Spotted: The coolest yachts currently anchored off Cannes

With the BOAT Digital Editorial team reporting live from the docks during this year's Cannes Yachting Festival, sharing the latest news, unveilings and business updates as they happen, the headlines aren't the only thing catching their attention. 

All eyes turn to the horizon, as BOAT takes a closer look at some of the coolest superyachts that are currently anchored just a tender ride away from the show...

Black Pearl

Builder: Oceanco
Length: 106.7m
Year: 2018

"The yacht that needs no introduction"(Holly Margerrison, BOAT International), Oceanco's Black Pearl is one of the superyacht industry's most iconic sailing yachts, spotted anchored near the Cannes show with her charter broker, IYC. The 106.7-metre was highly secretive until last year, when she joined the charter market and allowed the world a glimpse inside her demanding Nuvolari Lenard and Ken Freivokh-designed exterior and that ground-breaking Dykstra Dynarig sail configuration. Images revealed a wealth of design treasures, with her deçor later described as being "Louis XVI"-inspired. Details include neoclassical finishes (such as ornate wooden details and gold accents) and an unconventional layout with a spectacular main saloon and a huge private study favouring a main deck master, located on the lower deck instead. 

Here Comes the Sun

Builder: Amels
Length: 89m
Year: 2017

Here Comes the Sun recently hit industry headlines for her €20 million price drop with joint central agents Burgess and Y.CO, now spotted in Cannes ahead of her attendance at the fast-approaching Monaco Yacht Show. When delivered in 2017, the 89-metre custom build became the flagship of the Dutch shipyard, commissioned by a repeat Amels client with a penchant for The Beatles (hence the name). A full rebuild completed in 2021 saw Here Comes the Sun leave her Dutch builders with a six-metre stern extension, a new, secondary helipad, an interior revamp and a brand new repaint – all of which won her a Neptune for Best Rebuilt Yacht at the World Superyacht Awards the following year.

Coral Ocean

Builder: Lürssen
Length: 72.6m
Year: 1994

Charter favourite Coral Ocean has also taken to the warm waters of the Côte d'Azur this week – her second most popular cruising hotspot this year, according to data from BOATPro. It was only earlier this summer that the German build was seen hosting the likes of F1 royalty, Lando Norris, and his fellow McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri, during the Monaco Grand Prix. Coral Ocean was built to a design by industry icon Jon Bannenberg, and at the time of her launch was seen as highly innovative, with features such as hidden balconies and a dedicated wellness centre shooting her into the spotlight. Some 28 years later, an extensive €35 million refit did the same, with two and a half levels of the upper deck completely gutted and rebuilt, adding circa 150GT to the yacht’s already large volume.

Axioma

Builder: Dunya Yachts
Length: 72.5m
Year: 2013

It's hard to miss the bright blue hull of Dunya's flagship build Axioma in Cannes' waters this week, although she is right at home here, having spent over a year cruising the Côte d'Azur coastline, according to data from BOATPro. Another yacht for sale lying just outside the Cannes Yachting Festival, Axioma was listed for sale with Northrop & Johnson last month, putting her innovative, beach house-style interior on the market. She is home to the first open double-height main saloon with its own mezzanine lounge (winning her a Judges’ Commendation at the 2014 World Superyacht Awards) as well as amenities including a dedicated eight-seat surround sound cinema and a full wellness centre.

Para Bellvm

Builder: Sanlorenzo
Length: 47.2m
Year: 2023

The sixth unit from the Italian yard's coveted 500 EXP series, Para Bellvm doesn't look out of place on the choppy, wind-swept Mediterranean waters. Although this is no feat for a vessel designed for exploration, with her listing Edmiston brokers even noting her to be "fully primed for a new owner to embark on transatlantic journeys and beyond". Francesco Paszkowski Design penned her rugged yet smart exterior design, which, inside, is host to an elegant Antonio Citterio interior, decorated with architectural woodwork and soft textural furnishings. Her elongated aft deck is a notable highlight, fitted with an infinity pool, a recessed crane for launching a tender and plenty of storage space for her extensive toy box. 

Lush

Builder: Oyster
Length: 27m
Year: 2012

Lush is best known for her full life of cruising voyages and racing escapades with her first owner, the late Eddie Jordan OBE. With "Lippy from the Liffey" entries (Jordan's very own BOAT International column) recalling times spent in Antigua alongside numerous circumnavigations, there's no doubt that the sailing yacht already had plenty of miles under her belt before her sale in 2018 to the owner of her British builder, Richard Hadida. Two years after her sale, a thorough refit brought the Oyster 885 build back to life, adding the latest technology and machinery as well as homely new living spaces in what was a true "passion project". According to BOATPro, Lush has spent most of this year cruising around the nearby Balearic Islands as well as spending time at her favourite Caribbean island.