Our Wakes: 2016
Beautifull Corsica west coast: (1 June- 8 July 2016)
After a tiring crossing from Cannes to Calvi we were very pleased with the weather as we
enjoyed more than a month of pleasant weather that has given us the opportunity to visit the
places we wanted. The West coast of Corsica between Calvi and Bonifacio is very beautiful and
the cliffs are very high. The scenery is quite unique and rich in colors. Corsica is also a
remarquable place as the geological history is rich and there are areas with traces of an intense
volcanic activity as well as calcareous rocks in some parts of the island. We visited many towns on
Corsica with names such as Ajaccio, Calvi, Propriano, Bonifacio and Porto Vecchio probably
sounds familiar to you. All around the West coast you see many towers built at critical points
from which the alarm was given to alert the population when suspected rebel boats were
spotted. If you are interested in finding out more about the click on the following link
complicated story of Corsica . It was only in 1768 that Corsica became part of France. When you
visit Corsica you immediately realise that Corsica is a country of delicatessens as every shop has
them for sale. I am sure being a pork is dangerous here because you quickly become a sausage.
Other specialties of Corsica are the wines and cheeses. Despite its being near the sea, we did not
see a lot of fish shops for reasons unknown to us. Here are a few places we visited:
Calvi.
Is the little harbor you land at first after the crossing for the simple reason that Calvi is the
closest town in Corsica to the mainland. High on the mountain you see the big walls that
protected the city. From the fortress there is a great view over the sea and the marina.
Strangely we found several shops that referred to Christopher Columbus. We made some
inquiries and according to some people, Christopher Columbus’ birthplace was most likely in Calvi.
Whether this is true or not we did not question further but this explains why certain shops refer
to this famous sailor.
Ajaccio
This town located in the middle of the island and is the biggest town on the island. Strangely, it
has no big fortress to protect it. Ajaccio is well known because it is the birthplace of Napoleon
and also because one of the most popular singers of France, Tino Rossi, lived in Ajaccio. Today
the town is modern and in the background many modern buildings have been constructed. From
Ajaccio many ferries connect it to major French ports such as Nice, Toulon and Marseille but
some days, 3 to 4 passenger cruise ships stop in Ajaccio and more then 3,000 passengers per
boat invade the city.
Propriano
This is a rather new town with a nice harbor in which we took shelter for 2 days. There is nothing
in particular in this city, but from there it is easy to take a bus to visit the town of Sartène. This
ancient town has played a very important role in the history of Corsica and its fight for
independence. If you are interested in finding out more about this city please visit the website
Bonifacio
as you arrive from the sea and proceed towards Bonifacio, you see calcareous cliffs with the
town of Bonifacio sitting atop them. You need to find a narrow opening in the cliff to enter the
harbor. Once past the entrance, you soon discover the harbor situated between two impressive
walls. Big passenger ships cannot enter this harbor but some superyachts of up to 90 meters in
length like to visit the marina. Some of them can be chartered for half a million Euros per week
plus expenses. Some of these superyachts have a tender with full air conditioning. It is easy to
visit Bonifacio and inside the huge fortress there are many typical houses as well as a military
camps. The major economic activity of Bonifacio is tourism and the city has plenty of
restaurants.
Scandola Nature Reserve Classified as a world site by Unesco, the Scandola nature reserve is an
old volcanic crater. The walls are steep and difficult to climb. They are a real heaven for many
protected species which have decided to nest in the reserve.
All activities in the reserve are strictly controlled. No fishing, no scuba diving and anchoring is
only permitted during daytime in some well-defined areas. During the day, many tourists visit this
reserve by hopping on the sightseeing boats that can be found all around the reserve. If your
time is limited, the Scandola nature reserve is a must.
The port of Girolata
Not far away from Scandola, is the little harbor of Girolata, which offers good protection from
most winds except the southerly ones. The village of Girolata can only be reached by sea. Boats
can anchor outside the harbor. What we liked to most in la Girolata was its quietness. There are
no cars or motorbikes and in the morning, you can hear the wake-up call of the rooster or the
wild goats gazing in the surrounding hills.
Campomoro
The village of Campomoro is very small and originally only had a few fishermen’s houses.
