Théoule-sur-Mer
Deep-red volcanic cliffs into clear blue water — the wild, quiet counterpoint to Cannes glamour.
The red-rock corniche
Théoule-sur-Mer is a small resort on the Esterel corniche just west of Cannes, where deep-red volcanic cliffs plunge straight into clear blue water. It marks the start of the wildest, most colourful stretch of the Côte d'Azur — a coast of hidden calanques, pine and porphyry, with far fewer boats than the eastern Riviera.
For a yacht, Théoule and the Esterel beyond it are about scenery and solitude: anchor below the red cliffs, swim in transparent water, and feel the contrast with the glamour of Cannes just around the headland. It is the quiet, dramatic counterpoint to a Lérins or Cap d'Antibes day.
A westward cruise from Cannes along this coast rewards anyone who would rather have an anchorage to themselves than share the eastern bays. The light on the red porphyry at the end of the day is reason enough to point the bow this way.