From 26 September to 4 October 2026, Saint-Tropez will once again fill with sails. Around 250 yachts are expected for Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez 2026 — from classic sailing yachts to modern racers and Maxis. For nine days, the Gulf of Saint-Tropez becomes the main stage.
It is this meeting of different generations that gives Les Voiles its character. Yachts more than a century old share the same waters with contemporary racing machines. They are not here simply to be admired at the dock — they come to sail and compete.
After racing, life returns to the harbour, where crews, owners, spectators and visitors gather around the Village des Voiles. Maritime heritage, modern technology and serious competition on the water have long shaped the distinctive atmosphere of Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez.
Illustrative image created using AI. Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez 2026: dates and programme
In 2026, Les Voiles will run from Saturday 26 September to Sunday 4 October. The opening weekend is devoted to registration and the arrival of participants, with racing beginning on 28 September.
The programme brings together Maxis, modern racing yachts and classic yachts. Key events during the week include the Rolex Trophy, Club 55 Cup, Gstaad Yacht Club Centenary Trophy and Challenge Day. The final races and prize-giving ceremonies will take place during the closing days of the regatta.
The schedule may change depending on weather conditions and decisions by the race committee. Up-to-date information can be found in the official Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez programme.
It all started with a challenge
The story of Les Voiles did not begin with a major international event, but with a race between two yachts.
On 29 September 1981, the American Swan 44 Pride lined up against Ikra, a 12 Metre yacht. The course started off Saint-Tropez, rounded the Nioulargo shoal and finished off Club 55 on Pampelonne beach. Ikra won.
That informal race gave rise to the Club 55 Cup and, the following year, developed into the Nioulargue. The idea was simple: bring yachts from different generations together and let them meet on the racecourse.
In 1999, the event returned under the name Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez. It is organised by the Société Nautique de Saint-Tropez, a yacht club whose history dates back to 1862.
Illustrative image created using AI. Classic yachts, modern racers and Maxis
Few events make the evolution of sailing yacht design so easy to see. Classic yachts, with traditional rigs and elegant lines from another era, are not museum pieces here — they are still raced.
Alongside them are contemporary racing yachts and Maxis, designed with a completely different approach to materials, sails and performance. The contrast between generations becomes particularly striking once the fleet is under sail.
In 2026, the J Class also returns to Les Voiles. These large racing yachts represent a distinct chapter in sailing history and will be one of the most interesting elements of this year's fleet.
Illustrative image created using AI. More than a regatta
Racing remains at the heart of Les Voiles, but the event continues ashore as well. For nine days, the rhythm of the Port of Saint-Tropez changes: crews prepare their yachts in the morning and return to the quays after racing.
Much of the shoreside activity is centred around the Village des Voiles on the Môle Jean Réveille. The Village is open to the public from 26 September to 4 October, generally from 9:00 to 21:00, and until 17:00 on the final Sunday. Entry is free.
This transition from serious competition in the Gulf to a more relaxed atmosphere back in the harbour remains one of the defining features of Les Voiles.
Illustrative image created using AI. Watch Les Voiles from shore or from the sea?
In the harbour, visitors can see part of the fleet up close, explore the Village des Voiles and experience the atmosphere of the regatta without needing access to a participating yacht.
But the real action takes place in the Gulf. From the water, the scale of the fleet and the contrast between classic yachts, modern racers and Maxis become much clearer. It is a completely different way to experience Les Voiles — not from the harbour, but from the waters where the racing unfolds.
Illustrative image created using AI. From Monaco to Saint-Tropez: September yachting on the French Riviera
Les Voiles begins immediately after the Monaco Yacht Show 2026, which closes on 26 September — the same day the regatta opens in Saint-Tropez.
Yet the two events have very different characters. Monaco focuses on the international superyacht market, shipyards, brokers and new projects. In Saint-Tropez, attention shifts back to sailing and competition.
There is also a direct connection with Cannes. On 27 September, Saint-Tropez welcomes the finish of the Yacht Club de France's Coupe d'Automne, raced from Cannes to Saint-Tropez. Together, these events show very different sides of Mediterranean yachting — from superyachts in Monaco to classic sailing and racing in Saint-Tropez.
See Les Voiles from the water
Experience Les Voiles de Saint-Tropez from a different perspective — from aboard a yacht in the Gulf of Saint-Tropez.
