26.2m Grand Soleil Plus 80 LC Bianca II Makes Cannes Debut

Grand Soleil Yachts has brought the first Grand Soleil Plus 80 Long Cruise, Bianca II, to Cannes Yachting Festival 2026 for its international public debut. The appearance follows a private owner preview during the Grand Soleil Cup 2026 and brings Cantiere del Pardo's new 26.2-metre flagship before the wider international market as a completed sailing yacht rather than a project or construction programme.

Bianca II is the largest yacht yet developed within the Grand Soleil Plus programme and has been conceived around long-range sailing rather than simply scaling up one of the yard's smaller platforms. The official specification gives an overall length of 26.20 metres, a hull length of 23.99 metres and a maximum beam of 6.60 metres, putting the yacht firmly into superyacht dimensions while retaining the performance-oriented character associated with the Grand Soleil name.

Bianca II establishes a new flagship for Cantiere del Pardo

Cantiere del Pardo developed the concept, with Matteo Polli responsible for the naval architecture and Nauta responsible for the exterior design, interior design and accommodation layout. Construction of the Plus range is undertaken in-house, with the builder emphasising close integration between structural engineering, machinery, technical systems and the bespoke interior programme from the beginning of the build.

The hull form combines relatively fine forward sections with increasing volume towards the stern, a balance intended to give the yacht comfortable behaviour offshore without sacrificing the internal volume expected from an 80-foot cruising flagship. On Bianca II, twin rudders are paired with a telescopic keel whose draught varies from 2.90 to 4.40 metres, combining control when heeled with greater flexibility when approaching shallower anchorages and harbours.

Hybrid energy architecture supports long-range cruising

Bianca II incorporates an integrated energy system developed around a Torqeedo hybrid platform, linking propulsion and hotel services through a common architecture. Two 40 kWh battery packs provide 80 kWh of total capacity, while two 45 kW generators support charging and longer-range operation when required during extended cruising away from shore power.

The same systems-led approach extends to deck machinery. A centralised hydraulic circuit operates functions including winches, mast systems, the telescopic keel and sail-plan adjustments, while running controls are led aft towards the helm stations. The arrangement is intended to keep the central cockpit focused on guests while allowing sailing operations to remain concentrated within clearly defined working areas.

A raised saloon creates superyacht-scale interior volume

Nauta's accommodation concept centres on a raised saloon surrounded by panoramic glazing. Grand Soleil describes approximately 270-degree views, while the raised sole creates a substantial technical volume beneath the principal living area where electrical and mechanical systems can be concentrated without consuming accommodation and storage elsewhere aboard the yacht.

Bianca II has been configured with four guest cabins and two crew cabins, with the owner's suite positioned forward. The aft service area incorporates crew accommodation, the galley and navigation station with dedicated access, helping professional crew move between working areas without repeatedly crossing the principal guest spaces during normal operation.

Owner customisation is central to the Plus philosophy

The first yacht also demonstrates how far the Grand Soleil Plus programme can move beyond a fixed production specification. Bianca II does not carry a conventional tender garage because the owner elected to use that volume for additional technical and domestic equipment, including freezer and laundry capacity, illustrating how the platform can be adapted around an individual cruising programme.

That approach places the 80 LC between conventional series production and fully custom construction. Cantiere del Pardo retains a defined naval and structural platform, but systems integration, accommodation and equipment can be developed around individual priorities, allowing the efficiencies of a repeatable platform to coexist with a level of personalisation increasingly expected in the larger sailing-yacht market.

Cannes moves Bianca II onto the international stage

The Cannes debut gives owners, brokers and professional advisers their first broad opportunity to inspect how the Grand Soleil Plus philosophy has translated into a completed 26.2-metre yacht. The public presentation follows Bianca II's earlier private preview and moves the programme from an owner-focused introduction into the international boat-show environment.

For Cantiere del Pardo, Bianca II establishes the upper end of the Grand Soleil range at a scale that overlaps directly with the wider sailing-superyacht market. Her appearance at Cannes places the new flagship alongside competing international sailing and motor yachts while giving the yard a platform to demonstrate how long-distance cruising, sailing performance, hybrid energy systems and bespoke construction can be combined within the same 80-foot programme.