Corsica and Sardinia sit roughly a day’s cruise south of the French Riviera, and they are where a Riviera charter goes when the brief is water rather than nightlife. Clear water, empty anchorages, and the granite islands of the La Maddalena archipelago, reached from the same ports you would start a Riviera week in. Most of our clients pair the two: a few days along the coast, then the crossing. See our 7-day Antibes to Corsica and Sardinia itinerary for how that runs day by day.
Why Choose Corsica and Sardinia for Your Yacht Charter
- Water first, scene second → the draw here is the anchorages, not the harbour front. It suits a group that wants swimming and quiet bays over beach clubs.
- The La Maddalena archipelago → a cluster of granite islands off northern Sardinia, with protected anchorages at Isola Santa Maria, Isola Marmorata and Isola Giardinelli.
- Reachable on a normal week → the crossing is one solid cruising day from the Riviera, which is what makes a combined France and Sardinia charter work inside seven days.
- A real VAT saving on the route → a France to Sardinia charter can run on an ECPY contract, which changes the numbers materially.
Getting There from the French Riviera
You start on the Riviera. Antibes, Cannes, Nice and St Tropez all work as embarkation points, and the usual shape is two or three days along the French coast before turning south.
The crossing itself is the big cruising day. From St Tropez you run to the Corsican coast, with Elba Bay and Roccapina as the first stops, then continue into the Maddalena group and northern Sardinia. It is open water and it is the part of the week people remember, but it does need a settled forecast and a yacht that is comfortable at sea rather than one chosen purely for its beach club.
If you would rather start and finish in France, our Riviera event weeks and coastal itineraries stay closer to home.
Highlights – What to See & Do by Yacht
- Roccapina, Corsica → the first Corsican anchorage on the southern run, and the usual landfall after the crossing.
- Lavezzi archipelago → the scatter of low granite islands in the strait between Corsica and Sardinia, and the reason many charters time the week around calm weather.
- Isola Santa Maria and Porto Rafael → the entry into the Maddalena group, sheltered and quiet compared with the Riviera coast.
- Porto Palma → a wide protected bay, the sort of spot a charter stays in for a full day rather than passing through.
- Cala di Volpe, Sardinia → the Costa Smeralda end of the week, where the scene picks up again if you want it.
The ECPY Advantage on a France to Sardinia Charter
This is the one part of a Corsica and Sardinia charter worth understanding before you book. A charter that starts in France and cruises to Italian waters can be written on an ECPY contract rather than a standard MYBA one.
On the right yacht that removes 20 percent VAT on the charter fee and cuts fuel costs substantially, because the yacht qualifies for commercial exemptions on the passage. Not every yacht qualifies, and it has to be set up at contract stage rather than afterwards, so it is worth raising early. Our full guide sets out which yachts qualify and what to check.
Yachts for Corsica and Sardinia
Corsica and Sardinia are motor yacht territory more than anything else, because the distances reward a boat that covers ground comfortably. Our best luxury motor yachts for Corsica page lists ten we rate for this cruising ground, with what a week actually costs.
Yacht Charter Locations Near the Crossing
- Antibes → the usual starting point, and the deepest berths on the coast.
- Cannes → two marinas and the easiest airport transfer.
- St Tropez → the last French stop before the crossing.
- Nice → twenty minutes from the airport if you are flying in the same day.
- Monaco → the eastward alternative if the plan is prestige rather than passage.