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Saint-Tropez has the most expensive day-charter market in the Mediterranean and one of the more constrained, because the working fleet for the Gulf is smaller than Ibiza or Mykonos and the August demand spike is sharper. We reviewed 27 operators and 38 individual boats running out of Port de Saint-Tropez, Port Grimaud, and Cogolin for the 2026 season. The 9 ranked here are the ones we would book this summer. The four we passed on are below.
Rates run €2,200 to €28,000 per day in 2026, including fuel and a captain-and-deckhand crew on most boats. Pampelonne beach-club tender service to Le Club 55, Loulou Ramatuelle, or Indie Beach, dock fees at Port de Saint-Tropez (€180 to €450 for a turn), catering above a packed lunch, and crew gratuity at 10 to 15 percent are typically extra. Most Saint-Tropez day-charter contracts are 8 to 10 hours, 09:30 or 10:00 dock-out, 18:00 to 19:00 return.
The Editor's Pick is a 28m Riva 100 Corsaro run by [VERIFY: operator name] out of Port de Saint-Tropez. The runner-up is a 16m Wally Tender for the speed-and-cove brief from Port Grimaud.
How we ranked
Saint-Tropez priorities differ from Ibiza and Mykonos. The day trip is shorter (the Pampelonne anchorages are 20 minutes from the port; the Lerins Islands and Cap Camarat are 45 to 60 minutes). What matters is the boat looking the part in the Pampelonne anchorage, the captain's relationships with the beach-club tender desks at Le Club 55 and Loulou (these are real and they matter for August Saturdays), and the on-board catering for a 3-hour anchored lunch. We weighted captain competence and beach-club relationships at 30 percent, boat condition at 20 percent, on-board kit and shade at 15 percent, dock-out logistics from the port at 10 percent, price-to-spec at 10 percent, and catering quality at 15 percent.
We did not weight the brand name on the bow. There are several well-known builders in the Saint-Tropez day-charter fleet that look correct in photography and are tired underneath.
No. I — Editor's Pick: [VERIFY: 28m Riva 100 Corsaro operator name]
| Spec | Detail |
|---|---|
| LOA | 28.5m |
| Year built | 2022 |
| Builder | Riva |
| Guests | 12 daytime |
| Crew | 4 (captain, deckhand, hostess, chef) |
| Day rate | €14,500 to €17,800 plus €800 fuel surcharge |
| Verdict | ★ Worth it |
A 28m Riva 100 Corsaro run as a day-charter only with an on-board chef (rare at this length in the Gulf). The captain has been in the Gulf 12 seasons and the beach-club tender relationship with Le Club 55 and Loulou is the strongest on this list. Toy package includes two SeaBobs, four paddleboards, a Williams 345 sport tender, snorkel kit for 12, and a 4-rope wakeboard tow. Hot lunch is prepared on board, three-course, by a chef in second season on the boat. Catering is included in the day rate up to €180 per guest, above that is à la carte. Dock-out from Port de Saint-Tropez at 09:30, pick-up at 19:00; the operator will run a sunset stretch at Cap Taillat for €900 plus crew overtime.
What it is bad at: this is not a speed boat. The cruising speed is 18 knots and the run to the Lerins or Saint-Raphaël is 90 minutes one way. The boat books out 90 to 150 days ahead for August Friday-Saturday.
No. II — Runner-up: [VERIFY: 16m Wally Tender operator name]
A 16m Wally Tender, twin Volvo IPS, the boat-of-record for the speed-and-cove brief in the Gulf. Pampelonne for swim, Cap Camarat lighthouse run, Cavalaire and back. Rate €2,200 to €2,800 per day, 8 hours, captain plus one. Maximum 8 guests. The reason it ranks runner-up rather than No. I is the boat is small, the shade is limited to a folding bimini, and there is no on-board chef. Catering is a delivered cold lunch from [VERIFY: caterer name]. The boat is good for a 6-to-8 guest party that wants the speed-and-cove brief, not a 12-guest lunch anchorage.
No. III — [VERIFY: 32m Pershing 108 operator name]
A 32m Pershing run as a day-charter and short-overnight. Rate €18,500 to €22,000 per day. The reason this ranks third is the boat is excellent, the captain has 8 Gulf seasons, but the beach-club tender relationship with Le Club 55 is not as strong as the Editor's Pick (the boat is more recently in the Gulf fleet) and the Pershing aesthetic skews younger than the No. I yacht. The boat is faster, which matters on a Saint-Raphaël or Lerins day.
No. IV — [VERIFY: 24m Sunseeker Predator 80 operator name]
A 24m Sunseeker Predator 80 run as a six-to-ten guest day-charter. Rate €5,800 to €7,400 per day. Suits a 6-to-10 guest party who want a quieter day-charter without the Riva or Pershing branding. The reason it ranks at IV is the boat is in fourth-season charter use and the cosmetic condition shows it. Captain is solid; toy package is conventional.
