Private Boat Charter including Water Sports in Bay of St Tropez

The best part of this private St Tropez boat charter is control. You can cruise past the port, stop for a swim, try waterskiing, or spend more time at a quiet bay instead of following a fixed group schedule. The captain can suggest places, but your group helps shape the day.

I like the free water-sports equipment, which includes paddleboards, snorkels, wakeboards, waterskis, towable tubes, and buoyancy aids. I also like the price structure: $145 covers up to six people, making this far better value for a full family or group than a per-person cruise.

The catch is the fuel surcharge. You pay a $150 fuel deposit, and fast towing activities can use about €40 per hour, while gentle cruising costs about €15 per hour. The base price is attractive, but you should allow for fuel and bring your own food and drinks.

Key points to know before you book

• Private boat for up to six: Your group has the boat and captain to itself, with no strangers shaping the pace.
• Marines de Cogolin is the free departure point: Pickups from St Tropez, St Maxime, or Port Grimaud cost an extra €50.
• The water sports are included: Use paddleboards, snorkels, wakeboards, waterskis, tubes, and buoyancy aids at no extra equipment charge.
• The route is flexible: Visit St Tropez harbor, Graniers, Canoubiers, and Port Grimaud, or adjust the balance between cruising, swimming, and play.
• Fuel affects the final cost: High-speed towing uses much more fuel than stopping in bays or cruising slowly.
• Bring lunch and drinks: The boat provides ice, water, glasses, and a coolbox, but food and other drinks are your responsibility.

Why a private boat works so well in St Tropez Bay

St Tropez Bay is best enjoyed from the water. From a boat, you see the famous port, beach coves, villas, restaurants, and small harbor towns as parts of one connected shoreline. You also avoid spending the whole day moving between beaches by road.

This charter is especially useful if your group has mixed interests. One person can snorkel, another can paddleboard, and someone else can simply sit on the boat and enjoy the view. With a private captain, you do not need to accept the pace or activity choices of a large excursion.

The boat departs from Marines de Cogolin, with pickup available from St Tropez, St Maxime, or Port Grimaud for €50. That extra charge may be worthwhile if you are already staying near one of those ports, but Marines de Cogolin is the better-value choice if you can reach it easily.

The experience is described as roughly six hours, while the main water portion is presented as about four hours. Treat that as a flexible half-day or extended outing rather than a tightly timed sightseeing cruise. Stops can run longer if your group is swimming or eating, and the captain can adjust the pace to suit you.

Starting at Marines de Cogolin

Marines de Cogolin is the normal departure and return point. Starting here avoids the €50 collection fee charged for departures from St Tropez, St Maxime, or Port Grimaud. If you have a car or can arrange transport to Cogolin, this is the simplest way to protect the value of the booking.

The boat is private for your group, with space for up to six passengers. That number matters. A family of six or a group of friends can split the $145 base cost, bringing the price to roughly $24 per person before fuel. A couple pays much more per person, but gains a private captain, flexible timing, and use of several kinds of equipment.

You should have a moderate level of physical fitness. The day may include swimming, snorkeling, paddleboarding, waterskiing, wakeboarding, or riding a towable tube. Buoyancy aids are provided, but you should still be comfortable around the water and ready for active periods.

Port of Saint Tropez: superyachts and waterfront style

The first stop is Port de Saint Tropez, where you get a close look at the harbor and its famous waterfront. Allow about 30 minutes here. From the boat, you can take in the large yachts, quay-side bars, and the polished side of this well-known resort.

This is a good opening stop because it gives you a quick sense of place without using up the best swimming time. St Tropez is famous for its social scene, but the harbor can feel more like a parade of expensive boats than an intimate coastal village. If you have already explored the port on foot, ask to keep this stop brief.

The boat also gives you a different view of the town. Instead of looking out toward the bay from the quayside, you look back at the waterfront from open water. That change of angle is one of the simple pleasures of the trip.

