Superyachts of the 2022 Cannes Yachting Festival

But the Cote d’Azur event also plays host to some of the biggest and best that the yachting world has to show – the superyachts.

This year was no different, with a number of manufacturers rolling out new products costing tens of millions of dollars, pricing all but a special few of us out of the market.

However, there’s nothing wrong with dreaming. Therefore, we bring you the best of the Cannes Yachting Festival superyachts – and a special one that didn’t quite make it.

At 29.8 metres in length overall, the biggest Sunseeker yet made its debut at Cannes, teasing a layout aimed at ensuring the owner is the most pampered guest onboard.

A feature of this superyacht is the deck-level master stateroom that adjoins the saloon. Taking up almost the entire forward third section of the deck, it even features its own secluded terrace in the bow.

Below decks are a full galley, that backs onto the crew quarters, and four guest staterooms, two of which can split to become shared singles. Each room also gets its own bathroom.

The layout includes a Portuguese-style lounge in front of the flybridge deck, an enclosed bridge with plenty of walkaround deck space to either side, and a spa that looks over the beach club below.

Power options include a pair of 1900hp MAN V12 engines.

According to Sunseeker, the Sunseeker 100 Yacht is a revolution for the motor yacht maker, marking a new era in flybridge design and functionality.

Italian superyacht specialist Amer Yachts made a splash at Cannes with the global reveal of the F120, a new 35.3-metre model that marks a big change in the way the shipyard builds its products.

Only the boat’s hull and flybridge are built from fibreglass, with the rest of the superstructure using metal – likely aluminium – and glass to reduce the overall weight by 4.0 tonnes.

Of note, the saloon is built around a see-through “cave à vin”, and the boat is fitted with a bespoke system for automatically identifying and reporting any whales it encounters on its travels.

Even the skipper gets his own private lounge on the bridge deck.

This boat is also the largest built to feature Volvo Penta’s 1350 IPS pod-drive system, producing a combined 4000hp across four separate units – Amer claims this is only 25 per cent of the power needed if the F120 was turning traditional screws.

Even so, it will still cruise comfortably at 23 knots, and hit 27 knots at full speed.

This isn’t Italian boatbuilder Extra yacht’s largest model – that honour goes to the Extra X130 Triplex. However, the 28.6-metre X96 Triplex, dubbed a “villa on the sea”, is the newest.

This is a volume motor yacht, featuring a hull that maximises the use of internal space throughout the vessel.

A feature of its design is an unbroken line of windows surrounding the hull, ensuring anyone on board has “full contact with nature” while enjoying the onboard experience.

Uniquely, the helm features a single seat for the skipper, although a lounge behind the minimalist bridge makes for a comfortable visit for anyone who wants to get an update on the progress of the passage.

Underneath the X96 Triplex is a semi-displacement hull that Extra yachts claims comes with exceptional sea-keeping ability, lower noise and less fuel use compared with more conventional designs.

This is another pod drive boat, using three Volvo Penta IPS 1350 units to power it along at a 12-knot cruising speed, with top speed rated at just 17 knots.

Italian shipwright Ferretti may have teased it is on the cusp of a revolution with its new Infynity line of superyachts, but in the meantime, it is still developing its line of more conventional products.

The latest to launch is the Ferretti FY860, a 26.95-metre motor yacht featuring an open flybridge accessed via a helical staircase that features as the centrepiece of the design.

The exterior features Art Deco-inspired curves and strong architectural detail to help it stand out from the crowd. 

Despite its size, the Ferretti FY860 has only four staterooms on board including the aft master stateroom, with accommodations for three couples and a twin-share. Separate crew quarters are built into the bow.

This is a fast cruiser, with the optional 20000hp MAN V12 engines capable of cruising at 27 knots, and topping out at 32 knots.

ISA Yachts was to have its flagship 43.7-metre Gran Turismo superyacht, the Aria SF, making its debut on the international stage at Cannes.

However, several weeks ago the $30 million-plus aluminium motor yacht was gutted after a fire broke out on its maiden voyage off the coast of Italy. It sank about a week later after concerns over its safety meant it could not be recovered from the water.

Early reports said the fire likely started in the superyacht’s galley, but it is now believed the fire broke out in the engine room.