Cannes 2023: Europe’s largest in-water show opens with over 700 boats on display
The Cannes Yachting Festival has opened its gates today (12 September 2023) to welcome visitors from one end of the Croisette to the other.
For six days, at the heart of the French Riviera in the Bay of Cannes, more than 700 vessels ranging from 5 metres to 50 metres are on display from more than 610 exhibitors.
Organisers have promised major debuts and innovative engines for 2023, with world and European premieres taking place across the site.
Yachts and boats on display span monohulls, multihulls, sailing and motor vessels, including both rigid and semi-rigid hulls, and new or previously owned.
More than 120 boats that have just left their workshops for the first time are being launched on the water to make their world debut during the 2023 Cannes Yachting Festival. Alongside them, the areas on land are accommodating equipment suppliers, engine manufacturers, service companies and more.
“Today, Europe’s biggest in-water boat show is opening its doors,” says festival director Sylvie Ernoult. “My team and I are immensely proud to conceive and build a boat show of this scale. This year, we will have the pleasure of welcoming more than 700 boats – a record and a real technical challenge.
“As always, our main objective is to satisfy our customers, serve the marine industry and put on the best event possible for our visitors. We are set on giving each boat, brand, piece of equipment, and innovation the best showcase. I hope that our visitors will find the boat or equipment of their dreams and that the new products our teams are presenting will receive the best welcome.”
The boat show is organised into sectors by type of boat: around 540 motorboats are on display in the Vieux Port, with about 50 small boats starting at 8 metres long showcased in their new area in-water for the first time in a brand-new marina dedicated to them.
Port Canto welcomes the sailing world with 115 boats ranging from 10 to 30 metres, including around 30 new models, as well as the brokerage and charter area, the toys area dedicated to water toys and finally, the startup village, launched in 2021 in partnership with Mer Angels and BNP Paribas Banque Privée, to promote smart startups in the marine sector.
Several activities will take place daily at Port Canto, from Tuesday to Saturday (12-16 September 2023), from 5pm to 7pm, including on-water water toy demonstrations, a buy-one-get-one-free “happy hour” offer on drinks, and musical performances.
The Cannes Yachting Festival welcomes its Green Route back this year to create awareness among visitors of the show’s more eco-minded exhibitors, with more than 60 exhibitors showcasing eco-efficient solutions to reduce the marine industry’s environmental impact on the sea and marine ecosystems. The Green Route can be found in both ports.
