You may know Corsica as the island just north of Sardinia in the Mediterranean where, in August 2022, a violent derecho swept through with 140-mile-per-hour winds, tossing boats onto beaches like so much kindling and wreaking havoc across the island. The weather was unprecedented, but you could argue that it somehow fit the nature of this place, whose wild edges—both geographic and historic—make it one of the most mesmerizing islands in the Med.
Fortunately, when I visited last year for a weeklong charter, the derecho’s devastation was largely in the rear-view mirror, the weather was lovely, and the cerulean waters, local markets, and lively culture—rather a mashup of Italian and French—revealed the yin to the island’s yang of wildness. It’s this mix of the two that makes Corsica such an intriguing place to visit by boat.
Wild is the best way to describe it. The fourth-largest island in the Mediterranean, Corsica is also the most mountainous, with its highest summit at just under 9,000 feet and more than 100 peaks at nearly 7,000 feet. With this jagged spine of massifs soaring skyward, its edges are fringed with more than 200 beaches. Its history, too, has been jagged and harsh. Corsica has been fought over for centuries, a fierce nature that’s evident in its flag, which depicts a Moor’s severed head. There are many legends, but the most chilling speaks to the former custom in Corsica of beheading and impaling Moor heads on spikes to deter other would-be invaders. In more recent times, the island’s desire for independence from France reached its peak in the Corsican conflict—an armed nationalist struggle in the 1970s against the French government.
Imagine my surprise when, on day four of our charter, my crew and I awoke in Cala di Palu on the west coast to the sound of ferocious barking dogs and gunfire. One of the more popular pastimes here is hunting wild boar, and hearing what was clearly such a hunt so close in what was an otherwise bucolic, dreamy setting was a reminder of the untamed nature still so much a part of this island.
We started in Ajaccio on Corsica’s west coast, where Dream Yacht Charter has its base. After the Dream Yacht team introduced us to our boat, we explored a bit of Ajaccio, spending the afternoon provisioning at Marché Ajaccio, a stone’s throw from the marina. Like so many of the markets on this island, it was rich with local cheeses, cured meats, fresh fish, produce, baked goods, and wine, making provisioning for the week a pleasure. In the evening, we roamed Ajaccio’s narrow, ancient streets thick with the delicious aroma of Mediterranean dishes wafting from its many restaurants and outdoor cafes. One of the things I love about sailing in countries with a French influence is that the food is always good.
If you’re interested in European history, you’ll enjoy learning that Ajaccio is the birthplace and final resting place of Napoleon Bonaparte. Ajaccio Cathedral, built at the end of the 16th century, is where Napoleon was baptized, and La Chapelle Impériale contains the tombs where he and his family are buried. You can also stroll Place Foch, Place Général-de-Gaulle, and Place d’Austerlitz and view the many statues celebrating this famed conqueror.
Of course, the history of this island goes far deeper than the 18th and 19th centuries. One archeological site here, Filitosa, has produced arrow heads and pottery dating back to 3300 BC, and it includes amazing, intact, 6- to 9-foot-high menhir (stone sculptures depicting warriors and their weapons) dating to 1500 BC.
From Ajaccio, the hard part is choosing where to go, since there are a multitude of great sailing destinations, bays, and other attractions whether you head north or south. The Dream Yacht base told us the majority of sailors head south to see Bonifacio, one of Corsica’s most spectacular ancient seaside towns. However, since I prefer to explore the road less travelled in search of tranquil and empty anchorages and a more natural experience, we headed north.
Leaving port, we rounded our first headlands and passed through the Iles Sanguinaires. This provided a remarkable first glimpse of this rugged, rocky coastline’s stunning beauty. We also had our first encounter with one of the famed Genovese towers, in this case, Tour de la Parata, strategically placed on high promontories along the coast. These were constructed by the Republic of Genoa between 1530 and 1620 to stem attacks by Barbary pirates.
The wind was relatively light and on our nose, which made for slow going, but our Nautitech 40 Open did remarkably well given the conditions. Most importantly, we were able to sail, which is great because I hate running the motor. Luckily, we did not have any major agenda, except that we wanted to visit Cala di Palu and hike to another one of these Genovese towers called Torra di Turghju.
