TWO HARBOURS, ONE SHOW

Vieux Port vs Port Canto, which site to visit first?

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The Cannes Yachting Festival is spread across two harbours that sit at opposite ends of the Croisette. Each one has its own character, its own type of boat and its own rhythm during the day. Choosing where to begin is not a minor detail: start in the wrong place and you may spend the afternoon racing against closing time instead of enjoying the yachts you came to see. Here is how the two sites compare and how to decide which one deserves your freshest hours.

Two harbours with very different personalities

Vieux Port, the motor yacht stage

The Old Port, right beside the Palais des Festivals, is where the big motor yachts and most of the headline launches are moored. More than 350 boats from 12 to 45 metres line its quays. The Jetée hosts world premieres and new models, Quai Saint-Pierre gathers luxury day boats and flybridge yachts, Quai Max Laubeuf welcomes larger motor yachts, and the Pantiero area brings together power catamarans, large RIBs and marine technology. The VIP Club and a beach solarium complete the picture.

Port Canto, sail, brokerage and toys

At the eastern tip of the Croisette, Port Canto presents what the organisers describe as the world’s largest in-water sailing exhibition, with monohulls and multihulls from the leading international brands. It is also home to motorboats of up to around 12 metres, a large brokerage section with pre-owned yachts from 25 metres, and the water toys area, where tenders, foils and electric gadgets are on show. The setting feels a little more relaxed, with views across the bay towards the Lérins Islands.

Start at the Vieux Port if motor yachts come first

If you are drawn to motor yachts, start your day at the Vieux Port and get there for the 10am opening. The world premieres on the Jetée attract the heaviest traffic, and by late morning the queues to step aboard the most talked-about models can stretch along the quay. Arriving early gives you time to visit two or three priority yachts while the crews are still fresh and happy to talk through layouts and engine options.

The Vieux Port is also the easier entry point for anyone arriving by train, as Cannes station is only a short walk away, with entrances at the Palais des Festivals and at Pantiero, opposite the town hall. Once you have covered your must-sees, take the sea shuttle across the bay in the early afternoon. You will reach Port Canto as the morning visitors are leaving, which usually means calmer pontoons and more attention from brokers.

Aerial view of the Vieux Port of Cannes, the Palais des Festivals and the Croisette

Start at Port Canto if you sail or browse brokerage

Sailors should reverse the plan. The sailing exhibition is large enough to fill a morning on its own, and the most popular catamarans attract steady queues from midday. Starting at Port Canto also suits anyone shopping for a pre-owned yacht. The brokerage section works largely by appointment, and brokers tend to have more flexibility in the first hours of the day before their diaries fill up with follow-up visits.

There is a practical advantage too. Port Canto has entrances on the sailing and powerboat side and near the brokerage and toys area, and it is generally easier to reach by car or taxi than the Vieux Port, where traffic around the Palais thickens as the day goes on. After lunch, the shuttle drops you back at the Old Port in a few minutes, just in time to enjoy the motor yachts in the softer late-afternoon light, when the harbour is at its most photogenic.

Sailing yachts moored side by side at a marina pontoon

Moving between the two sites without losing time

By sea shuttle

Free shuttles, a mix of fast RIBs and covered boats, link the two harbours every 15 minutes or so from 10am. The crossing is short and offers a superb view of the Croisette from the water. Queues build at lunchtime and towards closing, so plan your crossing slightly before or after those peaks. VIP ticket holders have access to a dedicated shuttle, which can make a real difference on busy days. Keep your ticket handy, as you may be asked to show it before boarding.

On foot along the Croisette

The walk between the Palais des Festivals and Port Canto covers roughly two kilometres along the seafront, around half an hour at a relaxed pace. It is a pleasant option in the late afternoon, with the beaches, palm trees and grand hotels on the way. In the heat of midday, however, the shuttle is far kinder to your feet, especially after several hours of climbing on and off boats. Taxis and the Palm Impérial bus along the Croisette are other options if the shuttle queue looks long.

A sample day split between both harbours

Every visitor has different priorities, but this simple running order works well for a first visit focused on motor yachts, with a sailing and brokerage afternoon. Sailors and pre-owned buyers can simply swap the two halves of the day. Leave yourself some slack between each step: appointments overrun, and the best surprises are often the boats you had not planned to see. Our insider tips for first-time visitors add a few more ways to stay ahead of the crowds.

  • 10am, enter at the Vieux Port and head straight to the premieres on the Jetée
  • 11.30am, visit day boats and flybridge yachts on Quai Saint-Pierre
  • 1pm, lunch in the old town, away from the busiest harbour terraces
  • 2.30pm, take the sea shuttle to Port Canto
  • 3pm, explore the sailing pontoons and keep brokerage appointments
  • 5.30pm, browse the water toys area, then walk back along the Croisette
  • 7pm, an aperitif with a view of the harbour as the gates close

When one harbour is enough

Not everyone needs to see both sites. A day boat buyer, for example, will find most of the relevant models at the Vieux Port and around the powerboat area of Port Canto, while a family planning a first sailing yacht could happily spend the whole day on the Port Canto pontoons. Concentrating on a single harbour lets you visit fewer boats in more depth, which is often more useful than a quick look at everything. It also leaves time for a proper sea trial, if the shipyard offers one, which says far more about a boat than any walk-through on the quay.

If you do stay put, use the time you save to sit down with the people who matter. Brokers and shipyard representatives are far more open to a second, longer visit once they know you are serious. And when the gates close, the restaurants listed in our guide on where to eat during the Cannes yacht show are an ideal place to compare notes before deciding whether a second day is needed.

The Croisette seafront in Cannes seen from the sea

Frequently asked questions