The cruise ship Norwegian Epic at anchor in the bay of Cannes, with small boats on a calm blue sea

Cruise port call · Bay of Cannes · French Riviera

Cannes shore excursion with a private chauffeur from Nice

Your ship anchors in the bay of Cannes and a tender brings you ashore: an OK VTC chauffeur is waiting to take you to Grasse, Saint-Paul-de-Vence or Antibes at your own pace. The day is planned backwards from your all-aboard time, with a margin to spare.

Port and landing
Bay of Cannes, ashore by tender
Typical programme
4 to 8 hours, depending on your call
Best for
Grasse, Saint-Paul-de-Vence, Antibes
Fare
Price per vehicle, on quotation

Why a private excursion

One port call, three very different Rivieras

Cruise ships calling at Cannes anchor in the bay, and passengers come ashore by tender, right in the heart of town. From there the Riviera opens in every direction: Grasse and its perfume houses in the hills, the fortified village of Saint-Paul-de-Vence, the sea ramparts of Antibes where Picasso worked in 1946, and the lanes of Mougins on the way. Each of them lies within about half an hour of the port, depending on traffic.

A port call leaves little room for error. With OK VTC, a private chauffeur meets you at the agreed point near the tender landing, follows the order of visits you choose and keeps an eye on the clock for you. The programme is built backwards from your all-aboard time, with a margin for the tender queue. On the last day of a cruise, the same car can end the day at Nice Côte d'Azur Airport.

On the programme

Five stops a port call in Cannes can combine

In a full day, three of them fit comfortably; we help you choose according to your time ashore and what you enjoy.

Cannes seen from the Suquet tower: red rooftops, the Vieux-Port marinas and the Croisette curving along the bay

01 · THE PORT

Cannes, the Croisette and Le Suquet

If your call is short, stay in town. The Croisette and the Palais des Festivals line the bay, and the old Suquet district climbs above the Vieux-Port to a medieval tower with a wide view over the bay and the Lérins Islands.

The old town of Grasse with its square medieval tower and the bell tower of the cathedral under a blue sky

02 · THE PERFUME

Grasse

About 20 km and 30 minutes from the port, depending on traffic, Grasse is the historic capital of perfume. Visit a perfume house such as Fragonard, Molinard or Galimard, then the old town and its cathedral, which holds three early paintings by Rubens.

The fortified village of Saint-Paul-de-Vence on its hill above olive trees, with the sea on the horizon

03 · THE HILLTOP VILLAGE

Saint-Paul-de-Vence

About 30 km and 30 minutes from the port, depending on traffic, this fortified village keeps its sixteenth-century ramparts, its galleries and its cobbled lanes. Marc Chagall rests in its cemetery, and the Fondation Maeght stands among the pines just outside.

The old town of Antibes and the towers of the Château Grimaldi above its sea walls, with snow-capped Alps behind

04 · THE OLD TOWN

Antibes and the Picasso Museum

About 15 km and 20 minutes from the port, depending on traffic, Antibes combines ramparts facing the sea, a covered Provençal market and Port Vauban. The Château Grimaldi, where Picasso worked in 1946, now houses the Picasso Museum.

Houses and the bell tower of Mougins above a flowering garden and cypress trees

05 · ON THE WAY

Mougins

About 5 km and 15 minutes from the port, depending on traffic, Mougins winds its lanes around the top of a hill, among galleries and well-known restaurants. Picasso spent the last years of his life here. An easy stop on the road to Grasse.

A typical port-call day

Grasse, Saint-Paul-de-Vence and Antibes, back with time to spare

An example built backwards from a 17:30 all-aboard time; timings, stops and margin are adjusted to your ship's schedule. Variant on disembarkation day: the day ends at Nice Côte d'Azur Airport instead of the ship.

Wooded hills of the Grasse countryside opening onto a wide valley under a summer sky
  1. 08:30 · CANNES

    Meeting near the tender landing

    Your chauffeur waits at the meeting point confirmed before the call, close to where the tenders come in. A quick check of your all-aboard time, water on board, then the road up into the hills.

  2. 09:00 · GRASSE

    Perfume house and old town

    A perfume house visit while it is still quiet, then the lanes of the old town and the cathedral. Your chauffeur waits at the agreed point and you set off again around 10:45.

  3. 11:30 · SAINT-PAUL-DE-VENCE

    Ramparts, galleries and lunch

    Drop-off at the closest permitted point to the village entrance. A walk along the ramparts and through the galleries, then lunch at your leisure before leaving around 13:45.

  4. 14:15 · ANTIBES

    Old town and Picasso Museum

    The ramparts facing the sea, the Picasso Museum in the Château Grimaldi and the lanes of the old town. Departure around 15:45 for the short drive back to Cannes.

  5. 16:15 · CANNES

    Back at the tender landing

    Drop-off at the meeting point well ahead of the last tender, here more than an hour before all-aboard. Variant on your last day: the chauffeur drives on to Nice Côte d'Azur Airport with your luggage.

