The Cannes Yachting Festival is around the corner and all the big European catamaran producers will be presenting their new models. Catamaran design has greatly evolved over the past years and now the new trends are bigger, more voluminous vessels. This translates to broader hulls, bigger main decks and a predominance of large fly bridges.
The ever-evolving catamaran design
The new generation of catamarans is certainly much more comfortable than previous designs, albeit at a cost in regards to sailing performance. Such is the demand for bigger, roomier catamarans, that even traditional performance-oriented brands, are branching out towards wide-bodied designs who offer space at the expense of sailing prowess.
The best example being BABALU, the new Bali 5.4 model which has been voted best multihull for 2019 and represents a great innovation upon the usual performance-oriented design pattern of the Catana Group (Catana being the mother company of Bali Catamarans).
The wider hulls are allowing manufacturers to equip the new catamarans with up to 6 cabins, something unheard of previously, particularly so as all cabins have their own private bathrooms. The 6 cabin design is ideal for charter, enabling large groups to enjoy the unique crewed catamaran charter experience! A great 6 cabin catamaran being LUCKY CLOVER, the Lagoon 52.
A short cruise around from Ajaccio you will arrive in Propriano, a beautiful fishing harbor in the narrowest part of the Valinco Golf in Corsica.
Propriano
The majority of the buildings date from the early 19th century, prior to this the area was occupied by Romans and Greeks, but having been frequently attacked by pirates in the late 18th century, little remains of early Propriano.
Propriano is mainly one long cobbled street with luxury shops, cafes and bars in the traditional old houses, it’s a lovely place to explore. Propriano has become quite a popular area in Corsica thanks to her numerous close by beaches including Plage du Lido, a stunning white sandy beach with views over the gulf of Propriano.
Roccapina?
Further south after a leisurely cruise you will find the beautiful Plage de Roccapina, a 2km stretch of white sand adorned with magnificent rock formations including the Roccapina Lion.
A little inland from Roccapina beach is the stunning Domaine de Murtoli, a natural and peaceful resort with the stunning beach restaurant La Table de la Plage, inspired by an ancient fisherman’s hut, furniture made of driftwood and shaded by olive and mastik trees.
The restaurant offers gastronomic food including locally grown meat, freshly caught fish or seafood seasoned to enhance their flavour. Chef Renard Laurence has created a selection of their most popular ‘ecorces’ to enjoy in the lounges or on the sunbeds where relaxation is paramount.
Bonifacio
On the southernmost point of Corsica when you cruise the straights of Bonifacio, it is truly magnificent, with dramatic limestone cliffs on either side, you cruise for around an hour and a half before arriving at the pretty town consisting of brasseries, bars, and cafes, the perfect place to enjoy an evening ashore.
Porto Vecchio around to the east of Bonifacio is known as the ‘Pearl of the south’, with winding narrow streets inside the ramparts offering many restaurants, shops and cafes. Porto Vecchio has an Italian chic which gives a great energy to the town.
Porto Vecchio is home to the exquisite white sandy beach Santa Giulia and the stunning Palombaggia with perfect sand and a red rock backdrop.
Broker Cordy gives an insight into her time working onboard Megayachts
One of my favorite places to cruise when I worked onboard mega yachts (Giga yachts weren’t around then!) was the stunning West coastline of Corsica. I was fortunate to work for a wonderful English family who adored this area, so it is where we spent the majority of the summer. On a displacement yacht cruising at around 12knots, the journey from Cannes to St Florent is around 10 hours which can normally be achieved overnight. So, if you are on the French Riviera and fancy something a little different, why not enjoy a wonderful dinner on board anchored at the Iles des Lerins, Cannes, and then start your journey after this. Be sure to ask the crew to wake you up at dawn to dolphin watch! One of the most amazing experiences at sea.
Arriving in St Florent is stunning, this pretty little fishing port has a host of local restaurants and bars huddled around the marina. Restaurant de l’Europe and Le Grill are perfect places to sit in the sun and watch the world go by!
Having relaxed in the sun, head one street back to the old town full of independent shops selling local charcuterie and souvenirs. Keep heading up and you will reach the citadel, steps from the citadel car park lead down to a small beach. The stunning cathedral de Nebbio is found on the other side of the town on the Chemin de la Cathedrale and is most definitely worth a visit.
For the more energetic persons amongst your group, Le Roya Beach can be found to the southeast of the town offering water sports including windsurfing, sailing, kayaking, jet skis and scuba diving! There really is something for everyone!
