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BAREBOAT YACHT CHARTER: Explore one of these glorious holiday destinations in your own sailing yacht.
FLOTILLA SAILING HOLIDAYS: Sail your own yacht with the added support of a lead boat crew.
LEARN TO SAIL HOLIDAYS: Start from scratch or brush up your skills.
MOTORYACHT CHARTER: Do you prefer power to sail?
CREWED YACHTS: Relax, let the crew do the work.
SAIL AND STAY HOLIDAYS: Why not add a few days ashore in a hotel?
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BAREBOAT YACHT CHARTER: Sail your yacht in any one of our glorious holiday destinations and explore at your own pace.
MOTORYACHT CHARTER: Do you prefer power to sail?
CREWED YACHTS: Relax, let the crew do the work.
SAIL AND STAY HOLIDAYS: Why not add a few days ashore in a hotel?
- PLAN YOUR TRIP
AIRPORT PARKING & HOTELS: Save up to 60% when you book airport parking & hotels in advance.
BOOKING CONDITIONS: Check our Booking Conditions.
CAR RENTAL: Rent a car instead of an airport transfer or if you add a week ashore.
CRUISING GUIDES: Start planning before you travel with a cruising guide or chart to your sailing destination.
PASSPORTS & VISAS: Check the passport & visa requirements of your sailing destination.
SAILING LOGS: Read our reports on sailing holidays we've been on.
TRAVEL INSURANCE: Don't travel without adequate insurance. We offer single trip or Annual multi-trip travel insurance.
TRAVELLING WITH CHILDREN: Read our handy hints on taking small children on a sailing holiday.
USEFUL LINKS: Check these websites for more information on your sailing destination.
WHAT'S ONBOARD: Standard inventory for all charter yachts.
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CONTACT: Check our details and opening hours.
REQUEST A BROCHURE: Order our latest brochure.
WHO WE ARE: Meet the Nautilus team.
WHY BOOK WITH US: How do you benefit?
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Are you thinking of buying a new yacht and putting her with a charter fleet? Speak to us about the best deal for you. Nautilus Yachting has been arranging sailing holidays throughout the Mediterranean & Caribbean since 1992 so we are ideally qualified to advise you on yacht charter management. Find out more
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Sailing Holidays on the French Riviera
Explore the glamorous coast of the French Riviera on your next sailing holiday and enjoy the chic lifestyle.
Enjoy great sailing, glamorous resorts, sandy beaches and gastronomic delights on a yacht charter holiday in the South of France. The French Riviera offers such a legendary mix of warm blue seas, superb sandy beaches and vibrant resorts and gives the South of France a special charm to sailors. Sailing your own charter yacht really is the best way to visit this beautiful stretch of Mediterranean coastline.
The qualities of light and scented landscapes that have attracted so many artists, combined with warm velvety nights, are all ingredients of the intangible, eternal appeal of the French Riviera. On a sailing holiday you can discover unspoilt islands, rugged inlets, sandy beaches - side by side with the large cosmopolitan resorts of Cannes, Nice and Monte Carlo. And don't miss out on St. Tropez with its famous clock tower, picturesque cobbled streets and collection of designer boutiques.
Sailing areas in the South of France
Start your yacht charter holiday from the marina at Bormes les Mimosas, close to the beautiful Iles d’Hyere, preserved as a marine park. This delightful Provencal village takes its name from the abundant mimosa plants that grow in the hillside surrounding the village. It's a great starting place to explore the Iles d’Hyeres. Sail east or west along this unspoilt part of the French coast where the sheltered coastline makes a great sailing holiday with beautiful beaches, plenty of anchorages and the chic resorts of St Tropez and Port Grimaud. Cheap daily flights to Toulon and flexible yacht charter durations make Bormes ideal for a long weekend break.
NEW FOR 2013: Start your yacht charter from the marina at Golfe Juan, close to Antibes, or your catamaran charter from St Raphael, near Frejus and St Tropez. Both locations are convenient for Nice airport and give easy access to the stylish Riviera.
DAY 1 : Embark at Bormes les Mimosas. There are shops and a supermarket nearby and a market on Saturdays. This delightful Provencal village takes its name from the abundant mimosa plants that grow in the hillside surrounding the village. A great starting place to explore the Iles d’Hyeres.
DAY 2 : Port de Poquerolles (20nm) is the largest of the Iles d’Hyeres this island is designated a Nature Reserve and the waters around the island protected as a marine reserve, so the snorkelling is great. Hire bicycles to explore the botanical trails across the wild interior of this island. Port de Porquerolles is the main harbour and offers good shelter and a wide range of restaurants.
DAY 3 : Sail east to St Tropez (25nm) one of the best known ports along the coast. Relax in one the many waterfront cafes where you can soak up the atmosphere and view the megayachts of the rich and famous. Moor in a visitor’s berth or anchor just outside the harbour. Marina de Cogolins across the bay also has overnight berths.
