France’s Mediterranean cruise ports bring you different ways to enjoy the south coast, from busy Marseille to swanky Cannes. Marseille sees more than 1.7 million passengers each year as the country’s biggest cruise stop, whilst Nice lets you step straight into its lovely Old Town. When visiting Cannes, you’ll hop onto a tender boat to reach the glitzy heart of the French Riviera. Toulon’s docks are just a short walk from its historical centre, and Antibes shows off Europe’s largest yacht harbour. With naval museums and traditional Provençal markets dotted about, each port shares its own bit of France’s rich seafaring heritage.
Marseille’s cruise port – France’s biggest – sees more than 1.7 million passengers come through its three main terminals at Grand Port Maritime each year.
The MĂ´le LĂ©on Gourret and La Joliette terminals have straightforward boarding and nice facilities, whilst the newer J4/MPCT terminal handles the larger ships.
Getting to the city centre takes about 20 minutes from the port. You can hop on a shuttle bus or grab a taxi to see Marseille’s best bits, like the old Le Panier neighbourhood and Notre-Dame de la Garde basilica.
If you’re pressed for time, the lively Old Port area is nearest to the cruise terminals, with loads of seafood spots, cafes and local markets.
It’s worth sorting your transport ahead of time during busy season – things get quite hectic between April and October.
Nice’s Port Lympia sits along the French Riviera and lets cruise ships dock right in the middle of the CĂ´te d’Azur. The port is roughly 1.5 kilometres from the Old Town – an easy walk to most sights.
While smaller ships can dock at the port, larger vessels often drop anchor in the bay, with small boats ferrying passengers to and from the marina.
You’ll be just a short walk from the Promenade des Anglais, perfect for a wander along the Mediterranean seafront.
The port’s handy location means you’re near Castle Hill, with brilliant views across the bay, and the lovely Vieux Nice where you can explore winding streets and local markets.
If you’re pressed for time, grab the hop-on-hop-off bus outside the port – it’s a quick way to see Nice’s main attractions.
Large cruise ships can’t dock directly in Cannes as the harbour isn’t deep enough, so they drop anchor in the bay instead.
You’ll hop on a smaller tender boat to get to Quai Laubeuf, which puts you right in the heart of things.
Once you’re on dry land, you’ll find yourself just a stone’s throw from La Croisette – that lovely seafront stretch packed with posh shops and swanky hotels.
Fancy a bit of history? The old Le Suquet area is about 10 minutes on foot, with its winding cobbled streets.
Pop up to the 12th-century Notre-Dame d’EspĂ©rance church for brilliant views across the city.
Worth noting: getting to shore depends on the weather. If the sea’s too choppy, your ship might’ve to give Cannes a miss altogether, so keep an eye on the weather forecast before you sail.
Unlike Cannes where you need to catch tender boats, at Toulon your ship docks right at Quai Fournel terminal.
It’s brilliant – you’re only a 10-minute walk from the heart of town, where you can wander through Toulon’s fascinating naval heritage and soak up its lovely Provençal atmosphere.
From where your ship moors, you can easily get to:
If you’re pushed for time, grab a seat on the tourist train right from the terminal – it’s a handy 45-minute spin around town.
Make sure you take a walk along the waterfront promenade too – you’ll find plenty of local spots serving fresh seafood and proper French cooking.
Most cruise ships can’t fit in Antibes’ port, so you’ll drop anchor in the bay and hop on tender boats to Port Vauban – Europe’s biggest yacht harbour.
The tender journey gives you brilliant views of posh boats and the old town walls from the 1500s.
Once you’re at Port Vauban, you’re right next to Antibes’ lovely old town.
Pop into the Picasso Museum in Château Grimaldi – the famous artist worked there in 1946.
Have a wander through the Provençal market at Cours Massena to see lovely local fruit, veg and flowers, then get lost in the twisty cobbled streets full of shops and cafes.
