You don't need to be a millionaire to moor up in Monte Carlo!

Monaco is the most expensive city in the world. $1m dollars will buy you precisely 17 square metres of real estate – which is about the same floorspace as a 35 foot yacht – but there aren’t many 17 square metre mansions available to buy, so you’d better have deep pockets if you want to live there.

If you just wanted to visit, then that is also possible – if you’d like a nice hotel in the centre with a view overlooking the famous marina ‘Port Hercule’ (which is the centre of the city, then that’s possible for about €500 a night for a standard (basic) double room.

 The most expensive marina in the world... 

Maybe you could stay on a boat? Well, you might not feel too optimistic because Port Hercule has the moniker ‘the most expensive marina in the world’ – but that’s a statistic that’s based only on the maximum price for a SuperYacht to moor there full-time (their pricelist shows that it’s €83,000 a month (!) to moor up a 210m boat here).

 ...for less than the price of a hotel room! 

However, being municipal owned, the day-visitor rate for mooring up a (not Super) yacht is actually quite reasonable, and certainly a lot cheaper than if you tried to find a room for a night in a nearby hotel: the day rate for mooring up, say, a Bavaria C45 (45 feet / 14m) is just €130 a night from May to October (and cheaper outside of their high season).

Obviously €130 is expensive compared to Greece, say, but in Montecarlo terms, that’s less than a third of the price of a single (basic) hotel rooms for two people, overlooking the marina - but it’s for 4 cabins or hotel-rooms worth of people, and you’re not sat overlooking the marina, you’re actually IN the marina!

Catamarans can expect to pay +60% more, but the maths still stands up.

 Stay nearby from €34 a night! 

But ok, €130 is still too expensive for you – ok, well the marina next door (Fontvieille) which isn’t as famous) can put you up for €122, or, a little further round (but still within walking distance of Montecarlo (Port de Plaisance de Cap d’Ail), they’ll charge you just €90 for your 45 foot yacht for a night – dropping to an astonishing €37 a night if you sail there in October to April!

So don’t let the fame, the glamour and the luxury of Montecarlo scare you away – you can sail there, and spend time there, for way less than you think. And what’s more, you’ll love it!

 Sold it you yet? 

Be sure to check out our destination guides to find out a LOT more about sailing in France, or search in the pink box for yachts and catamarans in the French Riviera / Cote d'Azur with live pricing and availability, or contact our award-winning Customer team through LiveChat, UK Freephone or email!

 Want more like this? 

This is part of our 'Destination Highlights' week of blogs focussing on sailing in France - including What's so special about sailing the French Riviera, Moor up in Monaco for less than you think, Champagne moments in the French Riviera, and Top 3 anchorages in the French Riviera. You might also be interested in checking out our similar Destination Highlights: Croatia, Destination Highlights: Italy, Destination Highlights: Malta, Destination Highlights: Scotland, Destination Highlights: Bahamas and Destination Highlights: Spain blog series from previous months!