From France to Cannes Pays de Lérins, the nautical industry forms a coherent value chain where each territorial level strengthens the next.
With 150,000 jobs and 6,000 companies, the French nautical industry exports 80% of its production—a sector driven by 14 million occasional and regular participants.
With $1.31B (€1.24B) in revenue in 2024 and growth twice as high as the national average since 2020, the region accounts for 21% of the national industry revenue, supported by its 147 marinas.
The department accounts for 2,119 establishments and $1.27B (€1.2B) in revenue within the broader blue economy. It has established itself as a leading territory for international yachting, second only to the Florida-Caribbean basin, and is developing a recognized innovation ecosystem: 35 Blue Tech companies, 24 marine patent filers, and research potential backed by Sophia-Antipolis and Université Côte d’Azur.
Within the metropolitan area, the nautical industry alone accounts for $148M (€140M) in revenue, with 75% of establishments concentrated along the coast—reflecting a long-standing and deliberate specialization in the maritime sector.
While boating remains a major economic pillar, it must now balance growth with the ecological transition: two-thirds of industry leaders view this transition as a key future direction, but financing—including investment costs and access to aid programs—remains the primary obstacle identified by professionals.
761 jobs
394 establishments in nautical leisure services
$148M in the nautical industry, trade, and services
