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 The tttt Calvi, Ajaccio, 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 it 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 camp. 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.