I’ve learned that often it’s best not to get locked into a strict sailing schedule in an effort to see everything. On one of my first charters in the Greek Cyclades many years ago, I tried to see every island in the chain. As a result, I saw mostly water and not much of the islands, because we were sailing to and fro the whole time. I’ve since learned to focus more on the experience than the destination—although it’s hard when there’s so much to see.
Given the wind speed and direction, we made Anse de Fica our first stop, an easy 11 nautical miles north of Ajaccio. One of many beautiful, protected coves we encountered, the water here was a crystal-clear, deep cerulean blue that brightened to a beautiful radiant green at the foot of the tall cliffs protecting a tiny white sand beach. The holding was excellent, we just had to be careful to avoid the sea grass and steer clear of some sharp rocks on the southern end of the anchorage.
As soon as we secured the anchor, we donned our snorkel gear and jumped in to explore. Marine life was limited to sea urchins, scattered coral, schools of small black and white fish, and a few sea cucumbers. But that’s what we’ve come to expect in the Mediterranean, as it’s been fished for thousands of years. Still, it was fun to get our feet (and heads) wet and explore.
Almost all of these bays have networks of trail systems inviting you to do a little trekking. Anse de Fica is no exception. After a post-swim snack of cheese, meat, olives, and fresh baguette, we launched the dinghy and set out to explore the environs. The trail leading up from the beach took us to a high lookout with stellar views. And as we continued on, we discovered a second equally amazing beach called Plage de Vaccaja.
After this nice baptism into the wonders of Corsica, we decided to visit Baie de Sagone. This relaxed seaside town has a couple of amazing French restaurants, a fully stocked grocery store, and a long, expansive beach—perfect for a morning jog. More importantly, it had what we needed to solve two small problems. One, we needed more fresh baguettes. But also, Air France had lost my luggage, so I needed to stock up on some gear. Luckily, I’d kept some essentials in my carry-on—lessons learned from having lost my gear once while heading to a regatta in Charleston, South Carolina—so I only needed a few things to tide me over.
At a shop called Sarl Le Forum I found a large selection of pretty much everything I might need—fishing tackle, wetsuits, snorkel gear, sunglasses, swim shorts, T-shirts, you name it. The owner was very nice and gave me a comprehensive Corsican history lesson, although my high school French was a bit rusty.
Sagone also has a large grocery store with fresh baked goods and a wide range of cheese, meats, fresh fish, produce, wines, olives, all at good prices (just in case you forgot something while provisioning). A convenient dinghy dock on the southern end of the beach is a three-minute walk to the grocery store.
We got a special treat in the morning while anchored in Bay of Sagone. Two Canadair CL-415 “waterbomber” amphibious aircraft conducted a number of practice sorties in the bay, picking up seawater and then dropping it over and over. Often it looked like they were going to run us down, but the trained pilots were able to get airborne with their heavy load of water before crashing through our catamaran. Needless to say it was a great show to entertain us as we had coffee on deck.
As we continued north along the west coast, we all marveled at the never-ending display of craggy rock formations and sheer cliffs along the shore. Fishing with the new tackle I had picked up in Sagone, I took us quite close to these rocks, and it was like touring a rock sculpture garden.
Our next target (and our only real primary destination) was Cala di Palu—another beguiling natural bay tucked right against massive rock walls. There’s an obvious cut in the rocks at Cala di Palu where you can land a dinghy. The trail to Torra di Turghju starts right there, so it was all straightforward.
One thing you learn right away when you hike in Corsica is this island is not for the faint of heart. That’s not surprising, since this island is home to the famed GR20, a 136-mile-long hiking trail that crosses Corsica diagonally, following the range of mountains that effectively divides the island in two. The trail takes you up to 6,561 feet above sea level and is reportedly the most rigorous hiking trail in Europe.
The hike to Torra di Turghju was nothing like the GR20, but it was still sweaty and heart-pumping, especially in the dry heat ubiquitous in Corsica. This tower is also accessible by land, and we ran into quite a few hikers during our adventure. The trail starts out fairly easy and wide, with some nice old stone buildings to explore, but the final push to the tower is single track and steep. It’s all exposed, and the sun was intense, so I was glad we were well prepared with water, hats, and sunscreen. The spectacular views from this tower spoke more to the savage and beautiful nature of this island; hikes like these, while strenuous, are well worth it, as they provide a view of Corsica you can’t get from sea level.
