Cannes boat tours and the crossing to the Lérins Islands

Why the water matters more than the port here

Cannes itself gets most of the attention: La Croisette, the red carpet steps, Le Suquet climbing behind the old port. But the real reason to head to the water in Cannes is what sits just offshore. The Îles de Lérins — Sainte-Marguerite and Saint-Honorat — are close enough for a half-day trip and different enough from the city to feel like a real change of pace: pine forest, a 17th-century fort, a working abbey, and a lot less noise than the seafront a few hundred metres away.

This guide focuses on getting out to the islands and on the other boat trips that leave from the same stretch of port, not on Cannes’ streets and museums — those are covered in the Cannes walking tours guide and the Cannes day trip from Nice guide. If you’re weighing whether to base your Riviera boat time here or further east near Villefranche-sur-Mer, the short version is: Cannes is about islands, Villefranche and Cap-Ferrat are about coves and villas along the Basse Corniche. Different geography, different boats.

Where the boats leave from

Ferries and most private boats leave from the quays near the old port, a short walk from La Croisette and below Le Suquet. Signage at the port can be confusing in summer, with several ticket booths for different ferry companies standing close together — check which island your ticket is for before you queue. If you’re coming from Nice, the Cannes day trip guide covers the train journey in; once you’re at Cannes-Ville station, the port is about a 10-minute walk downhill.

Driving in isn’t the easiest way to arrive for a boat trip. Parking near the old port fills early from June through September, and the streets around La Croisette get congested well before the first ferry departures. Unless you’re already staying in Cannes with a car, the train from Nice remains the simplest way to reach the port without worrying about where to leave the vehicle for the day.

Getting to Sainte-Marguerite

Sainte-Marguerite is the closer and larger of the two islands, a crossing of roughly 15 minutes. It’s mostly covered in pine and eucalyptus, with a network of shaded paths that make it a reasonable escape from a hot July afternoon on La Croisette. The main landmark is the Fort Royal, a short walk uphill from the ferry dock, which holds a small maritime museum and the cell said to have held the Man in the Iron Mask — the full story is in the Sainte-Marguerite blog piece.

There’s no real village on Sainte-Marguerite — no restaurant strip, limited shade away from the paths, and only a couple of snack points near the landing. Bring water in summer. Two to three hours is enough to see the fort and walk a loop of the island; longer if you want to swim from the rocky coves on the south side, which are noticeably quieter than the mainland beaches.

Getting to Saint-Honorat

Saint-Honorat is smaller, further out (about 20 minutes by boat), and run almost entirely by the Cistercian monks of the Abbaye de Lérins, who still make and sell wine and liqueur produced on the island’s own vineyards. It’s a genuinely different rhythm from Cannes: no cars, limited paths, and a working monastery at the centre of it rather than a museum piece. A single ferry company holds the crossing to Saint-Honorat, separate from the boats to Sainte-Marguerite, so check you’re buying the right ticket.

Visitors can walk the perimeter path, visit the fortified monastery building on the southern tip, and taste or buy the abbey’s wine near the landing. There’s a small restaurant on the island in season, but it’s limited — most people bring a picnic or eat before or after the crossing back in Cannes.

Ferries versus a private boat

The public ferries are the simplest and cheapest way out to either island, running on a fixed timetable that gets more frequent from June to September. For a party wanting more flexibility, a private boat tour is the other option: smaller groups, a set departure time you choose, and often a route that loops past the islands rather than just landing on one.

a small-group private boat tour along the Cannes coastline is the most flexible way to combine a look at the islands with time on the water rather than on foot. For something built around sailing rather than a motor cruise, a half-day classic yacht sail out of Cannes covers similar waters at a slower pace. Neither replaces the ferry if your main goal is time actually walking Sainte-Marguerite or Saint-Honorat — think of them as a different way to see the coastline and islands from the water, not a substitute for landing on them.

Other boat trips from the same port

Not every boat leaving Cannes port is headed to the islands. A few other options worth knowing about, all departing from the same general area:

• Jet ski and combined boat trips toward Mandelieu-la-Napoule, west of Cannes, for visitors who want speed and a shorter time commitment. a boat and jet ski trip toward Mandelieu is a common half-day version.
• Private tours of the port and coastline for people who want a guide narrating the route rather than a self-directed crossing. a personalised private tour of the Cannes coastline fits this.
• Longer combined outings that mix paddleboarding, snorkelling, and a boat cruise in one booking, aimed at groups wanting more than a straight crossing. a boat cruise combining paddleboarding, snorkelling, and time on deck covers this format.

For water sports specifically, jet ski and paddle options are covered in more depth in the Cannes water sports guide.

What a boat trip from Cannes actually looks like

Worth being honest about this: neither island is a private-yacht postcard, and the crossing itself is short and functional rather than scenic in a dramatic sense. What you actually see from the ferry deck is the Cannes waterfront receding — the Palais des Festivals, the hotels along La Croisette, Le Suquet’s hill behind them — then open water, then pine trees and a fort or an abbey wall coming into view. It’s a pleasant 15 to 20 minutes, not a cruise.

On the islands themselves, expect gravel paths, some shade, limited facilities, and — especially on Sainte-Marguerite in August — other visitors doing the same loop you are. Saint-Honorat stays quieter because the crossing is longer and the island smaller, but it fills up too on a clear Sunday in July.