DAY 4 : Explore the canals of Port Grimaud (5nm). The village is built around a series of canals which can be explored by dinghy. Arched bridges across the canals have made the village inaccessible in places to cars so there is a lovely sense of tranquillity. Overnight on the yacht quay here or across the bay at St Maxime.
DAY 5 : Sail west to Cavalaire (17nm), formerly a small fishing harbour, but now a popular summer resort due to the long sandy beach stretching round the bay. Excellent marina and a wide choice of restaurants and bars.
DAY 6 : le de Port-Cros (15nm) is the highest of the Iles d’Hyeres, also a Nature Reserve with an excellent snorkelling trail. There are many restaurants around the harbour Avoid the day-trippers by visiting during the week.
DAY 7 : Back to Bormes les Mimosas (15nm)
Sailing conditions
Winds are generally light on the French Riviera Force 2-3 but a strong north-westerly mistral wind blows in July and August, normally for 1-2 days. Experience level 2
Yacht charter on French Riviera
Yacht charters from Bormes can start and finish any day of the week, giving you total flexibility over your holiday dates. Charters from Golfe Juan & St Raphael start and finish on Saturdays only.
Click on the yacht names below to view yacht layout & specification
2 cabin
Yachts from Bormes
3 cabin
Yachts from Bormes
4+ cabin
Yachts from Bormes
Catamarans
Yachts from Bormes
Yachts from Golfe Juan
Yachts from Golfe Juan
Yachts from Golfe Juan
Catamarans from St Raphael
Check availability of Kiriacoulis yachts in Bormes online
Yacht charter rates are shown WITHOUT flights giving you the flexibility to book your own flights.
If you want a flight-inclusive holiday Nautilus Yachting is a fully bonded ATOL tour operator and can book flights from the UK to fit your sailing holiday. Choose from a wide choice of airlines - we are not tied to any particular airline. All flight-inclusive holidays are fully bonded for your financial protection under our ATOL 3016. Airport transfers can also be pre-arranged.
FLIGHTS TO NICE:
Daily flights to Nice from most UK airports. Transfer time to Antibes 15 mins.
FLIGHTS TO TOULON:
Ryanair have flights to Toulon from Liverpool & Stansted. Transfer time to Bormes les Mimosas 20 mins.
To charter a yacht bareboat or on flotilla you should be Day Skipper standard and be assisted by at least one competent crew.
At present you need an RYA Day Skipper qualification or RYA International Certificate of Competence (ICC) for charters in Croatia, Montenegro, Mallorca, Tenerife and Malta.
The RYA ICC will be ever more required by overseas port authorities but if you have skipper experience it is easily obtained in a day from RYA sailing schools in the UK such as Hamilton Sailing or Brixham Sea School
Whether you are an experienced sailor or setting foot on a yacht for the first time, we can offer you a holiday afloat to suit you. We have given all the sailing areas a level with 'Experience Level 1' suitable for less experienced crews and 'Experience Level 3' for the experts.
This takes into account the wind strength, tidal range and currents, distances between stops and ease of mooring. Of course even experts may choose to sail in Level 1 areas as they still offer stunning scenery and great sailing.
Experience Level 1:
Generally light winds Force 2-4, line of sight navigation, shorter sailing distances under 20nm. You will be Day Skipper standard having sailed at least 1 week or 100nm as skipper.
Experience Level 2: French Riviera
Stronger winds up to Force 3-5 with some longer passages up to 30nm. You will be Day Skipper standard having sailed at least 2 weeks or 200nm as skipper.
Experience Level 3: Brittany
Stronger winds up to Force 4-7 which can lead to bigger seas on long passages between the islands. You will be Coastal Skipper
standard with experience to a higher level having sailed at least 4 weeks or 400nm as skipper.
Saint Tropez gained fame as one of the world's most chic resorts in the 1930's when it became a top destination of starlets and the rich and famous. It offers both the famous Pampelonne Beach and and quaint old port town. The port is brimming with megayachts and classic yachts, a wide choice of restaurants, from simple cafe to 3 star Michelin, and numerous shops from exclusive labels to souvenir shops.
Porquerolles is the biggest of the three Iles d'Or in the Hyères Gulf. It is a very popular destination for yachtsmen as it offers many bays and anchorages, most protected as a National Park. The north of the island offers beautiful sandy beaches, the south excellent cliffs and rock formations. You can rent bicycles to fully explore the island.
Port Grimaud was created in the 1960s as a private lagoon town, with waterways for roads and yachts parked at the bottom of every garden. All the houses are in exquisitely tasteful old Provençal style and their owners, Joan Collins for example, more than just a little well-heeled. Explore in your dinghy and find restaurants, cafes and shops only accessible by boat.
"At the beginning of June my family and I took a flotilla holiday from your base at Palairos. It was one of the best holidays I have ever been on and my family agree. "
Ionian flotilla 2011 - W.C.
