Golfe-Juan, the working roadstead.
A deep-water port with berths to 75 metres, the only regulated large-yacht anchorage between Cannes and Cap d'Antibes, a refit yard backed by the MB92 group: the discreet roadstead that works while its neighbours parade.
Golfe-Juan is neither a showcase nor a see-and-be-seen destination: it is the only body of water between Cannes and Cap d'Antibes to combine a deep-water port berthing yachts up to 75 metres, the sector's only regulated anchorage for large yachts, and a refit yard backed by the MB92 group. That combination — free of the media glare and berthing pressure of its neighbours — is what earns the roadstead a distinct place in our Côte d'Azur coverage.
Its sheltering credentials are old: Napoleon landed at Golfe-Juan on 1 March 1815, back from Elba with some 900 grenadiers, choosing a roadstead he knew to be safe — he had once armed its batteries himself. The Route Napoléon still sets off from here, and the town restages the landing every year. Two centuries on, the geography is unchanged: a strategic shelter between Antibes and Cannes, facing the Îles de Lérins.
Three bodies of water:
- —Port Camille Rayon — commissioned in 1989, facing the Îles de Lérins (around 3 nautical miles off); 841 berths, from 6 m boats to 75 m yachts; harbour office keeping watch on VHF channel 9; SHOM charts 5122 and 7205. Draught in the order of 5 metres according to the nautical almanacs — figures pre-dating the D-Marin takeover, to be confirmed with the harbour office before any call.
- —Vieux Port — operated by the Nice Côte d'Azur Chamber of Commerce, manager since 1973, within the Riviera Ports network; around 796 berths; harbour office on Quai Saint-Pierre, watch on VHF channel 12; visiting yachts accepted up to roughly 39 metres under the official tariff grid. "Ports Propres" environmental certification.
- —Piton anchorage — the roadstead holds the only regulated anchorage for large yachts between Cannes and Cap d'Antibes, defined by order of the Maritime Prefect — the regulatory detail matters, more on it below.
A roadstead being
brought up to grade.
MB92 Golfe-Juan
The yard formally began operations on 19 February 2025 on the Port Camille Rayon side, in partnership with D-Marin: a new certified 240-tonne travelift, yachts up to 43 metres, 16 vessels handled at once. Over €5 million invested — a rebuilt hard-standing, some twenty serviced work stations (power, fibre, waste water, compressed air, potable water), around fifteen staff retained from the historic yard.
The D-Marin concession
D-Marin — an international group operating 27 marinas from the Mediterranean to the Persian Gulf — won the Port Camille Rayon concession in June 2024 for 25 years, through 30 June 2049. The programme: over €52 million of works and capacity raised to 859 berths, with construction announced from September 2026 to February 2028 — a schedule to factor into any call or wintering plan.
Haul-out & bunkering
The Vieux Port keeps two careening areas, on Quai Saint-Pierre and Quai Napoléon: a 16-tonne mobile crane to the east, a 15-tonne fixed crane to the west, 20 places for boats under 12 metres, run by FMES and RJ Marine — a service separate from the MB92 yard, and a useful one for tenders and chase boats. On the Camille Rayon side, a fuel station at the reception quay in front of the harbour office (hours to be checked with the port).
Four concrete missions.
Anchoring compliance at the Piton — Maritime Prefect order no. 157/2024 of 23 May 2024, amended by order no. 177/2026, requires vessels subject to authorisation — 45 metres LOA and above, or 300 UMS and above — to anchor in designated zones, the Piton among them; an extended zone there admits yachts from 24 to under 80 metres, with priority only over units below 24 metres. We fold these rules into the day-to-day running of the vessel: authorisation requests, captain's briefing on zone limits, and strict observance of the ban on anchoring over Posidonia seagrass beyond 24 metres — fines can reach €150,000.
Refit oversight at MB92 — for a yacht up to 43 metres, we hold the owner-yard interface through the yard period: quote framing, milestones, trials and acceptance. Time on the hard is also the right window for an ISM/ISPS pre-audit and a documentary reset before returning to service.
Calls and wintering away from the spotlight — a berth up to 75 metres, a harbour office on watch and a sheltered roadstead, without the berthing pressure of Cannes or Monaco: Golfe-Juan is our discreet positioning option between seasons — bunkering, routine maintenance and crew rotations handled in peace.
Planning around the 2026-2028 port works — the D-Marin works announced from September 2026 to February 2028 will disturb operations — and schedules of this kind can slip. For vessels under management we are arbitrating now: staying alongside, temporary relocation, or resynchronising yard periods with the construction phases.
A yacht in the Golfe-Juan roadstead, or an MB92 refit to frame?
Anchoring authorisation, a call at Port Camille Rayon, a yard period or a full mandate: our Le Cannet office follows this roadstead daily. Costed answer within 48 hours.
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