The Cannes Yachting Festival is Europe’s largest in-water boat show, returning to the French Riviera from September 8 to 13 with 710 vessels and 680 exhibitors across two ports. The festival occupies both the Vieux Port (old port) in the heart of Cannes and Port Pierre Canto to the east, connected by a dedicated shuttle service that runs throughout the day. For Octobere members, the festival is the definitive opportunity to view the season’s new models, compare shipyards, and, most importantly, to use the Cannes show as the opening act of a two-week yachting corridor that culminates in the Monaco Yacht Show.
The Two Ports — Vieux Port vs. Port Pierre Canto
The Vieux Port, situated directly opposite the Palais des Festivals, is the festival’s primary exhibition area. It hosts the largest vessels, the motor yacht premieres, and the majority of the exhibitor tents. The atmosphere is buzzy, the quays are crowded, and the networking is relentless. Port Pierre Canto, a 15-minute walk or five-minute water shuttle to the east, offers a more relaxed experience. This is where the sailing yachts and the smaller motor yachts are displayed, and where serious buyers can take vessels for sea trials without the chaos of the main port. The Cannes Yachting Festival is unique among boat shows in permitting sea trials during the event, and the bay of Cannes provides an ideal testing ground with calm waters and spectacular coastal views.
The VIP Pass — Accessing the Festival
The standard entry ticket grants access to both ports, but the VIP pass (€650) offers a significantly enhanced experience. VIP pass holders have access to the dedicated lounge at the Vieux Port, which offers a terrace overlooking the main exhibition area, a champagne bar, and a concierge service that can arrange private viewings, technical briefings with shipyard representatives, and sea trial bookings. The VIP pass also includes priority access to the shuttles and a dedicated entrance that bypasses the main queue. Octobere holds an allocation of VIP passes for the 2026 festival, available to members on request.
The Cannes–Monaco Corridor
The two-week period spanning the Cannes Yachting Festival and the Monaco Yacht Show is the most significant window in the yachting calendar. The coastline between the two cities — passing through Antibes, Nice, Villefranche-sur-Mer, and Éze — offers some of the Mediterranean’s finest cruising grounds, and the charter market during this period is exceptionally well-supplied with available vessels. Octobere recommends a two-week charter that positions the vessel in Cannes for the festival and then progresses eastward toward Monaco, with stops at the anchorages of Golfe-Juan and Cap d’Antibes.
Hotels — Where to Stay
The Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc in Antibes is the definitive address for the Cannes Yachting Festival. The hotel’s position, 15 minutes from the Vieux Port by car, offers total seclusion from the festival crowds while remaining conveniently close. The Eden-Roc restaurant, with its terrace overlooking the Mediterranean, is the preferred dinner reservation for yacht builders and buyers alike. For those who prefer to stay in central Cannes, the Carlton Cannes, a Regent Hotel, offers a recently renovated palace experience on the Croisette, with direct views of the Vieux Port.
Octobere’s Yachting Festival Service
We coordinate the full Cannes Yachting Festival experience: VIP passes, private viewings, sea trial bookings, hotel reservations, and integration with the Monaco Yacht Show itinerary. Contact our Marine desk for the 2026 edition.