French Riviera Sets Rules to Restrict Calls by Large Cruise Ships

The regional prefect for Alpes-Maritimes has finalized rules to manage future large cruise ship calls after the local authorities had attempted to take matters into their own hands. The prefects announced the proposed rules which will govern areas ranging from the Bay of Cannes and the popular ports of Cannes, Nice, and Villefranche.

The regional prefect of the Ales-Maritimes, Laurent Hottiaux, and the Maritime Prefect for the Mediterranean, Christophe Lucas, initiated a territorial consultation on the subject starting in July and concluded with a meeting on October 10. They included the various municipal authorities, the Chamber of Commerce, the Union of Businesses, and the trade group Cruise Line International Association in the discussions and will now present the final decision to the public for comments before it is finalized and published in a prefectural decree.

The debate created headlines when the outspoken Mayor of Nice, Christian Estrosi, who is also the President of the region enacted two different versions of a ban on large cruise ships from the Bay of Cannes. In July, he went out into the bay on a small boat creating a scene with the anchored cruise ship Voyager of the Seas. He was filmed yelling “Get lost. Get out of here,” as he claimed the ship was violating the new restrictions. He admitted that they needed regional rules and a court in July suspended the rules saying the authority was with the regional prefects.

The rules proposed by the prefect will set a maximum of 3,000 passengers per cruise ship stopover in each port and a limit of one per day for all ships with more than 1,300 passengers. Further, they are requiring an annual average of 2,000 passenger disembarkations per stopover per port. During high season in July and August they will permit a maximum of 15 ships per month.

Villefranche and Nice had instituted a ban prohibiting cruise ships with a capacity of over 2,500 passengers from disembarking in the bay. Nice also wanted to restrict cruise ships docking in the city to just 450 passengers. The goal had been to chase larger cruise ships to Marseilles or elsewhere to maintain the atmosphere of the French Riviera.

The prefect highlighted the challenges with regulating the cruise ships. They said they did not want to disrupt port calls, which they said were booked two years in advance. The goal was not to postpone or cancel stopovers in the different bays, but they also recognized the need to maintain “tranquility” for the local population and reconcile the environmental concerns with those of economic and tourism. Also, the rules only focus on cruise ships and do not apply to the cruise ferries operating from the ports.

Under the new rules, the prefect also said that they will give priority to cruise ships and lines that are adhering to the “sustainable Cruise in the Mediterranean” charter that was adopted in 2025. It calls for the use of less polluting fuels and managing emissions while on dock or anchored close to shore.

A further restriction pertains when the prefect declares peak pollution events. During a Level 1 event cruise ships will be required to reduce emissions within three nautical miles from shore. In the event of a Level 2 declaration, the cruise ship stopover must be canceled.

The prefects thanked everyone for their cooperation. They said they were confident that the regional rules would balance the local concerns with the economic issues.