Plage des Graniers: a practical swimming stop

At Plage des Graniers, the boat can anchor for swimming and snorkeling. Plan on about an hour, though the private format means your group can decide how long to stay. This is the kind of stop where the charter makes more sense than a standard sightseeing cruise, since you can actually use the water rather than just look at it.

You can bring your own mask and snorkel, but the boat supplies snorkeling equipment and buoyancy aids. You might find the water conditions more useful for a relaxed swim than for serious underwater sightseeing, since the point here is easy access to the bay and time in the water.

There is also a beach restaurant option. A tender boat can collect you and take you to the beach bar, or the captain can arrange a restaurant table if you want to eat here. This adds flexibility, but it also means the stop may take longer than planned. If you want a full meal, tell the captain early so the timing can be adjusted.

The practical alternative is to bring your own lunch. Food and drinks are not included, but you can place them in the boat’s coolbox. Ice, water, and glasses are provided. Packing sandwiches, fruit, and drinks is likely to be easier and less costly than arranging a restaurant stop during a water-sports day.

Plage des Canoubiers and Millionaires Bay

The next stop is Baie de Canebiers, also called Plage des Canoubiers or Millionaires Bay. The boat moors here for another hour, giving you time to swim, snorkel, or paddleboard around the boat.

This stop brings together the main strengths of the charter. You are not simply dropped at a beach with a short time limit. You can stay near the boat, choose your own activity, and switch from snorkeling to paddleboarding without arranging another rental.

The bay is also associated with one of St Tropez’s famous residents, whose home can be seen from the water. The attraction is less about a formal sight and more about the setting: a stylish residential shoreline viewed from a boat, with no need to battle beach traffic.

If your group includes beginners, paddleboarding may be the easiest way to get active without committing to a high-speed tow. Waterskiing and wakeboarding demand more balance and strength, while a paddleboard offers a slower way to enjoy the bay. Ask the captain how to divide the equipment time so that everyone gets a fair turn.

Port Grimaud, the Little Venice of France

Port Grimaud gives the day a change of pace. Known as the Little Venice of France, this canal-filled village is a place to leave the boat and walk around. The planned stop is about an hour, with time for lunch, an ice cream, or a beer.

After swimming and high-speed activities, a short shore visit can be welcome. You get to stretch your legs, see the canals from land, and take a break from the sun. It also gives people in your group who are less interested in water sports something distinctive to enjoy.

The drawback is that an hour passes quickly. If you want a proper meal and a walk through the village, you may need to reduce time elsewhere. Port Grimaud is also easy to overpack into a short stop, so decide in advance if your priority is food, a stroll, or simply seeing the canals.

The route can be changed, so you are not required to treat every stop as a fixed appointment. Still, the more time you spend ashore, the less time remains for swimming and equipment. That tradeoff is worth discussing with the captain at the start.

Included water sports, from paddleboards to towable tubes

The equipment list is a major reason to consider this charter. You can use:

• Stand-up paddleboards
• Snorkels
• Wakeboards
• Waterskis
• Inflatable towable tubes
• Buoyancy aids

A family of six can build a varied day around this selection. The group can begin with a quiet swim, move to paddleboarding, then finish with a more energetic towable ride. One family outing used waterskiing, snorkeling, stand-up paddleboarding, and tubing in the same day, which gives you a useful idea of how much variety is possible.

High-speed sports come with a cost beyond energy. Wakeboarding, waterskiing, and towable tubes use about €40 per hour in fuel when the boat is working hard. Gentle cruising uses about €15 per hour, and sitting in a bay uses no fuel. If you want to keep the final bill down, spend more time anchored and use the fast equipment selectively.

The captain is central to the quality of the day. Sirio is named as one of the hosts, and the available feedback specifically praises his friendly approach and ability to keep a family group involved. The captain’s job here is not just to steer. He helps manage the route, equipment, safety, and changing energy levels within your group.

