Places to vist on Cote d'azur

[BartW]

there was a thread with a similar title last winter iirc,
but I can't find it,

so here we go again

next week I have charter guests on the boat who have never been on CDA,
they want to explore as much as possible,

plan is to stay 2..3 nights in Antibes PV,
or in other ports in the area (depending on availablilty of space)
and then sail towards St tropez and Porquerolles

what places can you recommand;
ports to stay (that might have space for one night for a 21m boat during the first week of september)
interesting villages for visiting
nice bay's or popular beaches for anchoring during the day
nice places for overnight on anchor

the area between Porq. and St tropez, I know quite well,
I'm specially interesed in the region between St Tropez and the Italian border
maintly the hot spots between Cannes, Antibes, Nice, Villefranche and Monaco

thanks for advice

 

[blueglass]

Villefranche is a nice anchorage with good holding, lots of space and easy tendering ashore and plenty of bistros n bars.
Also a nice anchorage just west of Beaulieu. theres a good restaurant on a small shingle beach which runs a water taxi for customers. Sorry can't remember the name.

 

[MRC]

The islands off Cannes are nice, in between the two, anchor in the clear turquosise water part if its not busy.

Villefranche as mentioned is great in anything other that a S swell

We like La Rague for a night as we like the restaurant on the front for a few drinks in the eve.

Anjuna beach restaurant in Eze or the other one closer to Cap D'ail

 

[Portofino]

If i can add -Just E of Cap Ferrat ,Paloma beach nice place to anchor ,( Bluegrass?)
Restaurant on the beach ( this ones a shingle as well) or 5 min tender to marina + nice town ,quite upmarket no Amercans descending from Carnival ships ( Villfranche)
For something different , -San Remo usually room -21M .Adds a bit of Italien flair to the trip and people watching ,Vespers and gelateria make a change + it's really cheap to dine out
moving W
Twixt St Trop and Lerins try Agay -large natural bay - family resort and prices at the end ,some sandy beaches too either side .

 

[jfm]

Starting in St trop bay and heading east, in order:

1. St trop itself. Gorgeous, espcially after the August crowds have gone and in the evening sunset light
2. Avoid Cogolin, not that nice imho
3. Port Grimaud is nice for a one night stop. Ask for a berth in front of the church. The place has zillions of canals, like venice, and a few 7/10 restuarants
4. St Maxime is ok but you'll probably be wanting to head east by then so give it a miss I'd suggest
5. You wont get BA into either of the two southerly ports in St Raphael -she is too big. I got Match into the south basin by special permission organised by Jeremy Clarkson, but it is very tight. The old port has few spaces. So I'd miss out St Raphael if i were you
6. miss out Frejus. not the nicest place...
7. Agay bay is ok for a couple of hours stop for afternoon swim
8. Then you get to bay of Cannes. I like the anchorage in the NW corner by Theoule and it has a nice beach plus a shop on the quay that sells chips
9. La Rague and La Napoule marinas are ok ish, but not much hinterland imho
10 Dont bother trying to get a berth in Cannes old port unless you are feeling lucky. You might get a berth in Port Canto, at e end of Cannes beach, but it aint that pretty
11. Anchor between Lerins Islands and visit the monastry on the south Island. Absolutely beautiful anchorage. The Fairline, Sunseeker, Absolute etc brochures are all shot here. Shallow turquiose water. Easy tender tip to Cannes if your guests want to shop
12. Dont berth in Golfe Juan or Gallice. Perfectly ok, but not worth visiting imho
13. If strong e wind the anchorage on W side of Cap DAntibes, 100m N of Eden rock hotel, is very nice and sheltered
14. Next stop is E side of Cap D'Antibes. Port Vauban is lovely and it gives a quick walk to Antibes old town. The restuarants you want are Vieux Murs and Michelangelo. Book ahead. Walking distance from boat
15. The 2 anchorages on E side of Cap, namely Salis and Garoupe, are quite nice to come out to for breakfast then carry on your journey after breakfast. V sheltered in westerlies
16. Skip Baie des Anges marina
17. Next stop is villefranche. Absolutely stunning place, one of the nicest spots in the world imho. Beautiful at night as well as day, and very sheltered from prevailing easterlies. There is a very fine restaurant on quayside called mer germaine but I prefer Beluga. Check out the silver sofas. Both will send a boat to collect you from BA. Villefranche can get a swell that isn't lined up with the wind (you'll see) so it can be rolly, but you have stabs so no need to worry about this!
18, next you go around to E side of Cap Ferrat. Passed the orange villa fiorentina, the best and most valuable house in the world according to Forbes. I love the whole of the E side of Cap Ferrat, and rank it alongside Villefranche, though it is no good in E wind. This is where Mirabella 5 got onto the rocks. The anchorage Portofino mentions, Paloma beach, is lovely. St Jean is a nice town/marina for a tender trip. Beaulieu marina is nice and has the famous African queen restuarant though BA is prob too big to park right in front of the restuarant (my old Sq58s fitted ok, and my last Sq58 is berthed right there permanently by her new owners)
19. Next, Eze beach, all very nice for a 2 hour anchor off.
20 Next is monaco. A berth in either fontvielle or the main Port Hercule would be fabulous for the night and your guests can see all the razmataz of the place. I plan to be berthed there same time, 1st or 2nd sept. Make sure to fly a MC courtesy flag, the right way up (else it is Poland) and call on ch 12 (not 9 like all the others) and call them "Monaco port" not Hercule
21. East of Monaco the corner anchorage w of Cap Martin is very nice for couple of hours
22. Next stop is Menton which is quite nice but with BA's size you'll get put in Garavan port most likely which is a bit of a schlepp to the town. If you drive 300m east of Garavan you are in Italian waters, if your guests want to tick that box
23. Then not much else till San Remo, which in my book aint worth the fuel to get there. As PF says, it is cheap to dine out, but that's cos it is a bit scruffy and the restuarants are shabby imho. It's ok, but a bit 6/10 and you are surely aiming for 9+ which much of the above gives you and your guests

I can post pics of all the above but no time now

Bon voyage!

 

[MRC]

We like Menton, but try and stay in the Vieux Port up against the quay wall. There is also a good anchorage just outside the marina entrance, between the two ports. (couple of photos taken from teh boat in Menton). The town is very busy, each time we have been there have been markets galore and last time even a road racing Go kart GP.

 

[MRC]

Islands off Cannes:

 

[Portofino]

Few more SoF pics

Well at least you do not need to phaff with change for the parking barrier

South island of the Lerins , I would not anchor in the middle of the channel

Same view at week end

Here's a nice place to eat Next to La Napoule Marina -the Chateau

 

[BartW]

thanks all for the many good points,

tonight on anker near port Cross (Horse shoe bay ;-) )
and tomorrow sailing all the way to Antibes,
hopefully PV has space for 2 nights, (monday daytrip to Lerins and Canne
and then tuesday visit Monaco area, and a night on anker in Villefranche bay
at least that is our plan (can alway's change as you all know)

for those who're around,
I'm on the boat with charter guests, but don't hesitate to come and say hello