Berthon France Review | 2023

By Isabelle Skaf

2022 was a busy and successful year at Berthon France, but like the curate’s egg it had its challenges. I have been with Berthon for 15 years, but this is the first time that I have been tasked with writing the Flight Deck report for our office. We have a lot going on here and I am looking forward to 2023 in our Riviera office in Mandelieu.

I am passionate about the yachting business and was born in Marseille, so the sea has always been an essential element of life. After my master in English, Italian and Arabic at La Sorbonne in Paris, it was important to get back to the sea, so I started in the yachting business in Monaco working for a new yacht distributor. After this I joined Berthon and I have been driving the accounting, winter service contracts and warranty part of the business ever since. The best part of my job though is definitely time spent with our wonderful clients.

Our office has always hummed with activity, selling both new and brokerage yachts. We were particularly pleased to become the dealer for Pearl Yachts. These fantastic British brand motor yachts offer an outstanding fly bridge range from 62 to 95 feet. Designed by Dixon Design Group with Kelly Hoppen interiors, they have created quite a stir in our market and internationally.

Of course, we have also been the Windy Boats dealer here in France for many years, but this association ceased in 2022, allowing us to focus on our core business and to develop Berthon France along the same lines as the other Berthon International’s offices.

Brokerage is an important part of what Berthon does and Berthon France has always played its part. However, we will be focusing more on this aspect of what we do and with our office centrally placed in La Napoule, we are in the perfect place to market and sell yachts on the Côte d’Azur with easy access along the coast.

In 2023 Berthon France has a lot to do. On the to do list is to add a new member to the France team and we will be telling our clients about the changes as this all happens.

Another important development is the appointment of Marc Mellino at Yacht Icea with offices in Saint Maxime. Marc is working with us on the Pearl file in this area of the Côte d’Azur. A very experienced broker, we are delighted to have him aboard and look forward to working with him.

Another first for me was a visit to the Düsseldorf Boat Show where the all new Pearl 72 was on display. It was a great opportunity to spend time with colleagues from Berthon and Pearl; and the 72 is one very special yacht! My focus is now on the delivery of two Pearl 62s that we have sold for delivery to the South of France in 2023 and I am very much looking forward to offering new owners great support from La Napoule working with and the UK Pearl and Berthon teams.

Another project for me is the refurbishment of our lovely office in the Mandelieu. In the Port de La Napoule it is perfectly placed at the gates of Esterel. Its red rocks against azure Mediterranean waters, offer a warm welcome. It is a truly beautiful place and the Port has great on site facilities and friendly faces, making it one of the most dynamic enclaves on the French Riviera.

We look forward to seeing you there and to giving you a coffee in our lovely office. We are always on hand to offer advice about the best places to go, both from the sea, or onshore, and to help you navigate the local rules and to understand how the South of France ticks. We also have a lot of knowledge about the possibilities for berthing in the area, so do call in and say hello and we will be delighted to help with any queries that you have.

La Napoule hosts a brokerage yacht show annually in April and we will be there. It is a great event, so do come by and see us.

The stand out event for us each year is the Cannes Yachting Festival and in 2022 we showed a Pearl 95, and Pearl 80 and a Pearl 62. From our lovely stand on the Show we enjoyed outstanding weather (this is the South of France after all!) and were delighted to show clients from France and internationally over these 3 extraordinary yachts. I am already starting to plan for this year’s Cannes Show, and look forward to the bustle and excitement.

As if all this wasn’t enough, a new website for Berthon France is in the works and we have followed the example of our colleagues in Berthon Spain with a smart white office car, branded Berthon – look out for it and probably me, dashing around this summer.

We are looking forward to all the possibilities that the changes in our office will bring and to welcoming you to the crystal waters of our shores with all that the South of France has to offer, including of course, some seriously outstanding eateries and the joy of kicking back, relaxing and enjoying this perfect place.

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