Benetti B.YOND 40M130' 11"
View Specs & ReviewPort Vauban and the superyacht quay — the Riviera's working heart
Yachting in Antibes
A Minted Location · Antibes, France
If you want your boat kept where the Mediterranean's biggest yachts actually live — not paraded, but crewed, refitted and run — Antibes is the harbor that delivers it. Port Vauban calls itself the first yachting marina in the Mediterranean, and the official tourism office calls it the largest marina in Europe: 1,500 berths on 13,780 ft (4,200 m) of quay under the walls of Fort Carré, with the IYCA superyacht quay — the "Billionaires' Quay," in the operator's own words — on its outer arm. The quay's published limits run from 492 to 541 ft (150 to 165 m) depending on which official page you read; the capitainerie is the one to confirm yours.
Minted Yachts is the American buyer's broker in these waters, and everything below comes from each port's, commune's or venue's own published information — the same standard behind every yacht review on this site.
For an owner, Antibes is really three waterfronts: Port Vauban and the old town behind its ramparts; Juan-les-Pins and Port Gallice at the entrance to Cap d'Antibes; and Golfe-Juan's 841-berth Port Camille Rayon around the western point. The cape between them keeps the small association ports, the Croûton buoy field and the Garoupe anchorage. Pick your Antibes, and the boat follows.
Where to keep a yacht in Antibes
Antibes dockage sorts into three clusters. Port Vauban is the headline: 1,500 berths — the tourism office counts 1,501 — on 13,780 ft (4,200 m) of quay, VHF 9, with the IYCA superyacht quay on the outer arm and its 7,500 sq ft (700 m²) lounge, panoramic terraces and Crew Center. Juan-les-Pins runs on Port Gallice: 525 berths for yachts to 141 ft (43 m) drawing up to 9.8 ft (3 m), with a working boatyard on site. And around the cape in Golfe-Juan, D-Marin's Port Camille Rayon adds 841 berths for boats from 20 to 246 ft (6 to 75 m). The cape itself belongs to the association ports — the Croûton's 350 moorings, La Salis's 220 small boats, the Olivette's 43 traditional pointus. Figures below are what each port publishes about itself.
Marinas
| Name | Where | Max yacht | Slips | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Port VaubanSelf-described first yachting marina in the Mediterranean — the DMO calls it Europe's largest, counting 1,501 places on 13,780 ft (4,200 m) of quay. Max LOA conflicts across its own official pages: 492 ft (150 m) on the homepage, 525 ft (160 m) on the marina page, 541 ft (165 m) per the DMO — confirm with the capitainerie. Wi-Fi, wastewater and toxic-waste collection, slipway, boat-wash station to 52 ft (15.99 m), concierge, laundry and secure parking, per the operator. | Antibes old town — under Fort Carré | — | 1,500 | — |
| IYCA — Quai Camille Rayon, Port VaubanThe International Yacht Club d'Antibes — the operator's own "Billionaires' Quay." Figures conflict between official sources: the operator states 18 superyacht berths up to 525 ft (160 m); the DMO credits the quay with up to 19 superyachts of 230–541 ft (70–165 m). Both recorded; the capitainerie settles it for your boat. | Port Vauban — outer superyacht quay | — | — | — |
| Port GalliceThe Juan-les-Pins berth: yachts to 141 ft (43 m) drawing up to 9.8 ft (3 m), 525 berths per the DMO, with the Belles Rives beach row next door on Boulevard Edouard Baudoin. Rates via the port's own online calculator — ask the port, not a directory. Operated by Gallice 21 under Côte d'Azur CCI branding. | Juan-les-Pins — entrance to Cap d'Antibes | 141 ft | 525 | — |
| D-Marin Port Camille RayonThe gulf-side alternative around the western point: 841 berths on 13 hectares of water, operated by D-Marin under the commune of Vallauris Golfe-Juan's 2024 port concessions. Pavillon Bleu for 20-plus years and Ports Propres certified since 2018, per its own site. | Golfe-Juan — Quai Napoléon | 246 ft | 841 | — |
| Port du CroûtonA natural harbour first used by local fishermen, now 350 moorings for small craft managed by the Association des Plaisanciers du Croûton, per the DMO. No site of its own — DMO page stands as its link, Tony's call. | Cap d'Antibes west side — Juan-les-Pins | — | 350 | — |
| Port de la SalisThe small-boat association port under the Garoupe hill — color for the cape's east side and the row you pass heading for the anchorage. No site of its own — DMO page stands as its link, Tony's call. | Cap d'Antibes east side — foot of the Garoupe hill | 20 ft | 220 | — |
| Abri de l'OlivetteThe cape's heritage harbour: 43 boats shelter here, many the traditional fishing pointus, per the DMO. Pure local color for the Cap d'Antibes leg. | Cap d'Antibes | — | — | — |
Figures are as each facility publishes them on its own site; blank cells mean the facility doesn't state a number. Confirm slip availability and current rates directly — or ask us to make the calls.