Campomoro is famous for the tower located on top of the hill. It is the biggest and best
preserved tower on Corsica If you climb up to the tower you can enjoy the view and beautifull
scenery. Campomoro is also a well protectd bay for sailors, so many boats anchor there for a few
nights. Close to the mooring place and icing on the cake there is a shop that has croissants
available every morning.
enjoyed more than a month of pleasant weather that has given us the opportunity to visit the
places we wanted. The West coast of Corsica between Calvi and Bonifacio is very beautiful and
the cliffs are very high. The scenery is quite unique and rich in colors. Corsica is also a
remarquable place as the geological history is rich and there are areas with traces of an intense
volcanic activity as well as calcareous rocks in some parts of the island. We visited many towns on
Corsica with names such as Ajaccio, Calvi, Propriano, Bonifacio and Porto Vecchio probably
sounds familiar to you. All around the West coast you see many towers built at critical points
from which the alarm was given to alert the population when suspected rebel boats were
spotted. If you are interested in finding out more about the click on the following link
complicated story of Corsica . It was only in 1768 that Corsica became part of France. When you
visit Corsica you immediately realise that Corsica is a country of delicatessens as every shop has
them for sale. I am sure being a pork is dangerous here because you quickly become a sausage.
Other specialties of Corsica are the wines and cheeses. Despite its being near the sea, we did not
see a lot of fish shops for reasons unknown to us. Here are a few places we visited:
Calvi.
Is the little harbor you land at first after the crossing for the simple reason that Calvi is the
closest town in Corsica to the mainland. High on the mountain you see the big walls that
protected the city. From the fortress there is a great view over the sea and the marina.
Strangely we found several shops that referred to Christopher Columbus. We made some
inquiries and according to some people, Christopher Columbus’ birthplace was most likely in Calvi.
Whether this is true or not we did not question further but this explains why certain shops refer
to this famous sailor.
Ajaccio
This town located in the middle of the island and is the biggest town on the island. Strangely, it
has no big fortress to protect it. Ajaccio is well known because it is the birthplace of Napoleon
and also because one of the most popular singers of France, Tino Rossi, lived in Ajaccio. Today
the town is modern and in the background many modern buildings have been constructed. From
Ajaccio many ferries connect it to major French ports such as Nice, Toulon and Marseille but
some days, 3 to 4 passenger cruise ships stop in Ajaccio and more then 3,000 passengers per
boat invade the city.
Propriano
This is a rather new town with a nice harbor in which we took shelter for 2 days. There is nothing
in particular in this city, but from there it is easy to take a bus to visit the town of Sartène. This
ancient town has played a very important role in the history of Corsica and its fight for
independence. If you are interested in finding out more about this city please visit the website
Bonifacio
as you arrive from the sea and proceed towards Bonifacio, you see calcareous cliffs with the
town of Bonifacio sitting atop them. You need to find a narrow opening in the cliff to enter the
harbor. Once past the entrance, you soon discover the harbor situated between two impressive
walls. Big passenger ships cannot enter this harbor but some superyachts of up to 90 meters in
length like to visit the marina. Some of them can be chartered for half a million Euros per week
plus expenses. Some of these superyachts have a tender with full air conditioning. It is easy to
visit Bonifacio and inside the huge fortress there are many typical houses as well as a military
camps. The major economic activity of Bonifacio is tourism and the city has plenty of
restaurants.
Scandola Nature Reserve Classified as a world site by Unesco, the Scandola nature reserve is an
old volcanic crater. The walls are steep and difficult to climb. They are a real heaven for many
protected species which have decided to nest in the reserve.
All activities in the reserve are strictly controlled. No fishing, no scuba diving and anchoring is
only permitted during daytime in some well-defined areas. During the day, many tourists visit this
reserve by hopping on the sightseeing boats that can be found all around the reserve. If your
time is limited, the Scandola nature reserve is a must.
The port of Girolata
Not far away from Scandola, is the little harbor of Girolata, which offers good protection from
most winds except the southerly ones. The village of Girolata can only be reached by sea. Boats
can anchor outside the harbor. What we liked to most in la Girolata was its quietness. There are
no cars or motorbikes and in the morning, you can hear the wake-up call of the rooster or the
wild goats gazing in the surrounding hills.
Campomoro
The village of Campomoro is very small and originally only had a few fishermen’s houses.
Campomoro is famous for the tower located on top of the hill. It is the biggest and best
preserved tower on Corsica If you climb up to the tower you can enjoy the view and beautifull
scenery. Campomoro is also a well protectd bay for sailors, so many boats anchor there for a few
nights. Close to the mooring place and icing on the cake there is a shop that has croissants
available every morning.
