Yacht Jobs in Antibes: How Green Crew Get Hired
How to find yacht jobs in Antibes
Arrive in spring (April to June) or in September, with your STCW Basic Training and ENG1 already done. Book a bed in a crew house. Register with the crew agencies in person, and dockwalk Port Vauban early every morning. Plan on doing daywork before you land a permanent job, and keep turning up.
Antibes sits between Cannes and Nice. It has the boats, the people and the businesses green crew need, all within walking distance of each other.
Most of it happens at Port Vauban. The Antibes tourist office describes it as Europe's leading port for capacity to take large pleasure yachts. The biggest boats sit on the outer breakwater at the IYCA (International Yacht Club d'Antibes), a quay known locally as the Quai des Milliardaires, or Billionaires' Quay. A €135 million rebuild of the club and quay opened in 2023. It has 20 berths for superyachts over 80 metres and a crew centre with a lounge, gym and training studio.
The big boats sit along Port Vauban's outer breakwater, the IYCA quay known as the Quai des Milliardaires. Photo: Abxbay, CC BY-SA 4.0.
The town around the port is built around crew. There are crew agencies where you register your CV, training schools that run STCW and other courses, crew houses where you rent a bunk among other job-seekers, and chandleries and yacht suppliers around the harbour. The old town is a few minutes' walk from the port, which matters when you're doing everything on foot and on a budget.
If you're still choosing between Antibes, Palma and Fort Lauderdale, read our daywork hubs guide first. This post assumes you've picked Antibes.
When to arrive: the Antibes season
Timing matters more than anything else you control. Here's roughly how the year goes:
| Month | What's happening | What it means for you |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | Before the Med season | Quieter docks. Late March gives you time to register and settle in before the rush |
| Apr–Jun | Boats get ready and fill their crew lists | Peak hiring. Most green crew land their first job here |
| Jul–Aug | Boats are out for the season | Fewer openings on the dock; the ones that come up are often short-notice cover |
| Sep | Cannes Yachting Festival (8–13 Sep 2026), Monaco Yacht Show (23–26 Sep 2026) | Second hiring peak, plus show daywork |
| Oct–Dec | Med season ends; much of the fleet and crew head to Fort Lauderdale | Daywork fades |
The two windows that count are April to June and September. If you can only afford one trip, go in spring. September is good for experience and contacts, but most boats have already hired their crew for the summer.
For the shows themselves, see our guides to Cannes Yachting Festival daywork and doing the Monaco Yacht Show from an Antibes base.
Where to dockwalk in Antibes
Port Vauban is the obvious place to start, but it isn't the only one. With a train ticket and some walking you can cover several marinas:
- Port Vauban, Antibes: The IYCA quay has the biggest boats, and the rest of the port has the mid-size yachts. Expect plenty of other dockwalkers.
- Port Camille Rayon, Golfe-Juan: 841 berths for yachts up to 75 metres. It's one stop down the line and gets fewer dockwalkers.
- Port Gallice, Juan-les-Pins: 525 berths for boats under 43 metres. These are smaller boats with smaller crews, so one extra deckhand makes a real difference.
- Cannes and Monaco: Both are an easy train ride away (see below).
Stern-to yachts in Port Vauban: the passerelle end is where you'll find crew working. Photo: Jordiferrer, CC BY-SA 4.0.
If a quay is gated or has staff on it, respect that. Don't push past security, because word gets around. On the open quays the usual rules apply: walk early, dress like crew, keep your pitch short and never step onto a passerelle uninvited. Our dockwalking guide covers the 15-second pitch and why you should carry a drop bag.
Be ready for the reality. Most days you'll hand out CVs and hear "nothing today, check back." It's tiring and it can feel pointless. The people who get hired are the ones who keep turning up looking sharp until a mate remembers their face.
Where crew meet
A lot of Antibes jobs never get advertised. A deckhand calls in sick, or a mate needs two people to help wash down before the owner arrives, and someone texts a friend. You want to be that friend.
- Crew houses: Many run WhatsApp groups that boats message directly when they need dayworkers. That's one of the best reasons to stay in one rather than an Airbnb.
- Facebook: Join groups like "Antibes Yacht Crew". Short-notice daywork gets posted there, and it goes to whoever replies first.
- The old town: It's right next to Port Vauban and full of bars and restaurants, and crew are usually around. Go and be sociable, but don't drink like a guest. Captains hear about it.
- Agencies: Register with the crew agents in person if you can. A face is easier to remember than a PDF.
Getting around: trains along the coast
You don't need a car. Antibes station is a short walk from Port Vauban, and regional TER trains run along the coast in both directions.
Antibes station is a 10–15 minute walk from Port Vauban; regional TER trains run along the coast to Cannes, Nice and Monaco. Photo: Tangopaso, public domain.
Rough one-way fares and times:
- Antibes to Cannes: about €4–€6, 8–15 minutes (Virail, 2026)
- Antibes to Nice: about €5–€8, 10–25 minutes (Virail, 2026)
- Antibes to Monaco: about €10–€11, 50–60 minutes, most trains direct (Radius, September 2026)
If you'll ride the line most days, look at the Pass Sud Azur Explore. It costs €50 for 7 days or €80 for 14 days, plus a €2 card deposit, and covers the Alpes-Maritimes and Monaco network. Check that it covers the trains you plan to use before you buy. Fares change, so check SNCF Connect or the Zou! app on the day.
What it costs to live in Antibes
Antibes is the Riviera, and you'll feel it in your wallet. These figures come from Numbeo's Antibes page (updated October 2026). Only 31 people contributed to it, so treat them as a ballpark:
- Cheap restaurant meal: around €18
- Pint in a bar: around €7
- Cappuccino: around €3.30
- Loaf of bread: around €1.80
- One-bed flat in the centre: around €940 a month
A flat isn't realistic while you're job-hunting, which is why most green crew stay in crew houses. A bunk costs roughly €25–€60 a night depending on the house and the season, and weekly rates work out cheaper. Cook in the shared kitchen, don't eat on the harbourfront and you can keep your spending down.
Bring enough money to last several weeks without income. Our hubs guide puts the green-crew day rate in Antibes at around €100–€130, and lunch isn't always included. Daywork helps, but it isn't steady enough to live on when you first arrive.
Your first week in Antibes
Before you fly: Get your STCW Basic Training and ENG1 medical done, and have the certificates in hand. Read our ENG1 guide if you haven't booked yours yet. Get your CV down to one clean page with a professional photo; our CV guide walks you through it. Book a crew house for at least your first week.
Day 1: Arrive, check in and introduce yourself to your housemates. Ask to be added to the house WhatsApp group. Walk the route from your bed to Port Vauban and to the station so you know it.
Day 2: Register with the crew agencies in person, with your CV and certificates. Dockwalk Port Vauban in the afternoon.
Days 3–5: Dockwalk early each morning. Alternate Port Vauban with Golfe-Juan and Juan-les-Pins, and take the train to Cannes one day. Keep a simple log of which boats you spoke to and when to go back. Spend your evenings where the crew are.
Days 6–7: Go back to the boats that said "check back," and follow up with the agencies. Say yes to any day work going, including scrubbing fenders or polishing stainless. Your first day aboard is really a trial for a reference.
Once you're on the ground, check in on the Radius map. Captains nearby will see that you're in Antibes and available, even on days you're out at Golfe-Juan instead of on their dock.
Keep showing up. Yacht jobs in Antibes go to the crew who are there when a boat needs hands. For a wider look at your first season, read our green crew daywork guide.