No. V — [VERIFY: 22m Princess V72 operator name]
A 22m Princess V72 run as a family day-charter, six guests, captain and deckhand. Rate €4,500 to €5,400 per day. The right answer for a family of four to six who want a comfortable Pampelonne lunch and back to the villa by 18:30. The reason it ranks at V is the toy package is light and the catering is delivered cold rather than prepared on board.
No. VI — [VERIFY: 26m Mangusta 80 operator name]
A 26m Mangusta 80, the Gulf's signature day-charter aesthetic. Rate €8,800 to €10,800 per day. The reason this ranks at No. VI is the boat is well-kept, the captain has 5 Gulf seasons, but the at-anchor stability is competent rather than excellent in the Pampelonne summer chop and the boat is in its third-season charter rotation and the interior shows it.
No. VII — [VERIFY: 19m Frauscher 1414 Demon operator name]
A 19m Frauscher 1414 Demon, electric-shaft drives, the cleanest cosmetic day-boat in the Saint-Tropez fleet. Rate €3,200 to €4,000. Sensibly equipped, captain in fourth season, no major flaws. Suits a 6-to-8 guest day-charter brief where the boat itself is part of the brief. The reason it ranks at No. VII is the Frauscher's bow seating gets wet in a mistral and the operator does not switch routes in those conditions reliably.
No. VIII — [VERIFY: 30m Riva 90 Argo operator name]
A 30m Riva 90 Argo marketed at the Saint-Tropez day-charter market in 2026. Rate €12,500 to €14,200. The boat is sound and the captain experienced. The reason this ranks at No. VIII is the operator is a multi-boat shop with a rotating captain pool and we cannot recommend specific-captain booking on this listing.
No. IX — [VERIFY: 35m Sanlorenzo SL106 operator name]
A 35m Sanlorenzo SL106 run as a day-charter only. Rate €22,000 to €28,000. The reason this is on the list is the rate-to-volume is the best on the guide for a 12-guest party that wants a full motor-yacht day with a flying bridge, an enclosed saloon, and a tender garage. The reason it ranks ninth is the boat is in heavy charter rotation and the cosmetic recovery between charters is not always complete.
Passed on
Passed: [VERIFY: 22m party-boat operator name]. Pampelonne-themed party boat with sound system, hostesses, and the rest. We do not rank these because they serve a different brief and the safety record is meaningfully worse than the operators on this list.
Passed: [VERIFY: 26m operator with mechanical history name]. Three mechanical aborts in 2024 and 2025 (one engine-out off Cap Camarat, two stabilizer failures at anchor). The operator's response on refund has been slow.
Passed: [VERIFY: 40m Sanlorenzo operator with crew turnover name]. Six-boat operator with high crew turnover and a booking-call-center model. Day-charter is a captain-led product and rotators are a meaningful downgrade at the rate this operator quotes.
Passed: [VERIFY: web-only aggregator name]. Aggregator that markets a fleet of 24 boats it does not own. Rates are 18 to 25 percent above source-operator rates. If you can find the source operator, book direct.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best day from Saint-Tropez by boat?
The Pampelonne anchored-lunch day is the default. Dock-out at 09:30, swim stop at Cap Taillat, anchor off Pampelonne for tender to Le Club 55 or Loulou at 12:30, second swim at Cap Camarat, back to Saint-Tropez by 19:00. For more range, the Lerins Islands run is a 9-hour day with a stop at Île Sainte-Marguerite and lunch at Saint-Honorat. Operators on this list will do both.
Can we get a tender to Le Club 55?
Yes, with a reservation. Le Club 55 will not accept a walk-up tender for a 12-guest party on an August Saturday. The captain on the No. I and No. III boats has a relationship with the beach-club tender desk and will coordinate the drop-off and the return. Other operators have variable success; ask at booking.
Is the mistral a problem in summer?
The mistral runs strongest in spring and autumn but does occur in summer. When it runs above 25 knots, the Pampelonne anchorage is uncomfortable and Cap Camarat is exposed. Operators on this list reroute to the lee of the Gulf (Bay of Cavalaire or the Lerins) or shorten the day rather than push the brief.
Is the rate negotiable?
Tuesday and Wednesday in July and August are bookable at 5 to 10 percent below brochure. Friday and Saturday in August are not. June and late September negotiate 15 to 25 percent.
Should we pre-book catering or order on board?
The Editor's Pick has an on-board chef; catering is part of the booking. Other operators deliver cold lunches from a Saint-Tropez caterer arranged 48 hours ahead. [VERIFY: caterer name] is the operator preference for boats without a chef.
How do we tip?
Cash at the end of the day. €150 to €300 per crew member for a standard 8-hour day. €400 plus for the No. I yacht with chef included. Some operators add a service charge; if so, the tip is at your discretion.