Pampelonne is the most famous beach on the French Riviera — and one of the most difficult to access by road. Five kilometers of fine sand between Pointe du Capon and Cap Taillat, with no coastal road and virtually no parking in high season. Result: the best establishments at Pampelonne — Club 55, Nikki Beach, Bagatelle, Verde Beach — are accessible smoothly and comfortably only from the sea.
This is precisely why yacht charter in Saint-Tropez with a quality tender fundamentally changes the Pampelonne experience. From a superyacht anchored 300-500 meters offshore, your crew drops you off by tender directly at your beach club’s pontoon in just a few minutes — no car, no parking, no queue.
This guide details the essential beach clubs of Pampelonne, their tender access from an anchorage in the Gulf, and everything you need to know to organize your days on board and ashore.
The Pampelonne Anchorage — What You Need to Know
Anchorage Zones
Pampelonne Bay offers several anchorage zones depending on your yacht’s LOA and daily conditions:
North anchorage (facing Club 55) — depth of 5 to 8 meters, sandy bottom, excellent anchor holding. The preferred position for 30 to 45-meter superyachts seeking proximity to Club 55 and Nikki Beach. Distance to shore: 300 to 500 meters depending on exact position.
Central anchorage (facing Bagatelle/Verde Beach) — depth of 6 to 10 meters. Slightly more exposed to easterly winds, but excellent position for beach clubs in the central part of the beach.
South anchorage (facing Cap Taillat) — depth of 8 to 15 meters. Quieter and less frequented zone — ideal for swimming and snorkeling days, at reasonable tender distance from beach clubs.
Draft — Key Criterion
Some Pampelonne anchorages have draft constraints — yachts with more than 3 meters of draft must remain in deep water. Our ABELY (OCEA 33 m, draft 2 meters) and our ASCENSION (Couach 37 m, draft 2 meters) access anchorage zones close to shore. Our ANNAMIA (Baglietto 43 m) and our RAY (Numarine 32XP, draft 2.71 m) remain in deep water with longer but perfectly manageable tender rotations.
Pampelonne Beach Clubs — Complete Guide
Club 55 — The Institution Since 1955
Club 55 is the most legendary beach club on the French Riviera. Opened in 1955 during the filming of “And God Created Woman” with Brigitte Bardot, it has spanned seven decades without ever losing its institutional status. Lunch at Club 55 is a ritual — a table under the umbrella pines, generous Provençal cuisine, an international clientele that returns year after year.
Tender access: dedicated pontoon at the club entrance, accessible directly from your anchorage in 3 to 5 minutes. Your crew drops you off, departs with the tender and returns at your desired time.
Reservation: essential in high season (July-August) — 3 to 6 weeks in advance for large tables. Our team handles reservations for our charter clients — a concrete operational advantage against the waiting list.
Hours: lunch only, from 12:00 PM to approximately 3:30 PM. No dinner service.
Lunch budget: €80 to €150 per person excluding wines — the cuisine is generous and the quality of products remarkable.
Nikki Beach — International Atmosphere
Nikki Beach Saint-Tropez is the reference for festive music-filled days at Pampelonne. Where Club 55 is Provençal and discreet, Nikki Beach is international and lively — DJ during the day, Champagne bottles on tables, clientele aged 25 to 45 from across Europe.
Tender access: pontoon accessible directly from the anchorage facing the club.
Reservation: mandatory in high season for beach tables. Days with “foam parties” and special events must be reserved weeks in advance.
Hours: 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM in season.
Budget: €50 to €100 per person for a standard day — increases rapidly with bottles and VIP tables.
Bagatelle — Gastronomy and Art of Living
Bagatelle is the establishment that modernized Pampelonne. Born in Paris, the Bagatelle concept combines serious gastronomy, a botanical setting and refined musical ambiance — an alternative to Club 55 for those seeking culinary excellence without nostalgia.
Tender access: accessible pontoon, central position on Pampelonne beach.
Reservation: recommended, shorter lead times than Club 55.
Hours: lunch and dinner in season.
Lunch budget: €100 to €180 per person.
Verde Beach — The Premium Newcomer
Verde Beach is the most recent arrival at Pampelonne — lush botanical décor, attentive service, premium lifestyle clientele. For those who want Pampelonne without the crowds of the most famous establishments.
Tender access: pontoon accessible directly from the anchorage.
Reservation: shorter lead times than historic establishments — an opportunity in high season when others are fully booked.
The Ideal Organization of a Pampelonne Day from Your Yacht
8:00 AM — Breakfast on Board
The onboard chef prepares breakfast on the main deck while your captain positions the vessel in the Pampelonne anchorage. Pampelonne Bay at 8:00 AM — before the arrival of the first beachgoers — is one of the most beautiful natural spectacles on the French Riviera.
10:30 AM — First Tender Rotation
Your crew takes the first members of the group ashore. Swimming from the beach club pontoon, settling on sun loungers, first order. The tender remains available for on-demand rotations.
12:30 PM — Lunch at the Beach Club
Table reserved weeks in advance. Lunch lasting 2 to 3 hours — the Pampelonne pace is not that of a Parisian business lunch.
3:30 PM — Return on Board or Swimming
Return on board by tender for naps on deck and swimming from the swim platform. Or continue ashore for festive afternoons at Nikki Beach.
7:00 PM — Dinner on Board
The onboard chef prepares dinner on board — the most exclusive moment of the day. The sun sets over the Gulf, the lights of Saint-Tropez begin to shine on the horizon, and you dine on the deck of a superyacht anchored in Pampelonne Bay.
The Tender — The Most Important Equipment for Pampelonne
For an anchorage destination like Pampelonne, the quality of the onboard tender is as important as that of the yacht itself. An unsuitable tender — too small, too slow, or poorly maintained — transforms the Pampelonne experience into tedious logistics.
What you need: a 4 to 6-meter RIB with minimum 60 HP engine, capable of comfortably transporting 6 to 8 people and navigating in light swell. Our vessels all carry tenders suited to their LOA — the RAY (Numarine 32XP) carries a 7-meter RIB, the ANNAMIA a Williams tender.
Rotation management: a deckhand is dedicated to tender rotations throughout the day. Each group member can request a rotation at any time — return on board to retrieve a forgotten item, drop-off on the beach outside lunch hours, transfer to another beach club.
Pampelonne vs Other Gulf Anchorages
Pampelonne is the best-known anchorage destination in the Gulf of Saint-Tropez — but not the only one. Our yacht charter Saint-Tropez page details all Gulf anchorages:
Cap Taillat — protected natural area at the tip of the peninsula. Turquoise waters, white sand bottom, no construction ashore. The antithesis of Pampelonne — no beach club, no music, only nature. Accessible in 10 minutes by tender from the Pampelonne anchorage.
Sainte-Maxime — calm roadstead facing Saint-Tropez. Ideal during heavy summer traffic in the Gulf or strong mistral winds. Access to Sainte-Maxime port by tender.
Book Your Yacht for Pampelonne
The Pampelonne season runs from June to September. July and August are the most requested months — book 3 to 6 months in advance for this period. June and September offer a comparable experience with fewer crowds and more accessible rates.
Contact International Yachts Charter and Brokerage to receive a selection of vessels suited to navigation in the Gulf of Saint-Tropez and a detailed APA quote within 48 hours.
