A great day starts the evening before. Check a reliable marine forecast, then look again at dawn for wind shifts and swell lines that can change how the water feels between the Lerins Islands. Aim to board before 9:00 so you reach the first swim spot while the bay is calm and the quayside is quiet.
Pack soft bags, reef-safe sunscreen, hats, light water shoes, and enough water for the first leg. Ask the skipper to brief swing room and tender flow at busy piers, and agree on a simple hand signal for swimmers near the ladder. If you plan a shore meal, lock a window at a pier that handles small craft well. This early care keeps the route smooth and lets you focus on swims, short runs, and time together.
For route sense and a crew who know where to find lee water when the breeze freshens, consider day yacht charter Cannes. Share your headcount, ages, and swim comfort so the captain can stack short hops in the morning and save the longer glide for the calmest hour.
Ask for a cooler plan that keeps water close and food shaded. If anyone feels seasick at times, request an inside line that tucks under the coast on the return. Set a soft rule for deck shoes and where wet gear lives, so the platform stays clear when the tender moves.
Route: Cannes → Île Sainte-Marguerite → Île Saint-Honorat → Back to Port
Cast off from Vieux Port or Port Canto and aim for a quiet cove on the north side of Île Sainte-Marguerite. The island’s shape knocks down chop when a breeze slips across the Golfe de la Napoule, and the clear bottom makes it easy to judge depth and sand patches for the hook.
Start with a long swim while the sun sits lower, then run a short hop along the island to a second pocket, where the tender can set you on a shore path for a short walk and views across to the Esterel.
Keep moves gentle and legs short so no one overheats, and use the first stop to teach kids the ladder rhythm: one at a time down, one at a time up, and hands on the rail. After a snack, slide south toward the channel that separates the islands.
For lunch, many groups like the calm curve on the north of Île Saint-Honorat, where the monastery gives the shoreline a quiet feel. If you booked a shore table, set your tender times to miss the mid-day crowd, or eat on board and save the tender for a short walk later.
Ask the skipper to keep toys clear of the ladder so the platform is free for steady steps in and out of the water. Mid-afternoon, the breeze can rise, so use the inside line between the islands for a smooth ride, then pick a last swim in the shade before turning back toward Cannes.
If you’re planning longer French Riviera yacht holidays later in the season, note which pockets felt peaceful at different hours and which held well when the wind turned; this small log makes the next trip even easier.
Gear and On-Board Flow for Active Groups
Pick comfort first, then speed. Shade over the cockpit matters more than a headline top speed when you plan long swims and short walks.
Ask for a wide swim platform, a sturdy ladder, and soft seating forward for a cool reset between dips. Keep glass for mealtimes, and use cans or sealed bottles during moves so nothing breaks under way. Stage a dry snack box up front and a chilled one aft so people do not hunt for food with wet feet.
One Simple Rhythm
- Swim, snack, short run, repeat – longest swim first, shaded run after lunch, slow glide home inside the islands.
Spend Smart: Clear Costs and Calm Logistics
Money talk is easy when you handle it before lines come off the dock, especially with a superyacht charter French Riviera. Fuel follows distance and speed, so tell the captain your comfort pace and let them trim long sprints into shorter scenic legs. Order a focused menu that holds up to sun and motion; small, fresh plates beat a spread that sits too long on the table.
Book a second-seating shore lunch to ease tender traffic, and set a clear split for shared costs so the skipper never has to mediate. Tips thank the crew for safe handling and clean flow; plan them from the start so they don’t get cut at the quay.
If you want a clear picture before booking, ask for a sample day with line items so you understand the yacht charter cost French Riviera in plain words: hull size, hours under way, current fuel rate, catering, any pier tender fees, and typical crew gratuity ranges. With that clarity, you can focus on timing your first swim, catching the quiet hour between the islands, and watching the lights of Cannes come up as you idle back to port.
