The Cannes Yachting Festival opens its gates today to welcome visitors from one end of the Croisette to the other.

For six days, at the heart of the French Riviera in the sparkling Bay of Cannes, 700 monohull or multihull, sailing or motor, rigid or semi-rigid hull, new or previously-owned boats and yachts 5- to 45-metres long are being presented by more than 640 exhibitors, including the biggest international boat builders. More than 120 boats that have just left their workshops for the first time are being launched on the water to make their world premier during the special occasion the Cannes Yachting Festival represents. Alongside them the areas on land accommodate equipment suppliers, engine manufacturers, and service companies… 

"Today, Europe’s biggest in-water boat show is opening its doors! My team and I are immensely proud to conceive and build a boat show of this scale. This year, we are pleased to be accommodating 700 boats in both ports with areas that have been reorganised so that the way around the boat show is clearer and even more enjoyable for visitors. As always, our main objective is to satisfy our customers, serve the marine industry and put on the best event possible for our visitors. We are set on giving each boat, brand, piece of equipment, and innovation the best showcase. I hope that our visitors will find the boat or equipment of their dreams, and that the new products our exhibitors are presenting will receive the best welcome. I hope you all enjoy a superb Festival, and that these six days in Cannes will lead to wonderful discussions and business transactions,” says Festival Director Sylvie Ernoult. 

As is the case every year, the boat show has been organised between the Vieux Port and Port Canto with 355 new 12- to 45-metre motor boats in water with rigid or semi-rigid mono- or multihulls plus all the equipment manufacturers and service companies related to this industry on one side, and the sailing world on the other side in Port Canto, with 120 new monohull and multihull boats averaging 16 metres long, the brokerage sector with around 45 previously-owned boats from 25 metres long in water, and the water toys/toys area. This year, Port Canto is also home to the brand-new Power Boat Marina with 175 boats up to 13 metres long. 

And since the boat show is all about sharing and socialising, activities are taking place in Port Canto from Tuesday to Saturday, 5 pm to 7 pm (until 10 pm on Friday for the late opening evening):
the “toys” exhibitors will take turns to do in-water demonstrations from 5 pm to 5:45 pm,
the food trucks will have a “Happy Hour” 
plus there will be music.

The Cannes Yachting Festival is inaugurating an Innovation Route this year to create awareness among visitors so inclined, with forty or so exhibitors showcasing eco-efficient solutions to reduce the marine industry’s environmental impact on the sea and marine ecosystems. The “Innovation Route” can be found in both ports with special signage.