Cote d'Azur to Corsica: a 46m motor yacht with 5 cabins plus convertible, full beach club, embarkation Antibes. Budget $410K plus APA, all-in roughly $570K. Booking lead time: 9 to 12 months.
For a Monaco Grand Prix week, two couples plus four guests: a 49m motor yacht with 6 cabins, Monaco quai slot for the full week, embarkation Antibes Wednesday. Budget for the week $620K to $750K plus APA, all-in roughly $850K to $1.0M with the slot premium. Booking lead time: 12 to 18 months.
Build year and refit
The Cote d'Azur is the most aesthetic-conscious charter market on earth, and the marina-neighbour comparison is unforgiving. A 2017 to 2024 build with a 2024 or 2025 interior refresh is the realistic ask. A 2010 to 2016 build with a major recent refit (interior, beach club, AV system) is acceptable, particularly for clients who care about the trip more than the marina photo.
We would pass on any 40 to 50m yacht with an interior that has not been refreshed in seven years. The Cote d'Azur charter rate at the upper end of the bracket should not buy a yacht with a 2014 leather-and-wenge interior.