Cruising from Antibes
The Posidonia regime. The bay and Cap d'Antibes sit inside the Natura 2000 site "baie et cap d'Antibes – îles de Lérins," and the commune's guidance is blunt: anchor outside the Posidonia meadow. Since 12 October 2020 the préfecture maritime's arrêtés have regulated anchoring by vessels of 66 ft (20 m) and 79 ft (24 m) and up in the Alpes-Maritimes — the préfecture states plainly that the anchors of large yachts tear out the seagrass — and the prohibition zones are charted by SHOM. Check the current arrêté before the hook goes down; knowing this regime is how this coast stays worth keeping a boat on.
Anse de la Garoupe. The classic Cap d'Antibes anchorage, on the cape's east side below the lighthouse. The commune's own Natura 2000 page documents yachts over 79 ft (24 m) lying here on seasonal moorings for weeks at a time, and the same Posidonia rules govern where the anchor may go — larger vessels check the arrêté charts, smaller boats anchor clear of the seagrass, and Plage Keller's lunch pontoons wait on the beach.
The Croûton buoy field. In the Anse du Croûton on the cape's west side, the commune's ZMEL replaces free anchoring with moorings for vessels to 79 ft (24 m): 47 buoys in summer (April 15 – October 15), 9 in winter — free, day and night, no reservation — managed by Port Gallice's operating company to protect the meadow.
The season. The ports' own published hours tell you when the Riviera is on: Port Vauban's capitainerie stretches from 8am–6pm toward 8am–9pm as summer builds, Port Gallice runs 7am–9pm daily in July and August against 7am–6pm through the winter, and the Croûton buoy field swings from 47 balls to 9. August is the crush; the shoulder months are the owner's reward. Antibes sits, in Port Vauban's own words, between Monaco and Saint-Tropez and less than 20 minutes from France's second-largest international airport.
- ZMEL Anse du Croûton — Anse du Croûton — between Port Gallice and the Pointe du GraillonThe commune's buoy field, managed by SAS Port Gallice 21, created to protect the Posidonia meadow inside the Natura 2000 zone — the sanctioned alternative to dropping an anchor in the seagrass on the cape's west side.
- Anse de la Garoupe — Cap d'Antibes east side — below the Garoupe lighthouseThe classic Cap d'Antibes anchorage, inside the Natura 2000 site "baie et cap d'Antibes – îles de Lérins." The commune documents yachts over 79 ft (24 m) on seasonal moorings here for weeks at a time; the préfecture's Posidonia regime — arrêtés signed 12 October 2020 — governs where the anchor may go. Plage Keller's pontoons are the lunch stop on the beach.
Service, refit & supplies
Shipyards & refit
| Name | Where | Max yacht | Dockage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Craftsmen's Village at Port VaubanThe port's own on-site trades cluster: rigging, boiler making, scuba diving, composite repair, tank treatment, propulsion and plumbing, painting, hydraulics, shipchandlery and mechanics — with the Café des Artisans open year-round. Trades per the operator; resident businesses unnamed by house rule. | Port Vauban — technical area | — | Ten specialized workshops beside the port's 32,300 sq ft (3,000 m²) careening area |
| Port Gallice BoatyardLift-out and cradling, loading and unloading by trailer, repairs, painting and refitting on the cape side of Juan-les-Pins — managed by Monaco Marine, per the port's own boatyard page. | Port Gallice — Juan-les-Pins | — | Lift-out to 20 tonnes and 7.5 ft (2.30 m) draught; 60-tonne mobile crane; 16,700 sq ft (1,554 m²) hardstanding |
Chandleries & specialty suppliers
- BigShip Antibes — 10 avenue Frédéric Mistral, AntibesParts-and-gear chandlery a short hop from the Port Vauban quays — safety gear, deck hardware for sail and power, rigging, electronics, navigation, mooring and anchoring kit, onboard comfort and engine equipment, per its own store page.
On the Antibes calendar
Les Voiles d'Antibes — May 27–31, 2026: the 31st edition of the classic-yacht regatta at the Esplanade du Bastion Saint-Jaume, with Port Vauban among the partners — the event that opens the Mediterranean circuit for Yachts de Tradition each season. The 32nd edition is already set for June 2–6, 2027.
Jazz à Juan — July 9–19, 2026: the 65th edition of the Juan-les-Pins jazz festival under the pines of the Pinède Gould, running since 1960 — an easy evening from a Port Gallice berth.
Yachts we'd shortlist for Antibes
Reviewed the same way as everything on this site — specifications verified against the builder's own numbers.