Heading west from St Florent is the beautiful town of Calvi. Coming into port you have an incredible view of the citadel, once docked, it is definitely worth climbing up the cobbled streets for breathtaking panoramic views of your surroundings. There are some great restaurants up here as well as the voguish Chez Tao bar!
Once you have soaked up the incredible views, wander around the shops through the old cobbled streets of the town. The marché de l’Orée des Pins is full of local charcuterie, grapes, cheeses, and amazing pastries!
Around the corner, further West from Calvi is possibly the most beautiful spot in the Med! Girolata is a fortified bay at the south of the Scandola Nature Reserve. The setting is spectacular, with the village perched on the peninsula and surrounded by the sea and the famous red rock mountains of this area. This bay is a wonderful place to anchor and swim ashore to the beautiful beach.
Further south in the Scandola National Park is the bay of Porto where you can find a pretty little village and see more of the stunning Calanques de Piana rock formations.
Having enjoyed the National Park, further south again you will find Ajaccio, famous for being the birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte! You can visit the Maison Bonaparte, now a national museum, the ancestral home of the Bonaparte family, to discover more about his life. Ajaccio’s charming old town is a great place to amble and enjoy the beautiful architectural features and stunning landmarks such as the Cathedrale Notre-Dame-de-l’Assomption.
The pretty port of Ajaccio is adorned with bars and restaurants serving seafood and pizzas. The perfect place to soak up the atmosphere and admire the view!
Contact Cordy at Boatbookings to plan your Corsican adventure and please keep reading the blog for part 2 of the West Coast of Corsica!
Hanse was founded in 1993, when it launched its first boat, the Hanse 291, which caused a stir because of its racing prowess. It is now one of the top 5 worldwide manufactures of sailing yachts and is based in Griefswold, Germany.
Hanse Yachts are built with quality materials and furnished beautifully. No expense is spared when creating a Hanse. Their epoxy hulls are built with vacuum-composite technology which produces significantly greater stiffness with 20% less weight. Making her a durable, but light performance cruising yacht.
Hanse Sailing Yachts are known for their quality, comfort, speed, easy sailing, and family-friendly design. They feature self-tacking jibs, fully battened mainsails, and a single-line reefing system that help make sailing a stress-free experience.
Once you have experienced the quality of a Hanse Yacht, you will not want to sail anything else! Why not do a Hanse Yacht Charter in some of the most popular sailing destinations in the world? Check out the range of Hanse’s in Croatia or Greece!
One of Boatbookings most favourite Hanse Yachts has just became available in Croatia! The Hanse 575 is an innovative yacht which is not only aesthetically beautiful to look at but also easy to handle. Hanse has designed the Easy Sailing Concept, a thoughtful design dedicated to the importance of stress-free sailing.
The Dodecanese Islands are a gateway to Asia Minor and combine many of the characteristics of the rest of the islands – most of all, summer never seems to end in the Dodecanese.
Sunset over Poros.
I currently have a very busy working life and time is of the essence, so whenever I find some time to take my boat to sea, I head to Poros island. In just 2 hours cruising from Athens, Poros offers a protected port, excellent anchorages and a selection of wonderful restaurants.
FRESH FISH
My absolute favorite fish restaurant is MAISTRALI, on the very edge of the Poros canal. This is actually an “ouzeri” serving a plethora of traditional “mezes”, Greek delicacies which are meant to go with ouzo: grilled octopus, fresh fried calamari, sea-urchin salad, small fried fish and many more surprises that Antonis, the joyful owner prepares on a daily basis. But of course, this is always depending on the fresh catches of the local fishermen that day! If you contact Antonis in advance, he can source big fresh fish (caught the same day) and grill it for you.
MEAT LOVERS
For meat, I always go to Dimitris Family Bucher Shop Taverna. It is a bit hard to find, as it is situated within the maze of small narrow roads on the upper neighborhood of Poros – it takes a brisk 5 minutes’ walk to get there. The food, however, will reward every meat-lovers’ appetite. Excellent, fresh and aged cuts from locally grazed beef, pork, and lamb, grilled by one of the owners’ sons! They also have a decent selection of Greek wines.
SWEET TOOTH
For dessert, I recommend going to Bessalas – right next to Maistrali, at the Eastern edge of the Poros Port. This is where all the locals get their sweets and this is always a great guarantee for high quality.
