Can a French Riviera itinerary still promise the same anchorages?

Important inference: a yacht shorter than 45 metres is not necessarily outside the large-vessel regime, because the tonnage threshold is an alternative trigger. Ask for both measurements. (premar-mediterranee.gouv.fr)

Why should buyers distrust simplified anchoring summaries?

The official Ramatuelle text distinguishes seagrass, mooring-post sectors, sandy areas and a specifically defined sector for vessels from 24 metres to under 45 metres. It is therefore unsafe to reduce the rules to either “all anchoring is banned” or “a smaller yacht can anchor anywhere.” (flyn-yachting.com)

Trade reporting in July 2026 also warned that chart updates were lagging regulatory changes. That report is useful operational context, but the underlying orders—not a news article or a brochure map—should control the captain’s assessment. (superyachtnews.com)

What should change in the family’s decision brief?

Ask the captain to produce a short shore-access plan for each priority stop:

• Proposed lawful anchoring or mooring area.
• Any required authorisation or reservation.
• Expected tender transfer, with assumptions clearly stated.
• Boarding arrangements suitable for children or guests with limited mobility.
• A weather alternative and the effect on lunch, beach-club or shore-transfer bookings.
• Responsibility for extra berthing, tender or agency expenditure.

Treat “near Saint-Tropez” as an insufficient answer if easy shore access is a non-negotiable. The organiser need not interpret coordinates; the organiser needs confirmation that the yacht can lawfully deliver the intended experience.

Source limitation: the prefecture’s official index was checked, while detailed copies of the French orders were accessed through a specialist’s document mirror. Obtain the latest authority-issued versions for voyage planning.