Ajaccio/Corte

We arrived in Ajaccio around 16:00 after an extended lunch stop on the southern edge of the gulf where we tried to clean the hull of some the slime that had built over over the summer on the river. We had tried to book a berth at both of the marinas using the Corsican booking-site, emails and telephone but had received no responses and could raise anyone on the VHF either. Umm well we headed to the innermost marina and went in for a look around, the pilot book said visitors should take Beth’s on the port side on entry, this was full of motorboats. We tied up on the fuel dock and a shot over to the capitainerie, closed on sundays! We headed out slowly looking at the empty berths most had ropes in place but we noticed one between the motorboats that was vacant and as it was now nearly 17:00 we decided to risk it. It wasn’t until 19:00 that a very polite man on a bike asked us to move as we were in a private marina and the spot we were booked in was reserved with the boat due to arrive shortly. We had our tea in the oven so switched on the gennie and prepared to leave. Oh sorry said the man it’s OK you can stay the other boat has called to say they are not coming after all. Great news so we got a free night. The next morning we telephoned the other marina and they had a place immediately, so we headed around, moored, paid showered coffeed and still managed to catch the 11:00 train to Corte. Corte is in the middle of the island almost surrounded by mountains ⛰. The train ride was great, high and winding and Corte very interesting, it has the only inland Citadelle on Corsica the other 12 are on the coast. I took a dip in the river in the Restonica Valley, we were only able to do a short walk around the town due to time and access restrictions but we had a wonderful people watching lunch. On the walk we passed random Mausoleums (private tombs) very odd.Read more