A little farther north along the coast we found another wonderful and curious cove and beach that had a collection of eclectic makeshift “private vacation huts.” The locals we encountered here were as interesting as the dwellings. It had all the appearances of some kind of hippy artist commune. I couldn’t find the name of this cove on the charts, but one of the friendly people there told me it was called Ruisseau de Mezzanu.
With only one more night left on our charter (where does the time go?), we decided to head south and spend our last evening at Iles Sanguinaires, which we had sailed through at the beginning of our trip. This is a small group of islands off the Pointe de Parata, and we found a good anchorage just south of the islands. There’s a short easy hike to Tour de la Parata that provides an excellent view of the archipelago. If you have a good dinghy and the sea is relatively calm, you could also head out and explore the islands.
I used to spend most of my time sailing in the Caribbean. And I still have a special place in my heart for those islands. Yet I’m equally drawn to the diverse history and culture one finds in these ancient Mediterranean islands, each with its own story and unique flavor. Corsica is only 300 miles from my last sailing destination, Mallorca—a distance that would not even get you across the state of Colorado. And yet, the differences in culture, history, landscape, language, architecture, people, and cuisine are remarkable, which is exactly why I keep coming back here.
Extra Credit
Our charter had only whet my appetite, and I wanted to see what lay south of Ajaccio, so my partner and our daughter returned a few weeks later. Following are a few of the highlights.
In Ajaccio, we had a couple of wonderful nights at Sofitel Golfe d’Ajaccio Thalassa Sea and Spa. An oasis of relaxation and stress release, the private beach is as pretty as any I encountered on my sail.
South of Ajaccio, Bonifacio—which faces Sardinia about 7 miles south across the Strait of Bonifacio—is the main attraction. It’s a 40-nautical-mile sail from Dream Yacht Charter’s base; there are many potentially great coves on the west coast south of Ajaccio to break up the trip. One we liked was Plage de Cupabia, an expansive natural bay with scattered rock formations and tidal pool. The bay had a good sandy bottom with a lot of room for boats. There’s a great little restaurant right on the beach called Waikiki Beach that we very much enjoyed.
Perched atop 230-foot-high chalk-white limestone cliffs, Bonifacio is nothing less than extraordinary. High winds, strong currents, and landslides have led to severe erosion at the cliffs’ base, placing the buildings of this city perilously close to the edge, giving the illusion that they’re about to tumble into the sea.
Here you’ll find the southern coast’s best and only major harbor, the Bay of Bonifacio. This remarkable bay is a deep fjord framed between towering rock cliffs, separated from the sea by a 5,000-foot-long, narrow, rock promontory. There’s a marina here, as well as 90 moorings with metal rings imbedded in the rock for stern lines and lazy lines for the bow.
Bonifacio needs at least one full day for exploring. The old town is a labyrinth of narrow streets and historic buildings with wonderful open-air restaurants and shops. A must-do for “active” types is The King of Aragon’s Stairway—a 1,890-step stairway that hugs a cliff and leads from the city down to sea level. It was constructed in the 15th century to access a freshwater well that’s no longer used. This is a somewhat perilous hike down and a rigorous hike back up, but it’s doable, even with a kid in tow. The views of the savage sea crashing on the rocks below and Sardinia to the south are wonderful.
Just around the southern tip of the island and up the east coast are few more anchorages that I’ve already put on my list for our next charter here. One of these is Plage de Rondinara, a natural, well-protected bay with plenty of space and good holding for many boats. On a peninsula with beaches on both sides, the water here is calm and crystal blue and perfect for splashing around with my 2-year-old.
The second spot on the southeast coast is Golfe de Santa Giulia, where we stayed at the lovely Hotel Moby Dick. There’s no anchoring in this beautiful, protected bay, but mooring balls are available. The beach is long and fairly empty (at least it was during our end-of-season visit). Shallow enough to wade very far out, at the beach’s southern end a collection of sea- and wind-worn rocks and caves reminded me of the Seychelles—all in waist-deep water.
April 2024