A boat trip around the curves and cliffs of the French Riviera coast is an unbeatable way to drink in the beauty of the region. Gliding along the azure sea with the mountains framing the spires, forts and villas of the Riviera's coastal towns is a memorable experience. You might even come across frolicking dolphins!
Nice's Port Lympia offers the widest range of boat tours that go east as far as Monaco and west as far as Saint Tropez.
Do you want to be in the water and not just on it? Try this small boat tour that takes you to Monaco with time to swim or snorkel in one of a number of secret coves. The trip to Monaco is leisurely with time to admire the coastal caves and beaches while the trip back is speedy. The whole experience is 2 1/2 hours.
Can you take in the beauty of the French Riviera in only 1 1/2 hours? Yes you can. This small boat tour takes you across the bay of Villefranche and around Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat.
Villefranche-sur-Mer
This small boat tour also packs in some swim time. The Mala Caves of Eze-sur-Mer is a natural feature only visible by boat. A swim off the beautiful Cap Ferrat peninsula is sure to be a pleasure.
Here's a great tour if you'd like to explore Monaco before returning to Nice. It's a full-day trip that leaves Nice at 9:30am and returns at 6pm.
Nice from the sea
This short one-hour tour sightseeing tour takes you east around the Cap de Nice to the stunning bay of Villefranche-sur-Mer. A commentary fills you in on the history of the region and points out coastal highlights.
Book this one-hour sightseeing boat tour from Nice to Villefranche
Taking a ferry boat to Cannes sure beats sitting in traffic and is more scenic than the train. This boat leaves Nice daily in summer at 9am, arrives in Cannes at 10:10am and returns from Cannes at 5:45pm. Plenty of time to sightsee and take a swim on one of Cannes' sandy beaches.
Lying just off the coast of Cannes, the Iles de Lerins consists of the Ile Sainte Marguerite and the Ile Saint Honorat. Both are idyllic wooded islands with rocky coves, walking paths (there are no cars) and crystal clear waters. This boat leaves the Port three or six days a week at 9am and deposits you on the Ile Sainte Marguerite for the day. The return boat leaves at 6pm.
Saint Tropez is legendary for its sandy beaches (technically in neigboring Ramatuelle) and yacht-studded waters. It's also known for its legendary traffic jams. Avoid the hassle with this 2 1/2 hour trip along the coast that departs Nice at 9am and leaves Saint Tropez for the return trip at 4:30pm.
Of course it's much quicker and cheaper to get out to the Iles de Lerins if you're already in Cannes. This ferry boat leaves hourly from Cannes for the 50-minute ride to Ile Sainte Marguerite.
The Ile Sainte Marguerite can get crowded in the summer. For a calmer experience head to Ile Saint Honorat. Run by a community of 12 monks headquartered in the 14th-century Lerins Abbey, you can visit the vineyards and several historic chapels.
Book a ferry boat to Ile Saint Honorat
Saint Tropez is also a shorter and cheaper boat ride from Cannes. This boat leaves Cannes at 10:15am for the 1 1/4 hour trip to Cannes. You're back in Cannes at 5:45pm.
The steep walled inlets (calanques) of the Esterel mountains afford some of the most stunning scenery on the Riviera coast. This small boat tour will take you to all the best places with stops for swimming or snorkeling.
Beaulieu-sur-Mer is known for its beautiful coastline and elaborate Belle Epoque villas. This small boat tour takes you along the coast to Cap Ferrat in a solar-powered boat. Quiet and eco-friendly!
The Cap Ferrat tourist office runs a boat twice a week in summer that takes you all around the gorgeous peninsula. As nearly all Cap Ferrat's storied villas are hidden behind gates, a boat tour is indispensable for discovering how the billionaires live. A guide explains the sights in French and English and there's even a helpful leaflet pointing out the villas. Plus, the price is more than reasonable.
More details and booking information for the Cap Ferrat boat tour
