Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez: where to watch the fleet

For nine days between late September and early October, Saint-Tropez holds one of the largest gatherings of maxis and classic yachts in the Mediterranean. Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez brings together around two hundred and fifty boats, 243 in 2025, from pre-war wooden hulls to modern racing yachts over thirty metres, in a bay small enough that you watch the racing from a café. The summer crowds have gone, the village is full of sailors instead, and every bit of it can be watched from land for nothing.

When are Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez and how does the week work?

Nine days spanning the end of September and the start of October, based in the Vieux Port and organised by the Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez. The fleet splits into three groups that share the water: Maxis, Moderns and Tradition, the last being the wooden fleet of gaff rigs and pre-war designs. They race on the same days on different courses and at different start times, with rest days rotating by group, so check the daily programme rather than assuming your fleet is out.

The week has its own rituals. It opens with arrivals and registration, then the blessing of the boats on the Monday morning. The Club 55 Cup, a one on one duel around the Nioulargo shoal, falls late in the week rather than at the start. That shoal is where the Nioulargue took its name: the original regatta ran from 1981 to 1995 and was stopped after a fatal collision, then relaunched under the current name in 1999. And the quays turn into a village of tents, crews and spectators from morning to night.

Race groups and schedules depend on wind and are confirmed each morning by the organising club. Verified August 2026.

The Môle, or somewhere higher?

The Môle Jean Réveille, the harbour wall that closes the Vieux Port, is the answer for most people. Every boat in the fleet passes it on the way out to the course and again on the way back, close enough that you can hear the winches. Late morning, when the whole fleet leaves in sequence, is the most impressive free hour of the Riviera sailing year.

For the racing itself, climb. The Tour du Portalet and the path along the old ramparts put you above the water with the whole start area in view, and the Citadelle, the fort on the hill behind the village, opens the entire gulf: the sails become a pattern rather than individual boats, with the Massif des Maures behind them. Then come back to the quays in the evening, because a hundred year old hull alongside, with lamps on and crews eating on deck, is the photograph people actually keep.

How do you get to Saint-Tropez during Les Voiles?

By boat, if you possibly can. Saint-Tropez has no railway station and one practical road in, the D98A, which funnels through the roundabout at La Foux and is a queue for the whole of the Voiles. The Bateaux Verts shuttles cross the gulf from Sainte-Maxime in about fifteen minutes, Port Grimaud in twenty to twenty five and Les Issambres in twenty five, run frequently through the day and land you in the Vieux Port itself, which is where the event is. Saint-Raphaël is a different operator and a longer crossing, around an hour, and its October service should be checked before you count on it.

If you must drive, park outside the centre and walk in, and do it early: the car parks nearest the port fill by mid morning. And if you are staying, the village books out for the Voiles, but Sainte-Maxime, Grimaud and Ramatuelle are all within reach and considerably cheaper.

Why is this the best week of the year in Saint-Tropez?

Because the village fills with sailors instead of with August. The sea is still warm, the light in early October is the softest of the year, and the restaurants that were impossible six weeks earlier take a booking. The Place des Lices market on Tuesday and Saturday is walkable again, and the light on the ochre facades of the port in the late afternoon is the reason painters came here.

Our month by month guide to the best time for a photoshoot on the French Riviera covers the same argument across the whole coast, and the Saint-Tropez photography page covers the sessions we run in and around the village.

Can you get out on the water for the racing?

Yes, but the gulf sets the terms. Two hundred and fifty boats in a bay this size means the committee draws a wide exclusion zone and enforces it hard, so a spectator boat that wants to be useful has to be small, fast and skippered by someone who has done the week before. Ask for exactly that when you book, and be sceptical of anything sold as a general harbour cruise on a racing day.

Beyond that, some boats take paying crew for the week, arranged months ahead through owners and the classic yacht associations, and a private charter lets you position where you like inside the rules. Our Saint-Tropez yacht photography page covers how we work on board, and the best spots for a yacht party on the French Riviera covers where to anchor in the gulf once racing is over.

Frequently asked questions

When are Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez?

Nine days spanning the end of September and the start of October, based in the Vieux Port of Saint-Tropez and organised by the Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez. Around 250 boats take part, 243 in 2025, split between Maxis, Moderns and the Tradition fleet of wooden hulls and pre-war designs. The groups race on the same days on different courses and at different start times, with rest days rotating, so check the daily programme if you have come for one fleet in particular.

Where is the best place to watch Les Voiles from land?

The Môle Jean Réveille, the harbour wall closing the Vieux Port. Every boat passes it within metres on the way out to the course and again on the way back, and the late morning departure of the whole fleet in sequence is the most impressive free hour of the Riviera sailing year. For the racing itself, the Tour du Portalet and the Citadelle above the village give you the whole gulf.

How do you get to Saint-Tropez during the regatta?

By shuttle boat. Saint-Tropez has no railway station and one practical road in, the D98A through the roundabout at La Foux, which is a queue for the whole of the Voiles. Bateaux Verts shuttles cross the gulf from Sainte-Maxime in about fifteen minutes, Port Grimaud in twenty to twenty five and Les Issambres in twenty five, and land you in the Vieux Port itself, which is where the event happens. Saint-Raphaël is a different operator and around an hour. If you drive, park outside the centre and arrive early.

Is Saint-Tropez worth visiting in late September?

It is the best week of its year. The August crowd has gone, the sea is still warm, the light in early October is the softest of the year, restaurants that were impossible in August take bookings, and the Place des Lices market on Tuesday and Saturday is walkable again. The village is busy, but for the boats rather than for being seen.

More reading: Les Régates Royales in Cannes, the best spots for a yacht party on the Riviera, and the best time of year for a photoshoot here.