Guide to the 42nd Cannes Yacht Festival
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Guide to the 42nd Cannes Yacht Festival

Less than a month to go to the world's largest boat show on the water.
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Tell us what has changed in the Cannes Yachting Festival this year and what else (apart from boats) the exhibition could be of interest to visitors.

Last year the exhibition attracted 542 exhibitors who brought to the Côte d'Azur 638 boats, including 219 new models, and 51 thousand visitors from all over the world. Russian speech was heard in Cannes with almost the same frequency as French or English. This year, the number of exhibitors is predicted to grow by 8%, while visitors will still be over 50,000.

What has changed at CYF this year?

In 2019, the Cannes Boat Show will be even bigger. The port of Canto, which last year hosted an exhibition of water toys and brokerage superyachts, will be fully occupied this time: the main part of it will be dedicated to sailboats. The total length of the berths given to sailing single hulls will be 400 meters, and the same amount will be left for catamarans. On the ground for the stands of sailboat manufacturers 4 thousand square meters is provided - this is twice as much as last year.

«Starting in September, we'll cover the entire Bay of Cannes. The water part of the sailing yacht exposition will increase by almost 30% and the motor yachts by 10%," said Sylvie Ernoult, Festival Director. - Our goal is very simple - to open the biggest sailing exhibition on water in the world!»

A total of 120 sailing yachts from 10 to 35 meters will be exhibited at the port of Canto.

At the entrance to the sailing area, the Skipper Restaurant will be opened, from whose terrace you can enjoy a view of the masts' cardiogram«under Dalloio» and Louis Roederer champagne.

Hint: Outside the fairgrounds, there are many restaurants where everything is delicious (and cheaper).

A nice bonus for visitors - every day from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. you can go through the port of Canto for free (pre-registration on the official website).

As in previous years, there will be shuttles - RIBs - between the port of Canto and the Old Port. I recommend to make such a trip at least once - just remove your sunglasses from your head and free your hands to be able to hold on.

And - as in previous years - the festival (both sailing and motor) will be accessible by ordinary city bus absolutely free of charge on presentation of the ticket for the exhibition.

The engine part in the Old Port is divided into zones, each of them is given a color. At the main entrance, there is a organiser's desk where you can get a map of the show. Everything here is quite logical - each zone is dedicated to a yacht of a certain size category. For example, «compact superyachts of» 20-30 meters can be found in the blue Jetee zone, medium size boats (14-20 meters) are focused on the new Terrasse Pantiero pontoons, and boats of 10 to 12 meters are at the far end of the Pantiero. Boats from 12 to 16 metres long are piled in the yellow area of the Quai Saint Pierre. A separate berth (blue area) for motor catamarans. Close by is the new boat engine show. For superyachts 30-50 meters long there is the Superyacht Extension.

What to see at CYF 2019, except yachts...

  • Check out the Laksheri«Gallery,»which is in a round building near the main entrance, for premium wristwatches, jewellery and fashion accessories - for you, and for designer crockery, bed linen, furniture and art objects - for your yacht. Then have a snack at the Yachting Café under the careful supervision of the hereditary pastry chef Maison Dalloyau, whose ancestors fed the cakes to Louis XIV himself.
  • On 12th and 13th September, La Regata, a small catamaran regatta with the original name of La Regata, will be held for the first time at the Cannes Boat Show. From the port of Canto, you will be able to watch live as the athletes go out on the water and compete with each other in the Bay of Cannes. And if you're lucky, you can even join one of the crews and compete in the competition.

By the way, on Friday, September 13, the exhibition works under the extended regime and closes at 10 pm. And I strongly recommend you to be there between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. on that day, because, firstly, the boats illuminated in such numbers are beautiful, and secondly, the chance to get to ten or two parties at that time will be very good.

  • To be photographed with the star of sailing, winner of the last Vendee Globe Armel Le Cléac'h. Armel is the ambassador of the Cannes Boat Show. In 2017, he came to the Fountaine Pajot for their premiere catamaran MY 44. Armel must be caught, of course, in the port of Canto.
  • Spot unusual, rare, vintage boats during the Concours d'Élégance parade from the Festival beach beds in the Old Port, near the main entrance. Last year the main prize among the vintage participants was awarded to the Hacker-Craft 1935 Triple Cockpit Shipyard, while the most impressive modern boat was the Cockwells titanium «tender.» This year's Concours d'Élégance will take place on September 14th at 16:00 local time.

One last thing. If you have never been to the Cannes Boat Show before, perhaps now is the time. The organiser of the event may change in the near future. For two years now, the rights holders have been suing each other for the right to host a boat show, and the last decision of the Paris court was not in favor of the current organizers - the company Reed. The court granted the demand of the French Maritime Industry Federation to cancel the post-contract clause, according to which the right to hold the festival until 2041 is assigned to Reed. The decision has not yet entered into force - an appeal has been filed.

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