The excursion loop

Up into the hills, back along the coast

  1. Cannes

    Tender landing

  2. Mougins

    Optional stop

  3. Grasse

    Perfume houses

  4. Saint-Paul-de-Vence

    Hilltop village

  5. Antibes

    Old town

  6. Cannes

    Back to the ship

Practical information

Planning a port call in Cannes

Ashore by tender

Ships anchor in the bay and the tenders run to a schedule set by the ship. Tell us when you expect to be ashore: the meeting time follows the tenders, not the other way round.

All-aboard margin

The last tender leaves before the all-aboard time shown in your daily programme. OK VTC plans the return with a margin, ideally at least an hour, and shortens a stop if needed.

What to send us

The ship's name, the date, your expected time ashore and all-aboard time, the number of guests, any child seats and any mobility needs. That is all we need to quote and plan.

Disembarkation day

If your cruise ends in Cannes, tell us how many suitcases you have: we plan a sedan or a van so your luggage travels with you, then drop you at Nice airport or your hotel.

Ship card and ID

Keep your ship card and photo ID with you all day: you need them to board the tender back to the ship. For a simple port-call day, leave large bags on board.

Contact on the day

You receive your chauffeur's name and phone number before the call. If the tenders run late, send a message: the chauffeur waits and we adjust the order of visits with you.

Yachts and sailing boats moored in the harbour of Antibes under an orange and blue dusk sky
The harbour of Antibes at nightfall

Our options

Three ways to spend your call in Cannes

HALF-DAY

Half-day excursion

About four hours from the tender landing: Grasse and Mougins, or Antibes and Saint-Paul-de-Vence, with an OK VTC chauffeur at your disposal and a return well before all-aboard.

Price per vehicle, on quotation

MOST REQUESTED

Full port-call day

Grasse, Saint-Paul-de-Vence and Antibes in one day with OK VTC, lunch at your leisure, the programme built backwards from your all-aboard time with a safety margin.

Price per vehicle, on quotation

END OF CRUISE

Excursion + Nice airport

On disembarkation day, your luggage in the vehicle, a few hours in Grasse, Saint-Paul-de-Vence or Antibes, then drop-off at Nice Côte d'Azur Airport, timed to your flight.

Price per vehicle, on quotation

Just need a transfer?

From A to B, without a tour

For a one-way or return trip without sightseeing, the route page covers pick-up, luggage and booking.

Private driver at the cruise port

Related tours

Our private tours around Cannes port call

Frequently asked questions

Your questions about a port call in Cannes

Another question? Message us on WhatsApp with your ship's name and date, and we will reply with a programme.

Can a private driver take us from the Cannes tender landing to Grasse, Saint-Paul-de-Vence and Antibes and back before all-aboard?

Yes, if your call lasts about eight hours. The loop is about 70 km and roughly two hours of driving depending on traffic, which leaves time for three visits and lunch. OK VTC builds the day backwards from your all-aboard time.

Where does the chauffeur meet us when we come ashore by tender in Cannes?

At a meeting point close to the tender landing, confirmed before your call. OK VTC sends you the chauffeur's name and phone number, and the meeting time follows the time you expect to be ashore.

How far are Grasse, Saint-Paul-de-Vence and Antibes from the Cannes cruise port?

Grasse is about 20 km and 30 minutes away, Saint-Paul-de-Vence about 30 km and 30 minutes, and Antibes about 15 km and 20 minutes, all depending on traffic.

What happens if the tenders run late or traffic slows us down?

We adjust the programme: a stop is shortened or dropped to protect your margin. We do not track the ship and it does not wait for passengers on private excursions, which is why the return is planned well ahead of all-aboard.

Can we end our cruise in Cannes with an excursion and then go to Nice airport?

Yes. On disembarkation day, OK VTC loads your luggage into a sedan or a van, you visit one or two places, and the chauffeur drops you at Nice Côte d'Azur Airport, about 30 km and 30 minutes from Cannes depending on traffic.

How much does a private shore excursion from Cannes cost?

The price is per vehicle, on quotation: it depends on the length of the call, the stops and the number of guests. Send us your ship's name, the date, your time ashore and your all-aboard time, online or on WhatsApp.

Guest experiences

Journeys our guests remember

Discover experiences displayed by Google Maps after a transfer, airport welcome or private day with OK VTC.

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Reviews are suggested and ranked by relevance by Google. OK VTC does not choose their order.

Combine with

More destinations with a chauffeur

Cannes port call

Your port call in Cannes

Send us your ship's schedule, we plan the day

Tell us the ship's name, the date, your time ashore, your all-aboard time and the number of guests. Book online or message us on WhatsApp: the price per vehicle is quoted before you confirm.

Photo credits

Photos from Wikimedia Commons, published by their authors under free licences.

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