The 2023 French & Italian Riviera Yachting Calendar
Summer is starting to wind down which means the yachting season is getting started. From Genova to Monaco, Cannes to Saint-Tropez, the most important dates in yachting are coming up!
6 - 10 September
Vele d'Epoca di Imperia
Since 1986, this #regatta of classic sailboats has been an important date on the Mediterranean calendar. Several different races of different classes and epocas, off the coast of #Imperia with the picturesque Italian town in the backdrop. See the full schedule online.
9 – 10 Sept
2nd SailGP Saint-Tropez
© SailGP
In 2021, the #SailGP Global Championship added St Tropez as a stop before the first-ever Spanish Grand Prix in Cadiz. This year, they are returning for the 3rd time for a fan-focused two-day spectacle of exhilarating races, intense rivalries and action-packed entertainment. The cutting-edge #F50 wing-sailed catamarans race at almost 100km/h (~52 knots) in this fantastic natural water stage, in front of the Môle Jean Réveille and the Promenade des Marines Alliées. The official spectator area will offer a front-row view of the sea wall facing the race. Last year saw the championship’s all-time speed record of 99.94 km/h set by Quentin Delapierre and the French team Will they break records again this year? Tickets at the Seawall Grandstands are €45 or you can try to snag a free spot in the Plaisanciers section (but you must reserve online).
12 - 17 Sept
Cannes Yachting Festival
©Cannes Yachting Festival
Filling the entire harbour and the swanky new Port Canto in Cannes, the #CannesYachtingFestival is Europe’s largest in-water boat show, featuring vessels of all sizes and types, from 10m to 45m afloat and under 10m on land. From classic #sailboats to #Superyachts, to #Catamarans, monohull or multihull, hard or semi-rigid hull motorboats, to yachts of all sizes, you can visit one of the biggest arrays of water vehicles from the biggest names in the nautical industry. A great festival for the public, tickets are only €31 and free for children under 10.
Read our detailed article about it here.
13 – 16 Sept
17th Monaco Classic Week - La Belle Classe
Known as ‘La Belle Classe’ the biennial #monacoclassicweek boat meeting features some of the oldest and most elegant #sailboats ever made. Echoing the first motorboat meetings in 1904, it is the only event to bring together traditional sailing boats, vintage motor yachts and old #motorboats. Organised in association with the Monaco Yacht Club, there are regattas, sea parades, yacht chef competitions, exhibitions and stands. Great views can be had at the following spots: Auditorium Rainier III, Solarium Rainier III, Saint Martin Garden, terraces of the Yacht Club.
21 - 26 September
63rd Salone Nautico - Genoa International Boat Show
The French Riviera is where yachts come to play but it's in Italy that the majority of them are made! The Genoa International Boat Show is an essential event for the international yachting market, from builders and suppliers to and sea enthusiasts. The Salone Nautico is a global platform for the industry as a whole tailored to promoting institutional, technical and market-related interactions 365 days a year. The annual Design Innovation Award goes to the best in class for a number of criteria. It is also an important exhibition for the Made in Italy brand.
24 – 30 Sept
45th Régates Royales
© Regates Royales
The world's leading annual classic sailing event, the #RegatesRoyales Cannes is the ultimate #PaneraiTrophy competition. Bringing together the world's oldest and most beautiful sailboats still in working condition, the number of boats and wide range of categories make this event on the #CôtedAzur an extraordinary celebration of the sea and its adventurers. Started in 1929 to honour King Christian X of Denmark, the Régates Royales pays homage to the history of yachting in the Bay of Cannes. The places to view the events are from some of the seaside rooftops throughout the city. www.regatesroyales.com
27 - 30 Sept
Monaco Yacht Show
© Monaco Yacht Show
The only yacht show in the world exclusively devoted to the sale of #Superyachts (at least 25m), the #MonacoYachtShow is the biggest floating luxury #yacht display in Europe. Inside the tents, exhibitors from all areas of yacht production and #luxury #decor display their goods. Don't miss the mind-blowing ‘toys and tender’ area with super-charged bespoke cars, personal helicopters, and other high-speed toys. MYS is a favourite shopping playground for the super-rich. One day passes start at €600, 3-day pass is €1,620.
29 Sept to 8 Oct
Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez
Created in the 1980s by the director of Club 55, an American couple with a competition Swan and a bet on who could beat who, #LesVoilesdeStTropez is one of the top events in the French Riviera yachting calendar. The mix of classic yachts with ultra-modern boats is the main characteristic of and its true "trademark". The festival features numerous events on land, all open to the public, creating a joyful and exciting atmosphere across the city. Different days feature different types of boats. See the schedule online.
10 - 12 November
Armistice Cup - Dragon Championship in Cannes
As the South of France embraces the glorious autumn weather, the seas are a bit choppy, making this Dragon Mediterranean Championship a nail-biting race! Details on the Yacht Club de Cannes website: https://www.yachtclubdecannes.org/
1 - 3 December
Coup d'Hiver Cannes
It's brisk, it's chilly and it's exciting! This Winter Cup for the Dragon sailing association is an important meeting in the winter season. Just off the coast of Cannes, it's rare chance to see a sailing race in December.