Cannes Yachting Festival

The Cannes Yachting Festival is a floating boat show where boats are displayed directly along the docks in Cannes’ harbors. It is a key back-to-season event for the yachting industry: visitors come to discover new products, compare ranges, meet shipyards and brands, and connect with industry professionals. The show takes place between the Vieux Port and Port Canto, allowing visitors to explore different areas (boats, equipment, services) in a practical, experience-driven setting focused on meetings. Free water shuttles connect the two ports throughout the event.

Beyond the boats, the organizers highlight the scale of the event: in 2024, it is presented as the largest on-water boat show in Europe, with 650 exhibitors, 700 boats (ranging from 5 to 50 meters), and nearly 55,000 visitors.

The Cannes Yachting Festival was born in 1977 with a simple idea: to showcase boats in their natural environment, directly at the dock, rather than in an enclosed setting. The first editions took place at the Vieux Port, on the Quai Max Laubeuf, with a still modest format—just a few dozen units, a professional gathering atmosphere, and already that unique closeness between visitors and the boats.

This “on-water” concept quickly became the show’s trademark. Year after year, the event became more structured, expanded its program, and established itself as a key event in September, renowned for its ability to showcase yachting in the heart of Cannes—between pontoons, docks, and professional meetings.

What makes the Cannes Yachting Festival especially easy to navigate is its layout across two distinct sites, each telling a slightly different story. At the Vieux Port, the atmosphere is that of a central showcase: visitors come to see, compare, and go from one visit to the next, getting up close with the latest models presented by shipyards and brands. The experience is intense, very much like a trade show, with a fast pace and numerous appointments.

At Port Canto, the tone shifts: the organization by zones offers a more thematic experience, often more relaxed, allowing visitors to take their time examining yachts, discussing equipment, or exploring the brokerage market. Moving from one port to the other is an integral part of the visit—visitors alternate between two complementary atmospheres, and it quickly becomes clear why the event feels as much like a port-to-port stroll as it does a traditional boat show.

People come to the Cannes Yachting Festival primarily to see boats “in real conditions,” afloat, and to compare the latest models without any filter. At the Vieux Port, the experience is heavily geared toward motor yachts and their ecosystem: equipment suppliers, services, technical solutions—everything that supports the daily life of a yacht. At Port Canto, the visit takes on a different tone: one area is entirely dedicated to sailing (monohulls and multihulls), while other zones highlight yacht brokerage (pre-owned vessels) and nautical “toys”—watersports gear, jet skis, boards, and leisure innovations. Finally, the show also features an innovation section with a Start-up Village, a showcase for the technologies and services shaping the future of yachting.

On site, everything revolves around how the day is organized: arriving in the morning, making the first visits along the docks, then moving between ports as appointments unfold. To make getting around easier, free maritime shuttles connect the venues, with regular departures (about every 15 minutes) starting at 10 a.m. As for opening hours, the festival is generally open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekdays, with a late-night opening on Friday until 10 p.m., and an earlier closing on Sunday at 6 p.m.