The new Vision Hybrid allows silent cruising for family and friends along the gorgeous waterways of Europe.

One way to experience all this is to charter a crewed canal boat or barge – and from the reports we hear, in these adventures the chef is just as important as the captain (if they’re not one in the same). The other way is to bareboat (or “self-drive” as they say in Europe).

Le Boat, a leading bareboat company with over 1000 cruising vessels available for European waterway charters, has just announced some major fleet refurbishments for 2012, including the addition of hybrid versions of their Vision cruisers, which use powerful battery banks in combination with solar panels and plug-in power to reduce engine-running time and allow significant amounts of all-electric propulsion.

Two Vision models are available with slightly different accommodation arrangements, and with either hybrid or all-diesel power. Here’s a YouTube video of the Vision Hybrid in action.

From July through September 2012, and only on the Canal du Midi in southern France, charterers will be able to book a Vision with a captain and chef.

Le Boat, established 40 years ago, operates in France, Belgium, Holland, Germany, Italy, England, Scotland, and Ireland. For more information on destinations, other vessels in the fleet, training and orientation, rates, and special offers, visit Le Boat.

For more information, read Le Boat Canal Cruisers: Smart, Sexy and Green

Yachts of physical stature are in demand during Monaco's Grand Prix, for viewing the race on the roads and on big screens.

The unofficial start of each summer’s charter season in the South of France is marked by two events: the Cannes Film Festival and the Monaco Grand Prix. Many of the world’s largest, newest, and most luxurious yachts are booked as much as a year in advance for these events. The yachts themselves are often the stars that people crane their necks to see, with each boat offering yet another glimpse into the glitterati lifestyle.

For the Cannes Film Festival, charter clients look for megayachts with the expansive deck space ideal for dockside parties. Red carpets lead Hollywood stars and movie moguls to the aft decks, and parties celebrating the newest movies rage on sundecks well into the wee hours. Great party yachts are also in high demand for the Monaco Grand Prix, but so are yachts of physical stature that tower high above all the rest. Sundecks aboard these most mega of megayachts provide an excellent platform for viewing the Formula 1 race through the local streets, as well as on the projection screens along the marina quay.

Once the Cannes and Monaco events are over, the summer charter season goes into full swing. Megayachts typically command their highest weekly rates of the year when charter demand peaks during the “high season” months of July and August along the Côte d’Azur. Lower rates are usually offered during June and September, when availability is better because families with children stay close to home and school.

Nice is steeped in history, and ancient buildings stand overlooking the cafes and white sand beaches.

Popular ports of call along the Mediterranean Milk Run include not just Cannes and Monaco, but also St. Tropez, Nice, and Antibes. At all of these ports, the marinas fill quickly during the summer months and reservations must be made far in advance. Often, the availability of a marina slip in a given city can dictate the itinerary of a charter.

St. Tropez is known for its glitz and glamour, with beaches that are the playgrounds of millionaires and billionaires alike. Shops and restaurants in St. Tropez offer fineries from around the world, with everything from huge diamonds to cutting-edge fashion to culinary delicacies. The most yachting-minded of the jet set visit St. Tropez each October for the Les Voiles de St. Tropez regatta, which marks the unofficial end of the Mediterranean season. It draws classic sailing yachts as well as fast new racers, along with comfortable megayachts from which spectators can watch.

Nice is steeped in history, all the way back to the Greek inhabitants who lived there as long ago as the 300s BCE. Cathedrals, museums, and palaces that have withstood centuries still line the city’s streets, offering fantastic backdrops to the white, sandy beach along the sea. Charter clients who go ashore to wander the cobblestone alleys will find everything from silk shops to olive oil importers, along with some of the finest organic produce in all of Europe. Many charter yacht chefs say Nice is their favorite stop on the Côte d’Azur because of the morning market that stretches farther than the human eye can see.

Antibes draws such large megayachts to its port that an entire dock goes by the nickname “Billionaire’s Row.” A 100-foot yacht can look like a dinghy in Antibes, where 200-footers, 300-footers, and even their big sisters regularly drop anchor and tie up. The historic Hotel du Cap-Eden Roc is here, too, a spot so exclusive that its clientele over the years has included everyone from Winston Churchill to Elizabeth Taylor. A more elegant place to go ashore and have lunch would be difficult to find on any charter itinerary, anywhere in the world.

Most yacht charter vacations along the Mediterranean Milk Run are for one week, but two- and three-week itineraries are also available. They can include stops at local golf courses, day spas, and casinos, as well as getaways of a few days to the rustic island of Corsica. For the vast majority of charter clients, though, it is the glitz and glamour of the Côte d’Azur that makes a charter in the region so memorable. The place is as much about looking around as it is about seeing and being seen yourself.

View yachts for charter in France

In high season, dock reservations must be made several weeks ahead.

The South of France, from St. Tropez to Monaco, is one of the most popular summer cruising destinations in the world. You can charter any type of yacht you’d like, from a bareboat sailboat to a mid-range catamaran or a luxury motoryacht, and spend your days cruising from port to port along the glamorous French Riviera.

Each port offers something different, from Monaco’s Grand Prix to the star-studded film festival at Cannes, but I’ve always been a fan of the city of Nice as a must-visit destination. From its morning market bursting with fresh fruits and vegetables to its historic old town shops and sprawling beach scenes, Nice offers a bit of something for all tastes.

As with any location in this region, the primary challenge of cruising into Nice is securing dockage in the port. I took the photograph accompanying this column in mid-May 2010, during a rainy week at what was barely the beginning of the cruising season—and already almost all of the berths in Nice were full. If you plan to visit during July and August, which is prime cruising weather, then you will need to make reservations several weeks in advance. And you will be competing for space against some of the largest motoryachts in the world, which likely will be offering the harbormaster thousands more euro per night when paying by LOA.

Your best bet is to send an e-mail, or call +33 (0) 8 20 42 55 55. The port does monitor VHF channel 9, but again, if you’re calling for a berth while you’re already on approach, you are likely to be disappointed.

You’re also likely to encounter tremendous ferry traffic, as Nice is a primary home base for day-trippers zipping to and from the French island of Corsica. (That’s actually a worthwhile adventure, if you start or end your cruising itinerary in Nice and want to add a few days in a hotel on Corsica to your vacation. Try for tickets with Corsica Ferries or SNCM.)

Once you secure a berth in the port at Nice, though, you may never want to leave. You will be within walking distance of the old town, the beaches, the casino, the stunning architecture and fountains, the shops, the restaurants, and all the specialty food stores your luggage can withstand.

I’m most likely to be found at the Cours Saleya Market, sampling freshly made fig nougat and olive tapenade. I’ll keep an eye out for you.

For additional information about chartering on the French Riviera, visit the Yachtworldcharters.com France page.