Countdown to Cannes 2025: Two Weeks Until the Cannes Yachting Festival Opens

This year, the Festival is defining what’s next for the industry. With 150 world premieres featuring the newest designs and game-changing technology, Cannes is the epicentre for those passionate about sailing, motor yachts, and the evolving art of yachting.

Festival Director Sylvie Ernoult captures the buzz perfectly:

'The Cannes Yachting Festival continues to be the platform where tradition meets innovation. This year, visitors will experience everything from luxurious motoryachts and elegant sailing vessels to revolutionary eco-friendly advances that are shaping sustainable yachting without compromising performance or style.'

Visitors will be immersed in the best of both worlds with carefully curated zones optimized to showcase every facet of yachting excellence.

At the historic Vieux Port, the spotlight falls on motor yachts, boasting an impressive fleet of 360 new vessels ranging from 12 to 45 metres, including sleek monohulls, versatile multihulls, and bold catamarans in the dedicated “Power Cat Village.” Visitors can explore a diverse range of premium equipment and dynamic service providers clustered on the Pantiero.

Meanwhile, Port Canto invites enthusiasts to discover the elegance of sailing, featuring around 125 new sailboats with an average length of 17 metres. The atmosphere is electrified by a dedicated water toys zone and the bustling Power Boat Marina. The brokerage sector here rounds off the offering with 45 pre-owned yachts measuring from 25 to 55 metres, making it a hotbed for serious buyers.

For the second year running, the Festival’s Innovation Route guides visitors along a trail of breakthrough eco-efficient technologies and ingenious design. A panel of nautical luminaries has spotlighted 40 standout projects ranging from enhanced navigation systems to alternative propulsion technologies and environmentally low-impact processes.

The four most revolutionary innovations will receive Innovation Route Awards on opening day, with a Special Jury Prize reserved for an exceptionally bold vision that pushes boundaries. This underscores Cannes’ commitment not only to tradition and luxury but also to stewardship of the seas.

Since its inception in 1977, the Cannes Yachting Festival has been the gold standard for Europe’s in-water boat shows, drawing tens of thousands of visitors and the crème de la crème of the yachting world annually. This festival is where elegance meets innovation, where shipyards and designers showcase their latest triumphs, and where trends are set that ripple throughout the global marine industry.