Our most requested charter worldwide is a day charter from either Cannes or Antibes to Club 55 on Pampelonne Beach, St Tropez. In fact, many people who come to the South of France view a charter to Club 55 as the most special day of their holiday or business trip. In the next couple of blog entries, we will attempt to give you the inside scoop on the fun and events of a day trip to St Tropez.
First, some background. Club 55 was founded in, yes, 1955, to feed the cast during the filming of “And God Created Women”. Brigitte Bardot starred in this film, and ever since St Tropez, and Club 55 have been associated with celebrities and a laid back/hedonistic way of life. Pampelonne beach (which is not actually in the town of St Tropez and best reached by boat) has since spawned many beach bars and restaurants and has become world renowned as a playground for the rich and famous.
Club 55 has evolved into a classy, but very laid back, beach restaurant that serves 1000 lunches a day during high season. Seen from the water, you’d hardly know what the fuss is all about – just some white beach umbrellas and a pier, much like many others on the beach. But as you walk into the actual restaurant, under the canopy of leaves, it’s clear that the entire place is immaculately taken care of, has a subtle buzz, and that everything about it is class. We’ll return to this later, but we’ll discuss the charter first, as that’s how you get to the club!
Chartering to Club 55 from Cannes or Antibes
St Tropez is generally about 1 hour motoring from Cannes or Antibes, depending on the boat and weather conditions (a sailboat will take longer, of course). It is a beautiful charter – alternating between some of the most famous resort towns in the world, to spectacular cliffs, to quaint seaside towns. All with a backdrop of the French Alps.
Normally you would board your boat in the still air of the port between 9 and 10 am, in Cannes, Antibes, Golfe Juan or Mandelieu. We don’t recommend a day trip from Monaco or Cap Ferrat unless you’re on a very fast boat, as the cruise takes up a lot of your day (Better to make it a two day trip, with a night in St Tropez old town!)
Normally you will cruise around the Lerin Islands to see the Monastery and Fortress where the Man with the Iron Mask was kept prisoner. You will usually see many beautiful yachts moored between the islands enjoying the calm and the great views of the bay and mountains. If you want an early morning swim, this is the place, as the waters are clear and good for swimming.
Next cruise the Bay of Cannes to see the famous Croisette and the 5 star hotels including the Martinez and Carlton. At the western end of the bay you will see the Palais des Festivals, where the Cannes Film Festival is held, and the quaint old port of Cannes. If you want to snap a picture of yourselves walking the red carpet, your skipper can arrange for you to stop off the boat for a quick tour. There are lots of designer shops here, so beware of being sidetracked, you have a lot to do still today!
Next entry – cruising to St Tropez along the Cote d’Azur. Click here if you would like to see our Cannes to St Tropez video or see our page about Chartering a yacht to Club 55.
