Give your clients their very own taste of the Riviera lifestyle

With such a small cohort of guests, life aboard resembles a floating house party, albeit with a distinctive continental flavour, evident from the charming lilting accents of the largely French crew, as Ponant sailings are bilingual in French and English.

There’s also a delightful balance of Gallic character reflected by a focus on gourmet cuisine and fine wines, with dishes full of French style that comes from Ponant chefs training at the culinary school founded by Michelin-starred chef Alain Ducasse.

Last year Le Ponant became the first sailing yacht to become a member of elite hospitality group Relais & Chateaux, and dining is quite the occasion, though while we feast handsomely, I feel some dishes don’t quite hit the gourmet mark I expect.

Yet there is no shortage of fine treats, returning to the yacht one afternoon to find a rainbow-array of deliciously-light macarons on deck as a teatime snack and freshly-prepared crepes suzettes that bring their own zesty tang.

After soaking up the ambience of being under sail, we sample local wines at a family-run vineyard near the charming fishing village, now tourist magnet, of Cassis and swap to a smaller craft to weave into the rocky coves and limestone fissures along the beautifully-rugged cliffs of the Calanques.

While moored off St Tropez, the crew set up a novel floating swimming pool at Le Ponant’s marina deck, tempting hardier guests into the chilly early-summer waters of the Mediterranean, while others paddle off on kayaks. Le Ponant carries snorkelling gear, paddle boards and scuba diving equipment too.

The boutique line’s customer base is becoming increasingly international with American clients making up 25 per cent and 50 per cent of guests coming from Europe, led by the French-speaking market which accounts for around a third of this total.

Ponant is keen to boost its UK business, as illustrated by its recent appointment of industry veteran Anthony Daniels as UK and Ireland general manager.

Company bosses concede that while Ponant’s French flavour gives the boutique line a particular appeal, they need to get the message across that sailings are far more international, with a mix of nationalities and English spoken onboard.

Belinda Hindmarsh, group deputy chief executive of global business, herself a relative newcomer to the company having joined last summer, feels the boutique line’s range of ships means there is a “massive opportunity” to create awareness and clear up misconceptions.

“When I talk to people in the trade, there is constant feedback that we only speak French onboard and it’s French for the French, yet we have 30 sailings a year that are English-only with Smithsonian Journeys, and the others are bilingual,” she says.

“We are investing and it’s not just about employing a new leader for the UK. It’s also about really re-engaging with the trade and getting the message out there to come onboard and get to know us.”

This summer Ponant has unveiled its first comprehensive programme of ship visits around the country with 22 such events running until September from the likes of Dover and Dartmouth to Rosyth and Aberdeen.

Hindmarsh says this underlines Ponant’s efforts to forge closer links with agents and build trust and knowledge. She has a strategic list of retailers to target, but also advises anyone interested in working with the line to get in touch.

“Please reach out if you’re curious,” she urges agents. “We are happy to support you and give you more information. This is turning the page for us, it’s a new era.”

Book it: Ponant offers a one-week round-trip sailing from Dubrovnik on Le Ponant exploring the islands and coast of Croatia, including stops at Korcula, Hvar, Vis and Brac. Departing on September 15, 2024, it costs from £8,575pp, all-inclusive. Flights extra; uk.ponant.com