How much does parasailing cost in Cannes?

According to the official listings noted in 2026, allow €85 to €100 for one person alone, €120 to €140 for a flight for two, and up to €195 for five people on the same flight with Cannes Parachute. Flights last 13 to 14 minutes. Prices differ from one listing to another: confirm directly with the operator.

How much is an hour of paddleboarding or kayaking in Cannes?

In 2026, €15 an hour for a paddleboard, €17 for a single kayak and €22 for a double kayak at the Cannes Jeunesse base, at the port of Mourre Rouge. Near the Palm Beach, Cannes Stand Up Paddle Location lists €15 for one hour, €25 for two hours and €35 for three hours.

Do you need a licence to ride a jet-ski in Cannes?

For an unsupervised rental, yes: the French coastal licence (permis côtier) must be shown. Without a licence, operators offer an introduction or a ride led by an instructor. The minimum age to drive is generally 16, with written parental consent up to 18.

Can you kayak to the Lérins Islands?

Yes. The strait between the Pointe Croisette and Sainte-Marguerite is about 1.3 km wide. Sea kayak rental operators offer the trip from the Palm Beach, and the Cannes Jeunesse base organises guided outings of 3 or 7 hours. It is not a trip to improvise on a beach paddleboard.

Where are the water sports bases in Cannes?

On the eastern side of town. The Pointe Croisette and the Palm Beach concentrate paddleboarding and kayaking; the port of Mourre Rouge, boulevard Eugène Gazagnaire, is home to the Cannes Jeunesse sailing base and a jet-ski operator. The central Croisette is not the right area.

Water sports in Cannes: parasailing, paddle, kayak, jet ski

In Cannes, water sports do not happen where you look for them. The central Croisette is a row of concession beaches and swimming zones: you can rent a sunbed there, rarely a paddle. Almost all the activity is concentrated at the eastern end of town, between the Pointe Croisette, the Palm Beach and the port of Mourre Rouge, facing the Lérins Islands.

Our view is simple: the best value on the bay is an hour of paddleboarding or kayaking at €15-17, early in the morning, when the water is flat. Parasailing and jet-skiing are real experiences, but they cost six to eight times more for two to four times less time. Choose them knowing that.

This guide compares the activities with their 2026 prices. Prices come from the operators' official listings, noted between April and September 2026. We have not tested any of them: this is a sourced notebook, not a ranking. Always confirm the price and the boarding point when you book.

Six ways to get on the water

N° 01

Paddle

Paddleboarding at the Pointe Croisette, near the Palm Beach

Cannes Stand Up Paddle Location, which also operates under the name Kayak Evasion, sets off from a beach next to the Palm Beach casino. Its published rates: €15 for one hour, €25 for two hours, €35 for three hours, with or without an instructor, and free parking reported 30 metres away. The water faces the islands, and the view takes in Sainte-Marguerite on one side and the Estérel on the other. It is the right place for a first time.

N° 02

Kayak

Sea kayaking to the Lérins Islands

The strait between the Pointe Croisette and Île Sainte-Marguerite is about 1.3 km wide. In a sea kayak, it takes less than half an hour to cross. SeaFirst Kayak rents sea kayaks, single or double, for two hours, a half-day or a full day, with the meeting point at the Palm Beach car park. The Cannes Jeunesse base, for its part, runs guided paddling trips to Sainte-Marguerite, in a 3-hour or 7-hour format. The passage is also used by the ferries and by pleasure boats: cross as a group and in a straight line. What there is to see once you land is on our Lérins Islands page.

N° 03

Sailing base

Cannes Jeunesse, port of Mourre Rouge

The water sports base of the Cannes Jeunesse association, at the port of Mourre Rouge, rents by the hour and displays its prices, which is rare. Season from 2 May to 30 September 2026: paddleboard €15, single kayak €17, double kayak €22, windsurf board €26, Hobie Cat 16 catamaran €52, wingfoil €55. It also runs sailing courses, from age 4 for children. Minors must be accompanied by an adult at registration. This is the reference address against which to compare any other price on the bay.

N° 04

In the air

Parasailing above the bay

You take off from the platform of a boat, towed above the bay. With Cannes Parachute, flights last 13 to 14 minutes, from 1 May to 15 October 2026, from 9 am to 8 pm. The official listings noted in 2026 do not give the same price: €85 or €100 for one person, €120 for two, up to €195 for five on the same flight, for a total weight of 80 to 240 kg. Another operator, Waterglisse, lists €140 for a flight for two. The boarding point varies between listings: have it specified when you book.

N° 05

Engine

Jet-skiing from Mourre Rouge

Cannes Jet-Ride Evasion sets off from the end of the quay of the sailing base, boulevard Eugène Gazagnaire. 2026 prices per machine, for one or two people: €90 to €120 for 30 minutes, €160 to €220 for one hour, €300 to €400 for two hours, depending on power (130, 170 or 230 hp). Fuel, equipment, insurance and supervision included; a €1,000 deposit is required. Open from 1 May to 30 September 2026. Those aged 16 to 18 must present written parental consent. Arrive 20 minutes early for the paperwork.

N° 06

Next door

The red coves of Théoule, by kayak

If the scenery matters more than proximity, the best paddling ground in the area is not in Cannes but in Théoule-sur-Mer, about twelve kilometres to the west: coves of red porphyry, clear water, inlets you cannot reach on foot. Seasonal rentals operate from the village. We have not noted their prices: see our Théoule-sur-Mer page and confirm on the spot.

What we'd skip

Booking a "no licence" jet-ski and picturing a free rental. Rental jet-skis are far above the power threshold that exempts you from a licence. Without a French coastal boating licence (permis côtier), the formula is an introduction or a guided ride: you follow an instructor, on his route and at his pace. With the licence, you must show it. That is not a flaw, it is the rule, but it is better to know before paying €100 for half an hour.

Crossing to the islands on a beach paddleboard. Short rental boards, under 3.50 m, are in principle limited to the 300-metre band from the shore. The strait is 1,300 metres wide, with traffic. The crossing is done in a sea kayak, with a rental operator who plans for it, or on a guided trip.

Looking for a rental in the middle of the Croisette, or in mid-afternoon. The centre is taken up by concession beaches and swimming zones. And in summer, the breeze generally picks up after lunch: the chop makes paddleboarding hard work for a beginner. Go east, and go in the morning.

When to go

The season runs from May to the end of September. The dates noted in 2026 are clear: water sports base from 2 May to 30 September, jet-ski from 1 May to 30 September, parasailing until 15 October. Outside that window, beach rentals are closed and what remains is mostly club sailing. June and September give the same water as high summer with fewer people on it. For the general calendar, see the best time to visit Cannes.

During the day, aim for opening time. The Mourre Rouge base lists hours that start at 8.30 am or 9 am depending on the period. Before 11 am, the sea is most often flat and boats are still few. For parasailing, the end of the day offers low light on the Estérel, but flights depend on the wind and the state of the sea: a session can be postponed.

Water sports in Cannes: from a €15 paddleboard to €100 parasailing

It all happens in the east, facing the islands