The Cannes Yachting Festival (CYF) started its journey in 1977, when it entered the yachting scene under the name Salon de la Navigation de Plaisance and quickly captured the hearts of boating enthusiasts worldwide. It has shifted through so many guises since then, but today it is so much more than just a boat show, drawing everyone from hardcore yacht lovers to those who have never even stepped on a boat; from toy enthusiasts desperate to try out the latest standup paddleboards to glamour-pusses on a retail therapy mission. We went along last week to see what makes it so special – here are the Cannes Yachting Festival highlights for 2019.
Unique Cannes Yachting Festival highlights
Living the high life in the Luxury Gallery
Alongside approximately 638 boats split over two enchanting harbours – Port Canto and the Vieux Port – the CYF is also home to some of the finest luxury goods brands from all over the globe. Located inside the Palais des Festivals, the Luxury Gallery is dedicated to opulence, crafts and lifestyle, and is the perfect place to treat yourself. Whatever your passion, be it watches, jewellery, spirits, fashion and accessories, linen, decoration, furniture, design, art, or high-tech gadgets, you’ll find plenty to be excited about here.
Amongst our Cannes Yachting Festival highlights from the Luxury Gallery was Acqua dell’Elba, an innovative brand making exquisite textile fragrances that capture the essence of the sea, meaning you can feel like you’re on a yacht even in the most landlocked of places. We also loved Ivolpini’s display of beautiful antiques, where each product seemed truly unique. Meanwhile, creating bags crafted from recycled sailcloth, we fell in love with 727 Sailbags both from an eco-conscious and an innovative perspective – what could be cooler than carrying the same piece of material that helped sailors safely explore our oceans on your shoulder?
Exhilarating regattas and chic parades
This 42nd edition of the CYF also delivered on the range of exciting events that spanned its six days, with an increased focus on sailing designed to draw evermore sailing VIPs. We were blown away by La Regata, watching in awe from Port Canto as five teams competed in the bay of Cannes on small multihulls designed for speed.
The Concours d’Elegance also gave us a chance to reflect upon and celebrate the history of yachting on the French Riviera, parading some truly exquisite vintage and modern day-boats for the crowd of fans gathered on Festival Beach at the Vieux Port.
‘Design boats’ bring art to the forefront
Art fans also rejoiced as the Yachting Festival presented this year’s “design” selection of boats, illustrating the ever-greater influence of designers on the shipyards and showcasing some seriously stunning luxury vessels. Our Cannes Yachting Festivals highlights of design included the beautiful SIRENA 88 from Turkish shipyard Sirena Yachts, with elegant décor by German Frers and a panoramic Owner’s Suite, and the timeless Lagoon-built SIXTY 7, designed according to Leonardo de Vinci’s idea: “The greatest sophistication is simplicity”. However, there were so many true works of art at the show that it was nearly impossible to pick our favourites.
So there we have it – some of the more unique Cannes Yachting Festival highlights for 2019. If you want to be part of the action next year, why not check out villas for sale in the French Riviera with a seaview – who knows, you may end up being able to check out all the CYF excitement from your balcony?
