Boat Trip to the Lerins Islands from Cannes

The ferry from Cannes to the island Ste Marguerite is a short, frequent crossing from the Old Port, and it is the single easiest boat trip you can add to a Cannes stay. My honest starting point is this: the islands themselves are worth visiting regardless of budget, but how you get there, plain ferry or guided boat tour, changes the day more than most people expect.

I want to cover both islands here, since the Lerins Islands are actually two distinct destinations sitting close together, and most visitors only ever hear about one of them. Sainte-Marguerite gets the bulk of the traffic and the tour options; Saint-Honorat is quieter and worth knowing about even if it is not part of the tour I end up recommending. If you have not compared this route against the other options yet, my boat trips from Cannes guide lines up every destination side by side.

What Are the Lerins Islands and How Do You Get There from Cannes?

The Lerins Islands are Sainte-Marguerite and Saint-Honorat, two small islands sitting about a kilometer off the Cannes coast, each reachable by a short boat crossing from the Vieux Port. Sainte-Marguerite is the larger of the two, covered in pine and eucalyptus forest and home to Fort Royal, while Saint-Honorat is smaller and holds a working Cistercian monastery.

I would treat them as two separate half-day trips rather than trying to combine both in one outing, since different ferry operators and jetties serve each island and rushing between them cuts into time you would rather spend actually exploring. If you only have time for one, my pick is Sainte-Marguerite, since it pairs more naturally with a swim stop and has more to see on a first visit.

How Long Is the Ferry from Cannes to the Island Ste Marguerite?

The crossing itself takes about 15 minutes each way, and ferries run at regular intervals through the day rather than on a single fixed departure. That means you are not locked into a strict return time; you explore the island at your own pace and catch whichever later crossing suits you.

I would still check the printed schedule at the jetty before setting off inland, since the last return crossing of the day does have a cutoff. Arriving back at the dock ten minutes ahead of your planned ferry is the small habit that saves you from watching your boat pull away without you.

What Is There to Do on Sainte-Marguerite Island?

Pine forest trails, a bird-watching lagoon at Batéguier Pond, and Fort Royal, the 17th-century fortress reputed to have held the Man in the Iron Mask, are the island’s main draws. The Maritime Museum inside the fort covers the island’s naval and prison history in around 45 minutes and is worth the separate entry ticket if you enjoy that kind of detail.

I would budget at least two hours on the island to do it justice: enough time to walk to Pointe de la Convention at the western tip, loop back past the pond, and still see the fort without rushing. Dogs are welcome on a leash on both the ferry and the island itself, which is a nice bonus if you are traveling with one.

What Is on Saint-Honorat Island?

Saint-Honorat is home to an active Cistercian monastery whose monks have cultivated vineyards on the island for centuries, alongside several small medieval chapels scattered along quiet coastal paths. It draws a noticeably calmer crowd than Sainte-Marguerite, since there is no fort, no beach club and no big group tours landing regularly.

I would recommend Saint-Honorat specifically to travelers who want a genuinely peaceful half day rather than an active one, since the appeal here is walking quiet paths and maybe tasting the monastery’s own wine rather than swimming or snorkeling. It is served by a separate ferry operator from Sainte-Marguerite, so check current times and fares directly with the operator before planning your day around it.

Why Does a Guided Boat Tour Beat the Public Ferry to the Islands?

Because a guided catamaran cruise adds a proper swim and snorkel stop near the island, rather than just dropping you on a dock and leaving you to explore on foot. The Cannes half-day catamaran cruise sails out past the Croisette, moors near Fort Royal for close to an hour of swimming with masks, snorkels, a kayak and a paddleboard included, then returns to Cannes, so the boat trip itself becomes an activity rather than a transfer.

I would only pick the plain ferry over the guided tour if your priority is walking the island on foot rather than time in the water, since the ferry costs less but skips the swimming entirely. For anyone who wants to combine seeing the islands with actually getting in the sea, the guided cruise is the better use of your afternoon.

Is a Private Boat Tour to the Lerins Islands Worth It?

If your group wants full control over timing and a boat to yourselves, yes, I would consider it, though it comes at a real premium over the shared catamaran or ferry options. A private booking lets you set your own pace around Sainte-Marguerite without working around a shared group’s schedule, which matters more for some travelers than others.

For most visitors on a standard budget, though, I would default to the shared half-day catamaran cruise, since it delivers most of the same experience, swimming included, at a fraction of the private charter price.

Can You Swim Near the Lerins Islands?

Yes, and I would call it one of the best reasons to choose a guided cruise over the plain ferry, since the water near Fort Royal on Sainte-Marguerite is clear, sheltered and shallow enough to feel comfortable for most swimmers. The anchorage used by catamaran tours sits in a calm bay, which keeps conditions manageable even for less confident swimmers.

If your idea of visiting the islands is walking the pine trails rather than getting in the water, that is a completely valid way to spend the day too, and the plain ferry serves that trip well without paying for equipment you will not use.

Are the Lerins Islands Good for Families?

Yes, particularly Sainte-Marguerite, since the crossing is short, the terrain is flat and easy to walk, and the swim stop on a guided tour gives kids a proper activity rather than just a scenic walk. I would lean toward the guided catamaran option for families specifically, since the included water toys tend to be the part kids remember most from the day.

Older kids and teens who are confident swimmers get the most out of the snorkeling stop specifically, while toddlers tend to enjoy the ferry crossing and the flat forest paths just as much without ever getting in the water.

My Recommendation for a Lerins Islands Boat Trip

If swimming and snorkeling matter to you at all, I would book the Cannes half-day catamaran cruise over the plain ferry without much hesitation. It costs a bit more, but the swim stop near Fort Royal and the included equipment make the extra cost an easy call for most travelers.

If you would rather walk the island at your own pace on a tighter budget, the plain ferry to Sainte-Marguerite still gets you a genuinely good half day, and I would not talk anyone out of it. Either way, my strong opinion is that the Lerins Islands deserve a spot on almost every Cannes itinerary, since nowhere else nearby packs history, nature and swimming into such a short crossing.

If your Cannes stay runs longer than a couple of days, I would pair this half-day trip with a longer route later in the week. My guides to a boat trip from Cannes to Saint-Tropez, a boat trip from Cannes to Monaco and a boat trip from Cannes to Antibes cover the other routes worth adding, and if you are actually based in Nice for your trip, my Cannes day trip from Nice guide shows how to fit the islands into that itinerary too. For travelers who would rather stay on dry land after the crossing, my best beaches in Cannes guide covers the Croisette’s public and private options as the mainland alternative.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does the ferry from Cannes to the island Ste Marguerite take? About 15 minutes each way, with ferries running at regular intervals through the day rather than a single fixed departure time.

Is the ferry to Sainte-Marguerite the same as a guided boat tour? No, the plain ferry is a transfer only, while a guided catamaran cruise adds sailing time and a swim or snorkel stop near the island.

Can you visit both Lerins Islands in one day? It is possible but I would not recommend rushing it, since Sainte-Marguerite and Saint-Honorat use separate ferry operators and jetties, and each deserves at least a couple of unhurried hours.

Do you need to book the Lerins Islands ferry in advance? During peak summer, yes, I would book ahead, since popular crossings and guided tour departures can fill up on short notice.

Is Sainte-Marguerite or Saint-Honorat better for a first visit? Sainte-Marguerite, since it offers more to see and do, including Fort Royal and the option to combine the trip with swimming, while Saint-Honorat suits a quieter, more contemplative visit.