Frequently Asked Questions
How big is Port Vauban?
1,500 berths by the operator's count — 1,501 places by the official tourism office's — on 13,780 ft (4,200 m) of berthing, which is why its own site claims the first yachting marina in the Mediterranean and the tourism office calls it the largest in Europe. It works on VHF 9, capitainerie hours run seasonally from 8am–6pm up to 8am–9pm, and visitor berthing books directly on the port's own site. Services per the operator: Wi-Fi, wastewater and toxic-waste collection, a slipway, a boat-wash station for vessels to 52 ft (15.99 m), concierge, laundry and secure parking.
Where can I haul out or refit a boat in Antibes?
Port Vauban runs a 32,300 sq ft (3,000 m²) careening area with its Craftsmen's Village alongside — ten specialized workshops covering rigging, boiler making, diving, composite repair, tank treatment, propulsion and plumbing, painting, hydraulics, shipchandlery and mechanics, per the operator. At Port Gallice, the boatyard offers a 60-tonne mobile crane with lift-out to 20 tonnes and 7.5 ft (2.30 m) of draught on 16,700 sq ft (1,554 m²) of hardstanding — managed by Monaco Marine, per the port's own page. BigShip's Antibes chandlery covers parts and gear.
Where can I berth a superyacht in Antibes?
The IYCA quay at Port Vauban — the operator's own "Billionaires' Quay." Its published limits conflict: the operator states 18 superyacht berths up to 525 ft (160 m) on one page and boats to 492 ft (150 m) on its homepage, while the official tourism office credits the quay with up to 19 superyachts of 230–541 ft (70–165 m) — so the capitainerie (+33 4 92 91 60 00, VHF 9) is the one to confirm your LOA. The club adds a 7,500 sq ft (700 m²) lounge bar, two panoramic terraces, a Crew Center with fitness, concierge service and CCTV.
Is Antibes a good home port for an American owner?
If you want the boat kept where the Med's professional yachting world actually works, this is the address — the Riviera's biggest berth count, a superyacht quay, working trades inside the port, and the Garoupe an easy run round the cape. The honest trade-offs: August berths are the coast's scarcest commodity, the Posidonia arrêtés decide where you anchor, and even the port's own pages disagree on the top LOA — so confirm figures with the capitainerie. Minted Yachts is the American buyer's broker in these waters: send a Broker Request, or TS@MintedYachts.com / +1 (404) 805-9819.
Where do I berth for Juan-les-Pins?
Port Gallice, at the entrance to Cap d'Antibes. The port's own site takes sailing boats and yachts to 141 ft (43 m); the official tourism office adds 525 berths and a maximum draught of 9.8 ft (3 m). It answers berth requests within 48 hours through its customer space, works VHF 9 (+33 4 93 217 217), and the reception runs 7am–9pm daily in July and August. Rates come from the port's own online calculator — ask the port, not a directory. The Belles Rives beach and its private landing stage are next door on Boulevard Edouard Baudoin.
Is there an alternative to Port Vauban near Antibes?
Around the western point in Golfe-Juan, D-Marin Port Camille Rayon runs 841 berths for boats from 20 to 246 ft (6 to 75 m) in 6.6 to 16.4 ft (2 to 5 m) of water, across a 13-hectare basin — with water, electricity, Wi-Fi, parking, 24/7 security, waste management and a diver, per its own site. It has flown the Pavillon Bleu for more than 20 years and has held Ports Propres certification since 2018. On the cape itself, the association ports — the Croûton's 350 moorings, La Salis's 220 boats to 20 ft (6 m) — serve local small craft.
Which Antibes restaurants can I reach by boat?
Two state their own water access: La Plage Belles Rives in Juan-les-Pins, whose site describes a pontoon with a private landing stage at the hotel's beach (season May–September), and Plage Keller on the Garoupe, whose site describes two wooden pontoons off the beach — the classic lunch on the hook, Posidonia rules permitting. The rest of the famous rooms — Maison de Bacon, BABA, Royal Beach, and the old-town pair of Les Vieux Murs and Le Figuier de Saint-Esprit — publish no dockage, so check local options; the old town is a short walk from a Port Vauban berth.
Can I anchor off Cap d'Antibes?
Yes — under the Posidonia regime. The bay and cape sit in the Natura 2000 site "baie et cap d'Antibes – îles de Lérins," and since 12 October 2020 the préfecture maritime's arrêtés have regulated anchoring by vessels of 66 ft (20 m) and 79 ft (24 m) and up in the Alpes-Maritimes, with prohibition zones on SHOM charts — the commune's own instruction is to anchor outside the seagrass meadow. In the Anse du Croûton, the commune's ZMEL offers 47 free buoys in summer (April 15 – October 15) for vessels to 79 ft (24 m), day and night, no reservation.