If you fancy a swim, Plage de la Gravette beach is right in the centre.
For a nice walk, head to Cap d’Antibes where you can follow the coastal path past fancy houses with gorgeous Mediterranean sea views.
St. Tropez’s posh harbour can’t fit big cruise ships, so vessels drop anchor in the bay instead.
You’ll hop on a tender boat to reach the shore – it’s a lovely 15-minute ride with brilliant views of the French Riviera.
When you land, you’re right in the heart of one of Europe’s swankiest holiday spots.
The town’s quite compact, so it’s dead easy to walk around and see the main bits:
For a proper St. Tropez day out, wander through the narrow lanes of La Ponche quarter, pop into posh shops, or head to the famous Pampelonne Beach – just grab a taxi and you’re there in no time.
Bandol sits right on France’s southern coast with a small but lovely port that takes in cruise ships. The area is well-known for its wines, and you’ll find gorgeous beaches and vineyards all around. Your ship will dock at the marina alongside smaller cruise boats and fancy yachts.
When you step off the ship, you’re moments from the town centre’s lively markets and brilliant seafood spots. You can wander down the palm-tree lined promenade or pop into the local wineries, which are famous for their full-bodied reds made from Mourvèdre grapes.
Fancy a swim? Renécros Beach is just a 10-minute walk from where you dock.
If you’re after day trips, you can join wine-tasting tours, nip over to the medieval village of Le Castellet, or have a look round Sanary-sur-Mer’s lovely fishing harbour.
At the port itself, you’ll find the basics – tourist info and taxis when you need them.
Located on the French Riviera between Marseille and Toulon, Sanary-sur-Mer is a lovely spot where cruise ships pull into its charming Provençal port.
The small fishing village feels more genuinely French than its swanky neighbours. The harbour is full of bright fishing boats, and you’ll spot local fishermen selling their catch along the palm-lined promenade.
Must-sees in Sanary-sur-Mer:
Your ship will either dock at the deep-water port or drop anchor offshore, with smaller boats ferrying you to the town centre.
Since everything’s quite close together, you can easily walk to all the main sights.
Beautiful Villefranche-sur-Mer lies between Nice and Monaco, boasting one of the Mediterranean’s deepest natural harbours. Your ship will drop anchor in the bay, with tender boats ferrying you to the town’s main dock.
Once there, you’ll be moments from the lovely Old Town, where narrow cobblestone streets wind between pastel-coloured buildings. You might fancy exploring the 16th-century Citadelle Saint-Elme, popping into the Chapel of Saint Pierre with its Jean Cocteau decorations, or sitting back at one of the waterfront cafĂ©s along the Quai Courbet.
The train station is just a 10-minute stroll from the tender pier, making it brilliant for trips to Nice, Monaco, or other spots along the French Riviera. In summer, the pebbly Plage des Marinières is brilliant for a swim and a bit of sunbathing.
You’ll get the smoothest sailing on Mediterranean waters from June through August. The summer months give you lovely calm seas with hardly any waves, so you can really enjoy your time on board without too much rocking about.
You won’t need to speak French when visiting French ports on a cruise. Though it’s nice to learn a few simple French words and phrases, the ports are well set up for tourists, and most workers can speak English. If you go on organised trips from your ship, you’ll get English-speaking tour guides.
Looking for wheelchair-friendly French ports? Nice and Marseille make things easy – both have up-to-date terminals, flat paths and brilliant access for wheelchairs. Best steer clear of Cannes though, as you’ll need to use small tender boats to get ashore, which can be a bit of a hassle.
When there’s a strike on, your cruise plans could go pear-shaped at the last minute. Strikes by port staff might mean your ship has to give certain ports a miss, and if public transport workers walk out, it could mess up your day trips and getting to and from the airport.
Tipping your tour guide is pretty straightforward, really. Pop them €5-10 per person for tours lasting half a day, or €10-20 if they’ve been showing you around all day.
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