French Riviera Shopping Experiences by Yacht
French Riviera Shopping Experiences by Yacht
Y.CO charter expert Annabel Gray's preferred route along the Côte d’Azur runs west to east; Saint-Tropez, Cannes, Antibes, Nice, Monaco — travelling along the French coastline toward the principality's glamour. For a tighter three-day edit, Y.CO’s Andrea Pothier goes straight to the icons: Monaco, Cannes, Saint-Tropez. Either way, the itinerary starts to take shape long before embarkation. "We have a pre-charter planning call to get to know the client and find out exactly what they are looking for," says Annabel. "From there we can make the most relevant suggestions." This is not a generalised brochure handed over at the dock. The team will craft a bespoke plan built around the preferences of guests on board.
Arrive on a Tuesday or Saturday and the Place des Lices market will be buzzing; Provençal linens, ceramics, lavender honey and hand-crafted jewellery are the order of the day. Then into the lanes. Rondini has been making tropézienne sandals by hand since 1927. Pick up your favourite Acqua di Parma scent at the Italian perfumer’s boutique on the corner of the market. The concept stores and independent galleries around La Ponche carry unique pieces you won’t find anywhere else. Dior and Louis Vuitton are here too. Why not stop for lunch at Dior Café des Lices? Or if the beach is calling then it’s a quick tender over to Club 55 for a VIP Pampelonne experience.
La Croisette needs no introduction, the star of the show come Cannes Film festival, it is also one of the French Riviera’s central hubs for designer fashion. Arriving by tender directly into the Vieux Port means bypassing the queues entirely and walking straight into Chanel, Valentino or Armani without the stress. "Crew can accompany you ashore, book private shopping appointments, organise cars," says Annabel. After-hours access, reserved fitting rooms, purchases sent directly to the yacht, all are possible.
The Carré d'Or is where the serious jewellery decisions get made. Hermès, Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Chopard, all here, within walking distance of each other, arranged around Place du Casino. One Monte-Carlo, Sir Richard Rogers' 2019 contribution to the skyline, houses 24 boutiques including Dior, Saint Laurent and Céline along the Promenade Princesse Charlène. The Métropole Shopping with its Carrara marble and Bohemian chandeliers — offers around 80 boutiques. Of course, if you don’t want to leave the dock or anchorage, private viewings of the latest collections, personal shoppers and expert tailors can be brought on board.
If you are an art lover, then an inland detour to the beautiful medieval hilltop village of Saint-Paul-de-Vence is a must. There you’ll find La Fondation Maeght one of the largest private collections of art in Europe. Work by Chagall, Calder, Miró, Giacometti, Kandinsky and Hepworth amongst many others. The charming village itself is home to independent art galleries and ateliers. Then there is Grasse, the perfume capital of the world, Dior, Chanel, Lancôme all the great designer houses source their flowers and botanicals here. Grasse offers something no boutique can replicate; a private tour of one of its great perfumeries, followed by the creation of a bespoke scent with a master perfumer. "What better gift to bring home to family and friends?" says Andrea. The crew can book it in advance. You simply show up and enjoy.
There is no one hotel well-placed enough to make this circuit work within a tight timeframe. No car itinerary flexible enough. A Riviera shopping trip becomes effortless by yacht; the attentive care of the crew, the cold drink waiting on the aft deck, the knowledge that every arrangement has already been made.
Contact Y.CO’s charter team today to discuss your perfect yacht itinerary
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Where you'll find us
Monaco — MC
+377 93 50 12 12London — UK
+44 20 7584 1801Fort Lauderdale — US
+1 954 278 3970Auckland — NZ
+64 9 281 5133Contact us
info@y.coLogin/Register
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