BOAT-COMPARATOR Guide

Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez 2026: watching the classic yacht parade from a rental boat

From 26 September to 4 October 2026, the 28th edition brings the world’s finest classic yachts to the gulf. Why these wooden hulls demand constant upkeep, and how to watch them from the water.

From 26 September to 4 October 2026, Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez marks its 28th edition in the gulf: several hundred classic yachts, from century-old tall ships to Class J giants, race side by side with modern International Rule yachts. A very different show from September’s SailGP, more contemplative, best enjoyed from a rented boat at a respectful distance from the course.

A yacht race, not just a parade

Despite the name, this is genuine competitive racing, split into several classes by the yachts’ age and type — the majestic Class J boats sail alongside more modest classic yachts. The Village des Voiles, open to the public on the harbourside, rounds out the programme ashore.

Wood, a material that forgives nothing

Many of these historic yachts have solid wooden hulls, a beautiful but vulnerable material at sea: marine biodeterioration research shows that wood-rotting fungi and wood-boring molluscs (including shipworms) can turn a submerged wooden plank into a perforated husk within just a few years without rigorous upkeep (Jones, Turner, Furtado & Kühne, Marine biodeteriogenic organisms I. Lignicolous fungi and bacteria and the wood boring Mollusca and Crustacea, International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation, 2001, see the study on Google Scholar). Hence the near-obsessive care given to these boats between regattas — frequent hauling out, treated timber, constant watch on the hull below the waterline.

Watching without getting in the way

The race course crosses much of the gulf: keep clear of the course marks and boats under way, especially close-hauled, when their path is hard to predict. Our guide to sailing regattas and how not to get in the way covers the right conduct around a racing fleet.

Planning the outing

Boat demand climbs sharply over this late-September to early-October window, one of the finest weather spells of the year on the Riviera: book ahead, and a RIB (€200-600/day) offers the best manoeuvrability for following the course without getting in the way. Boat-Comparator compares live offers from Boataround, SamBoat and Click&Boat in Saint-Tropez, and our guide to Saint-Tropez and Pampelonne rounds out the rest of the stay.

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