France · Corsica
Yacht Charter Ajaccio
Napoleon's birthplace at the head of a gulf, with the Sanguinaires islands closing its mouth.
Ajaccio sits at the head of the largest gulf in Corsica, facing west, which means the sunsets over the Sanguinaires — four red granite islets across the entrance — are the thing the town organises its evenings around. Napoleon was born here in 1769 in a house that is now a museum, and the city has never quite got over it.
The gulf and the islands
The Îles Sanguinaires close the mouth of the gulf and take their name from the colour the granite turns at the end of the day. The outermost, Mezzu Mare, has a Genoese tower and a lighthouse and can be landed on.
Inside the gulf the water is deep and the shelter good in most conditions, with anchorages along both shores — Capo di Feno on the north side and the long beaches towards Porticcio on the south.
The town
The Maison Bonaparte on Rue Saint-Charles is where Napoleon was born and spent his first nine years, kept as it was and worth the twenty minutes. The Palais Fesch holds the second-largest collection of Italian primitives in France after the Louvre, assembled by Napoleon's uncle.
The market on Place Foch runs every morning: charcuterie, brocciu, chestnut flour and clementines, which is Corsican cooking in four ingredients.
Practical notes
- The gulf faces west and is deep and sheltered, with anchorages on both shores
- The Îles Sanguinaires close the mouth; the outermost has a Genoese tower and a lighthouse
- Ajaccio airport is fifteen minutes from the port, which makes this the easiest arrival in Corsica
- Olbia is a long day east across the strait, where thirteen of this fleet's yachts sit
Reached from: Olbia
Where to dine
A table by the water
Le 20123
AjaccioA room built to look like a Corsican village interior, doing mountain cooking rather than coast cooking.
A Nepita
AjaccioA small kitchen near the market with a menu that changes with what the stalls had that morning.
Place Foch market
AjaccioEvery morning: charcuterie, brocciu, chestnut flour and clementines — Corsican cooking in four ingredients.
What to do
Anchorages & excursions
Îles Sanguinaires
Four islets of red granite closing the mouth of the gulf, named for the colour they turn at the end of the day.
Maison Bonaparte
Where Napoleon was born in 1769 and lived until he was nine, kept as it was.
Palais Fesch
The second-largest collection of Italian primitives in France after the Louvre, assembled by Napoleon's uncle.
Capo di Feno
On the north shore outside the gulf, exposed and empty, with the best swimming near the town.
The fleet
Yachts available for Ajaccio
Vessels that operate here, from flagship motor yachts to smaller crewed boats. Every rate is quoted on enquiry.
Good to know
Questions we are asked about Ajaccio
- What are the Sanguinaires?
- Four islets of red granite closing the mouth of the gulf, named for the colour they turn at the end of the day. The outermost has a Genoese tower and a lighthouse and can be landed on.
- What is worth seeing in the town?
- The Maison Bonaparte, where Napoleon was born and lived until he was nine, and the Palais Fesch, which holds the second-largest collection of Italian primitives in France.
- What does a yacht charter in Ajaccio cost?
- It depends on the yacht, the season, the crew and the positioning, so we quote on enquiry rather than publish a figure that would be wrong for most weeks.
Destinations
Nearby destinations
Charter here
Enquire about a charter in Ajaccio
Tell us your dates and how many of you there are, and we will come back with the right yacht and a full quotation.