The Mediterranean coast in France is a popular region for tourists. The extensive beaches, the seaside resorts with cosy terraces, the beautiful cities with shops and boutiques, everyone wants to enjoy. Various forms of water sports are possible in the Mediterranean: sailing, parasailing, water skiing, jet skiing and boating. You can also get in a boat and view the coast from the sea. Boat trips are available from many places along the coast of the Mediterranean. Especially in the tourist regions of:
- French Riviera
- Provence
- Languedoc
Sail during your holiday in France
In most cases it is necessary to book in advance for a boat trip, especially if it is a boat trip of several hours. At the agreed time you will board and find a place to sit. When everyone is on board, the moorings are released and the boat leaves the harbour. Once you’re at sea, the boat sails along the coast. You can see the seaside resorts and behind the resorts, you can see the hills or mountains. Beautiful villas are built on the mountainside, interspersed with vineyards and other nature reserves.
In some places there are bays with beaches. In the Languedoc at the foothills of the Pyrenees in the Mediterranean, in Provence at a deep calanques (embayment) at Marseille and Cassis and in the Côte d´Azur at the massif of Esterel. This “Corniche de l'Esterel” is located west of the towns of Cannes and Mandelieu and east of Saint-Raphaël and Fréjus.
Sail with a boat, catamaran or aquascope
Different types of boats sail during the cruises. There are passenger boats where you can sit in or outside on the deck. It is also possible to sail in an aquascope. This is a boat with windows below the water surface or a glass bottom. You can see the underwater life of the Mediterranean as fish swim by. A third variant is a large catamaran. If there is enough wind, the sails are hoisted. The engine is started in case of insufficient wind.
During the cruise you can sunbathe on the deck. With a trip of several hours, the boat will stop en route and you will have the opportunity to swim or to get off of the boat and visit a village.
Food & drinks during the boat trip
In most cases it is possible to buy food and drinks on board. For longer trips, lunch is often included in the price. Around noon, food is prepared on the baking tray or grill. You can then enjoy the regional dishes, various side dishes and an extensive dessert. A glass of wine will of course be included. Make sure you bring sunglasses, a sun hat and some sunscreen during the boat trip.
Boat trips Côte d´Azur
From various places on the Côte d´Azur you can board:
Menton
Menton is located east of Nice, between Monaco and the Italian border. Here you can take the “Promenade Menton”, a boat trip of over an hour. From the port of Menton you will sail to Cap Martin, the Bay of Monaco and Roquebrune. For a longer trip, take the “Promenade de Monaco”. You will then sail past various palaces, ancient ruins and valleys.
Nice
From Nice you can sail in various directions. For example, you can sail along the Promenade des Anglais and see the luxury hotels and chic villas. Or you can pass Cap de Nice, Cap Ferrat and the beautiful bay of Villefranche. There are separate boat trips to the island of Sainte Marguerite.
Cannes
Very well-known is the “Corniche d'Or”, the golden coastal route between Cannes and Saint Raphaël. It is one of the most beautiful areas of the Côte d´Azur. This part of France is beautiful from the water. You can see the azure blue sea with the red coloured mountains of the Esterel Massif and the beautiful villas in the background.
Saint Raphaël
You can also view the Esterel mountains from Saint Raphaël. Other trips go to St. Tropez or to the “îles de Lérins” of which Marguerite is one.
Boat trips Provence
In Provence you can take boat trips from Marseille, Cassis, La Ciotat, Bandol. Most boat trips will take you to the famous calanques that lie between Marseille and Cassis. This coast with rocks and bays is 20 km long. Parc national des calanques is one of the most beautiful national parks in France. More than a million visitors come every year. The calanques are bays that go deep into the country. The rock faces rise steeply on the sides. Every now and then there is a beach. The water is crystal clear. The boat enters various calanques and will stop regularly so that you can swim or snorkel.
On some boat trips you can choose which calanques to visit. Be sure to visit the Calanques d'En-Vau, the Morgiou and the Sugiton. Those are the most beautiful calanques. The Calanques de Port-Pin, the Port-Miou and the Sormiou are also very beautiful.
Marseille
There is also a boat trip from Marseille on some evenings. You can admire the setting sun from the water. For the children it is fun to take the boat trip through the military port of Toulon. Toulon has one of the largest naval ports in Europe. You sail past boats and old defences.
Boat trips Languedoc
On the Languedoc coast there are several seaside resorts with a port: Collioure, Port Vendres, Argeles, St Cyprien, Canet, Sète, La Grande Motte. Boat trips are available from all these places. From the southern places, the boat trips mainly go further south, the border area between France and Spain. There the foothills of the Pyrenees that run into the Mediterranean. It is a beautiful nature reserve with rocks, bays and beaches. You cannot reach these places from land, but you can from the sea.