Visit the glamorous ports of Monaco, Cannes and St. Tropez on your own luxury charter yacht... you'll know you have arrived In most ports, your mega yacht will dock right in the heart of the old city, offering you the rare opportunity to step off the yacht and be right in the midst of the "happenings.” On our sample French Riviera itinerary, most of the highlights of each port are easily explored by foot. And when your legs get weary, you can meander back to the yacht, relax on the aft deck and watch the world walk by.

• Day 1 Antibes

  Fly into Nice, France where your yacht charter captain will meet you at the airport and whisk you away to Antibes where your mega yacht will be docked. This is perhaps the most charming city on the Cote d’Azur. Wandering through the archway entrance brings you to a maize of cobblestone streets, sidewalk cafes, aromas drifting out from the patisseries, laundry hanging out the third story windows, and a lush street market… definitely steeping in Old World ambiance. The original Grimaldi castle was built here in the twelfth century and although re-constructed in the sixteenth, parts of the original structure remain intact. Picasso arrived in the Riviera in 1946 and had part of the castle at his disposal. A great collection of his works including ceramics, drawings, and paintings are in the museum. On a French Riviera yacht itinerary, a land tour to St. Paul de Vence, a medieval city about 10 miles inland is wonderful. Getting there is half the pleasure. You can explore the gothic 12th century church and the 16th century homes that have been converted into artists studios, antique shops, craft galleries, and cafes.

• Day 2 Villefranche

  Built on wooded slopes at the edge of a spectacular natural, deep water harbor, this is a great lunch stop on our French Riviera sailing itinerary for a swim, kayak, jet ski, or other watersport. It has a 17th century character with a row of brightly painted houses lining the fishing harbor. Ashore are a few restaurants and shops as well as a small marina. It has a large Napoleonic fortress and a drydock that used to take in Bonaparte’s warships. If you’d like a quiet port on your sample French Riviera itinerary, you can stay here overnight. Otherwise, carry on to Monaco.

• Day 3 Monaco

  The glitter and bling of the Principality of Monaco is dazzling. Your mega yacht charter will berth beneath the Royal Palace. Built into the rocks, Monte Carlo offers world class shopping, the Oceanographic Museum once run by Jacques Cousteau, lovely gardens, superb restaurants and bars and, of course, the highlight – the Grand Casino of Monte Carlo. A tour of the Royal Grimaldi Palace is a must, and you might also enjoy a visit to Monaco Cathedral, the 19th century church where where Prince Ranier and Grace Kelly were married.

• Day 4 Cannes, France

  Cannes is where the Riviera’s heart beats loudest. It has two sections, each with its own marina and within visible proximity of one another. The Old City stretches up a hillside with intimate streetside cafes surrounding the harbor. On your sample French Riviera itinerary, as you head east along the sea front is La Croisette, an elegant promenade bordered by palm trees and gardens and overlooking the beach… you’ll feel like a movie star walking here! Majestic hotels and elegant shops line the front and side streets, and galleries, cinemas, and nightclubs abound. And of course, they have casinos. All of the big name designers have shops here. Golf is nearby (4 miles) at Country Club de Cannes-Mougins.

• Day 5 St. Tropez, France

  On our French Riviera sailing itinerary, a storybook port, popularized by Bridget Bardot in “And God Created Woman”. it has long been a summer home for artists, composers, novelists and the film colony. Yachts anchor stern to the dock in a semi?circular harbor. Cafes and shops dot the waters edge along with painters, artists, street musicians, etc. It's filled with tiny squares, pastel colored houses, trendy boutiques, cabarets, galleries, and antique shops. You can spend hours wandering through all of the little streets and alleyways ? it's also a magnificent city in the early morning hours, before the tourists fill the streets. Musee St. Tropez features the work of artists who loved St. Tropez and offers one of the finest modern art exhibits on the Cote d’Azur.

• Day 6 St. Tropez Beach

  On our French Riviera yacht itinerary, T the hottest Riviera beaches are in St. Tropez, and your mega yacht can anchor right off of them. Actually, it's one long 3 mile beach with various names along the way ? Tahiti, Bora Bora, Bali, etc. The beach is lined with thatched hut restaurants, burger shacks, tropical themed shops... each one offering its own variety of chaise lounges and umbrellas. People can either enjoy watersports off the yacht or go ashore for sunbathing and people watching. Late afternoon, your mega yacht will cast off for the Iles d’Hyeres, a cluster of serene islands which are a protected nature reserve. On our French Riviera sailing itinerary, spend the night at anchor off of Porquerolles, the largest of the islands, in a stunning bay surrounded by beach and vineyards.

• Day 7 Porquerolles to Antibes

  Your mega yacht will linger in Porquerolles for awhile so you can have a swim, explore the main island by bike, walk around the village, tour a vineyard, or explore the underwater marine park. Late afternoon, we’ll weigh anchor and head back to Antibes.

• Day 8 Antibes

  Disembarkation