At Cannes Yachting Festival, visitors arrive by helicopter or Bugatti

The Cannes Yachting Festival takes place every September.Nadezda Murmakova/Shutterstock

• Cannes hosts the Cannes Yachting Festival every September.
• The rich come from around the world to shop some of the sleekest yachts.
• But there’s more to the Cannes Yachting Festival than the boats — it’s full of Champagne, luxury cars, designer wear, and more.

Luxury. Glamour. Prestige. Such is Cannes, seducer of the rich and famous.

Every September, the French Riviera city plays host to the Cannes Yachting Festival, where wealth and yachts collide for five days to kick off European boat show season. Cannes is always a great place for some superyacht spotting, but at the Cannes Yachting Festival, some of the world’s sleekest yachts make their debut as buyers from around the world walk the docks to shop for them.

From the seven- to eight-figure superyachts and the luxury cars that circle the ports to champagne toasts and dapper duds, the Cannes Yachting Festival is an indulgence at best.

But what else would you expect with such a high-net worth clientele? After all, yachts over 100 feet cost $1 million per 3.3 feet, and owners can expect to spend about 10% of the purchase price annually on operating and maintaining a yacht.

But the extravagance doesn’t stop at the docks — visitors keep it going throughout Cannes itself.

Here’s how the wealthy enjoy the Cannes Yachting Festival.