Understanding the $145 price and fuel deposit

At $145 for up to six people, the base cost is appealing. For a full group, it is a low per-person price for a private boat and several water sports. For two people, the same price is less of a bargain, though privacy and flexibility may still justify it.

The fuel arrangement needs careful attention. A €150 fuel deposit is collected before departure. If the boat uses less fuel, the difference is returned after the trip. If fuel use exceeds the deposit, the shortfall is invoiced at the end.

The supplied guide figures help you estimate the total:

• Gentle cruising: about €15 per hour
• Wakeboarding, waterskiing, or towable tubes: about €40 per hour
• Stopping in bays: no fuel use

You cannot know the final fuel amount in advance because it depends on your route and activity choices. That is not a reason to avoid the trip, but it is a reason to discuss the plan before leaving. If you want a quieter day, say so. If your group mainly wants tubing and wakeboarding, budget accordingly.

Food and drinks are not included. The boat supplies ice, water, glasses, and a coolbox, so a packed lunch is practical. Departures from St Tropez, St Maxime, and Port Grimaud add €50, while Marines de Cogolin has no collection fee.

Who will get the most from this charter

This is a strong choice for families and friend groups that want several activities in one outing. Six people can make the price work well, and the private format lets you pause when someone needs a rest or change plans when the weather and mood shift.

It also suits active couples who care more about time on the water than a formal tour narration. You can ask for local suggestions, but you are not paying for a lecture-heavy sightseeing program. The main product is access, flexibility, equipment, and a captain who handles the boat.

It is less suitable if you want a cheap, quiet harbor cruise with no extra charges. The fuel deposit and possible final invoice require some planning. It may also disappoint anyone expecting a full day of historic commentary, since the focus is on water time, swimming, sports, and coastal stops.

Good weather is required. If poor weather cancels the outing, you can choose another date or receive a full refund. For your own plans, avoid booking this as the one nonreplaceable event of a short visit unless you have room to move it.

Should you book this St Tropez boat day?

Book it if you have up to six people, want active time on the water, and like the idea of choosing your own mix of sightseeing and sports. The strongest value comes from using the included equipment and sharing the base price across a full group.

Before booking, confirm your departure port, ask how the day’s timing will be handled, and set a fuel budget based on your preferred activities. Bring food and drinks for the coolbox unless you specifically want a beach restaurant stop.

I would choose Marines de Cogolin for the best price, keep the port visit fairly short, and save plenty of time for Graniers, Canoubiers, and the included sports. If your group wants a private, energetic day with room for both St Tropez scenery and real time in the water, this is a smart pick.

FAQ

How long does the private boat charter last?

The experience lasts approximately six hours, with about four hours described as time on the water. The exact balance can vary because the charter is customizable.

How many people can join the boat trip?

The price covers a private group of up to six passengers.

Where does the boat depart?

The standard departure and return point is Marines de Cogolin.

Can I depart from St Tropez, St Maxime, or Port Grimaud?

Yes. Pickup from St Tropez, St Maxime, or Port Grimaud is available for an additional €50. You need to request the alternative port when booking.

Is the water-sports equipment included?

Yes. The charter includes wakeboards, waterskis, stand-up paddleboards, inflatable towable tubes, snorkels, and buoyancy aids.

Do I need to bring food and drinks?

Yes, unless you arrange a restaurant stop. Food and drinks are not included, but you can bring them for the coolbox. Ice, water, and glasses are provided.

How does the fuel surcharge work?

A €150 fuel deposit is collected before the trip. Any unused amount is returned afterward, while any shortfall is invoiced at the end. Gentle cruising uses about €15 per hour, and high-speed towing activities use about €40 per hour.

What happens if bad weather cancels the trip?

You can choose a different date or receive a full refund if the experience is canceled because of poor weather. You can also cancel for a full refund if you do so at least 24 hours before the start time.