Ventimiglia by private water taxi
Board at Cala del Forte, the marina Monaco built on the Italian side of the border, and reach Menton, Monaco or Sanremo without touching the summer traffic on the corniche.
Indicative pricing.
Prices from, for 1 to 12 guests — firm quote within hours (captain, fuel, insurance, fees included).
The Riviera border town where Monaco keeps its own marina — and where crossing to France is quicker by sea than by the corniche.
Nos capitaines partenaires sont basés entre Monaco et Sanremo et fréquentent Cala del Forte semaine après semaine. Ils connaissent le protocole d'arrivée à la monégasque de la marina — annonce à la VHF, assistance au quai visiteurs — et ils connaissent l'eau au-delà : garder une marge respectueuse à l'embouchure de la Roya après de fortes pluies, quand le fleuve pousse limon et débris dans la baie, et caler les traversées vers Monaco et Menton sur le calme du matin, avant que la brise thermique de l'après-midi ne se lève. Les vendredis de marché et pendant l'Agosto Medievale, ils organisent les créneaux d'embarquement autour de la foule, parce qu'ils ont vu ce que ces journées font au front de mer.
Skip the border bottleneck
The coast road into France through Ponte San Ludovico and the A8 above Menton clog badly in summer — and on Fridays, when the famous Ventimiglia market pulls crowds from both sides of the border, the queues start early. By water, Menton is one bay to the west: about fifteen minutes, and the frontier is just a line you glide past.
Monaco's marina, without Monaco's traffic
Cala del Forte is no ordinary Italian porticciolo: it is operated by Monaco Ports as the Principality's annex harbour, and the sea corridor to Monaco has been proven daily by the Monaco One shuttle. A private water taxi puts you on the same twenty-minute run — on your own schedule, with your luggage aboard, instead of gambling on the A8.
A coastline made to be seen from the water
From the deck you read Ventimiglia the right way round: the medieval old town stacked above Marina San Giuseppe, the Hanbury Botanical Gardens spilling down to the sea at La Mortola, and the red cliffs of Balzi Rossi marking the border. The road sees none of it; the boat passes it all in the first ten minutes.
Where we pick you up.
- Hotel Sole Mare — on the seafront promenade directly facing Cala del Forte, in the Marina San Giuseppe district; boarding is a short walk to the marina quay
- Casa Porta Marina — a guest house near the harbour with sea and river views; pickup is arranged at the Cala del Forte quay, a few minutes on foot
- Cala del Forte marina — visitors' welcome quay in the Marina San Giuseppe district (your skipper confirms the exact pontoon)
- Marina San Giuseppe seafront, at the foot of the lift that links the harbour to Ventimiglia Alta
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