Prices and durations at a glance

Trip	Duration	Typical price (adult)	Best for
Ferry to Sainte-Marguerite	~15 min each way	€16–18 return	Fort Royal, walking, short visit
Ferry to Saint-Honorat	~20 min each way	€18–20 return	Abbey, wine tasting, quiet
Private boat tour (half day)	2–3 hours	€70–120 per person	Flexible route, small group
Classic yacht sail (half day)	3–4 hours	€90–150 per person	Slower pace, sailing
Jet ski / Mandelieu combo	1–2 hours	€80–130 per person	Speed, shorter time

Prices vary by operator, season, and group size — treat these as a starting range, not a quote.

Crowds and timing

July and August bring the heaviest ferry queues, especially for the first and last departures of the day when everyone wants to either beat the heat or catch the sunset crossing back. Arriving at the ticket booth 30 to 45 minutes before your preferred departure is a reasonable buffer in peak season. Outside summer, both islands are noticeably calmer, and September keeps the warm water without the worst of the queues.

The Cannes Film Festival in May pushes port-side prices up and fills nearby moorings, though ferry schedules to the islands generally continue on their usual timetable. If you’re planning a trip that week, book crossings and any private boat ahead rather than turning up on the day.

Best time of year for a boat trip

Cannes shares the wider Riviera’s Mediterranean climate: hot, dry summers from June to September, with the sea reaching around 24–26°C in August — exactly when both islands and the ferry queues are at their busiest. Winters along this stretch of coast are mild, often 12 to 15°C on a clear afternoon, though it snows in the Alpine hinterland not far inland, and crossings can be choppier and less frequent outside the main season. Spring and early autumn tend to be the better compromise: warm enough to swim from the rocky coves on Sainte-Marguerite or Saint-Honorat, without the peak-summer crowds at the ticket booths.

October and November carry a real risk of intense Mediterranean storm episodes along this coast, with sudden, heavy rain and rough seas that Météo-France flags with its own vigilance warnings. A ferry crossing booked for that period is worth double-checking the day before rather than assuming it will run on schedule, since operators can cancel with little notice when the weather turns.

Practical notes

Wear proper shoes for either island — paths are gravel and dirt, not paved, and the Fort Royal has uneven stone underfoot. Bring water and sun protection; shade exists but isn’t constant, particularly on Saint-Marguerite’s fort side. There are no ATMs on either island, so bring cash for the small shops and the wine tasting on Saint-Honorat, even though most vendors also take cards. Swimming is possible from both islands’ rocky coves, but there are no lifeguards, so use judgement rather than assuming supervised safety.

If you’re combining the islands with more of Cannes in a single day, the two-day Cannes, Antibes, and Lérins Islands itinerary lays out a realistic split rather than trying to cram everything into one afternoon. For a broader look at what else is bookable around Cannes port, the Cannes photo shoots guide, Cannes food tours guide, and Cannes perfume workshops guide cover other angles on the town itself, while scenic flights over Cannes give a different, aerial view of the same coastline and islands described here. Bike and vintage car options for getting around the town before or after a crossing are in the Cannes bike and vintage car tours guide, and broader boat-cruise listings across the category sit under boat cruises.

Combining the islands with the rest of the coast

A Lérins Islands crossing pairs naturally with other days spent on the water further along the coast. Antibes, with its own boat tours and the Picasso museum by the port, is a short trip east, and the Esterel coast boat trips head the other way, past the red rock cliffs west of Cannes. For a longer day further along the coast, the Saint-Tropez boat tours guide covers a separate outing rather than one to combine with the islands in the same day.

If you’re based in Nice and weighing where to spend your boat time on the Riviera, the Nice boat tours and snorkelling cruises guide covers the equivalent options departing from the Baie des Anges — useful context if Cannes is one stop among several rather than the only boat day on the trip.

Cannes boat tours and Lérins Islands FAQ

How long does the boat to the Lérins Islands take from Cannes?

About 15 minutes to Sainte-Marguerite and around 20 minutes to Saint-Honorat, depending on the operator and sea conditions. Both islands leave from the old port area near La Croisette.

Can you visit both Lérins Islands in one day?

Yes, but it takes planning. Ferries run between the mainland and each island separately, with no direct hop between the two, so most visitors pick one island for a half day or budget a full day to see both.

Is Sainte-Marguerite or Saint-Honorat better for a short visit?

Sainte-Marguerite suits a shorter visit, with pine-shaded paths and the Fort Royal a short walk from the ferry dock. Saint-Honorat is quieter and smaller, built around the working abbey, and rewards a slower pace.

Do you need to book a boat tour in advance in summer?

Ferries to the islands run frequently in July and August but still fill up, so booking the crossing ahead is worth it. Private boat tours and jet ski trips should be booked several days ahead in peak season.

Are there private boat tours from Cannes, not just ferries?

Yes. Alongside the public ferries to the islands, smaller operators run private boat tours and half-day charters along the Cannes coastline, usually leaving from the same port area.

How much does a boat trip from Cannes cost?

A round-trip ferry ticket to either island runs roughly 15 to 20 euros per adult. Private boat tours and jet ski excursions cost more, typically starting around 60 to 90 euros per person depending on group size and duration.

Does the Cannes Film Festival affect boat trips to the islands?

Ferry schedules to the islands generally continue as normal during the festival in May, but port-side prices and demand for private boats rise noticeably that week, and moorings near La Croisette get busier.