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The Cannes Yachting Festival 2017

Dubbed ‘the international rendezvous,’ the international Cannes Yachting Festival is a truly luxurious affair, with all manner of indulgent commodities on display in the Côte d’Azur’s most glamorous destination. Europe’s largest in-water boat show celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2017 and so, despite unfavourable weather conditions, the latest edition of the event was one of the biggest celebrations yet. As well as a grand selection of 600 luxury yachts, including 108 vessels making their world premiere, 516 exhibitors from across the world displayed their luxury wares to a discerning crowd across Port Pierre Canto and the Port of Cannes, including yacht brokers, shipyards and a range of other purveyors of luxury.

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A Special Occasion

The special 40th edition of the Cannes Yachting Festival was a special celebration indeed, with a range of activities and features marking the occasion. From Nice to Cannes, helicopters whirred overhead as they transported VIP guests to the popular beachfront destination, but helicopters were not the only form of aircraft in the skies. To celebrate the event’s 40th edition, Sunseeker sponsored the Royal Air Force Red Arrows to make an appearance and they brightened the sky with red, white and blue.

Video credit: Cannes Yachting Festival

The Main Attractions

For the second year running, the Palais des Festivals played host to the Luxury Gallery – a collection of exclusive exhibitors that specialize in yachting, crafts, and lifestyle. From fine watchmakers to innovative new tender manufacturers, jewellers, and sellers of luxury furniture, the various companies presented a host of lavish commodities to indulge the fancies of passersby. Exhibitors included Breitling, Velero, Lalique, Zannetti, and Retegui, to name but a few. The Luxury Gallery was one of the first ports of call for the show’s guests upon entrance, underpinning the affinity between yachting and luxury lifestyle. Elsewhere, Maserati displayed one of its latest models, the Maserati Quattroporte, with the Mediterranean Sea for a spectacular backdrop.

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For the event’s VIP guests, Maserati also offered a shuttle service to Nice International Airport. Not to be outdone, Bentley partnered with Princess Yachts to also display a luxury supercar of exceptional quality: the Continental GT Convertible Galene Edition by Mulliner, which took pride of place next to a row of superyachts.
As is often the case at the Cannes Yachting Festival, the Concours d’Elegance – a parade of small yachts and sophisticated seafarers – delighted the crowds with a selection of tenders, both old and new. Aston Martin took the opportunity to showcase their recent yachting venture, the AM37, yet it was the classic 1968 Riva Super Florida, Ksar, that stole the attention of the judges and clinched the title.

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Cannes: A Glamorous Destination

The glitzy resort town of Cannes is no stranger to the attention of the international jetset population. While the annual yacht show attracts approximately 50,000 guests each year, it is the Cannes Film Festival that steals the attention on Cannes’ cultural calendar. But the destination was seemingly designed for fame: palm trees characterise the lengthy Croisette, Cannes’ promenade; golden beaches attract those in search of the good life; and celebrated restaurants, nightclubs and hotels provide the infrastructure for unparalleled luxury. A trip to Cannes guarantees a memorable occasion. It is little wonder, then, that discerning travellers choose to arrive from the sky on helicopters from Nice to Cannes, catching a glimpse of the magnificent setting from above.

As this year’s edition of the Cannes Yachting Festival drew to a close, the international yachting community turned its attention to the Monaco Yacht Show – the next fixture on the yachting calendar.

Matthew Scott

Info sourced by the author for LuxuryActivist.com. All content is copyrighted with no reproduction rights available. Images are for illustration purposes only.