Avoid La Ciotat

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We've just arrived in La Ciotat and anchored in the official anchorage immediately to the south of the marina. There are many badly-behaved and foul-mouthed French youths who look like the local unemployed swimming from the 'rocks'. Two 18 year olds got into our tender and started fiddling with the outboard. When I asked them politely to leave they were thoroughly intimidating and unpleasant. I started to pull the tender alongside and they jumped out - I would have physically kicked them out had they not. We'll have to move over and anchor off the island later....not safe here. The commercial docks are adjacent and there is no activity there at all so I suspect that it is a local issue. The marina appears to have quite a bit of security so I guess one would be safe in there.

Rod Heikell says it's a nice place....probably has gone downhill since his last visit.
 
I always do.

Out of the way and UUGGLLY.

By the by, Cassis, though charming, can suffer from French hoi polloi equally.

Go straight to Marseille, extremely civilised, no oik problem and economical. Had a very warm welcome from SNM there.

Good club restaurant, if you go there tell Marie-Claire that Stirls still remembers her and thinks she's cute too.
 
Interesting - we were there about this time last year, admittedly in the marina but saw said youths. Several boats anchored out and didn't seem to be having problems.

In the marina, they use chains not ropes to hold you off the quay which makes for very hard work. Dreadful ablutions block.

We actually quite like the town for a day or so - very interesting cinematic history and vieux port. Also really like Marseilles. Went into the calanque off Cassis and walked into town, where we were not impressed.

So - different experiences and tastes!
 
Anchored there last week but north of the Marina. No trouble with youths but not allowed to land anywhere on the beach in the dinghy. Most important we got good shelter from NW winds. We thought the town quite pleasant and the old harbour was interesting and provided marina berths.
 
Is that Marseilles Vieux Port? I've got (last year's) Bloc Marine with the contact details.

We need to leave the boat for between a week and a fortnight to TGV up to Normandy and I'm having difficulty finding anywhere. Along the riviera they just laugh at you if you ask for more than one night. I am passage planning now....have made a plan for Port Napoleon or St Louis but Marseilles sounds attractive as an alternative. We will be leaving the boat so security is vital....Port St Louis is not really secure -- or wasn't last year when we stopped there.

I get a general feeling that there is more 'trouble' in France than last year. Very yobby youths who cannot be trusted. In St Tropez there were always, within immediate vision, at least two vigilantes -- they patrol in pairs. I suppose there must be a dozen or more on duty more or less round the clock (we were anchored there for ten days and spent a lot of time ashore). All is not well round here.

Many thanks for any suggestions you can offer....if there is nowhere in France we'll cut across the Gulf of Lions to Spain and take the train via Barcelona as we are headed in the direction of Almerimar in any case.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Interesting - we were there about this time last year, admittedly in the marina but saw said youths. Several boats anchored out and didn't seem to be having problems.

In the marina, they use chains not ropes to hold you off the quay which makes for very hard work. Dreadful ablutions block.

We actually quite like the town for a day or so - very interesting cinematic history and vieux port. Also really like Marseilles. Went into the calanque off Cassis and walked into town, where we were not impressed.

So - different experiences and tastes!

[/ QUOTE ]

Cassis town great out of season - marina pretty ghastly at any time, but air-conditioning in office very welcome and Veronique tres aimiable.

All-in-all Marseille beats them all, though, and appears to be on the way to being a fashionable tourist trip spot. So enjoy it before hoi polloi ruin it.
 
Yes, SCM in Vieux Port, it's the one with the floating barge clubhouse. As you'll be using a vacant club-members berth they prefer you to be there, but I found 5-6 day absences were easily ridden (we used our Carte Seniors to TGV over stretches of France seeing friends and family) and a discussion and reward system with the security works well.

Tie up to the hammerhead, walk down to the end, closest the road. If office open go there, if not talk with security guard - the big black one is extremely charming and unbelievably helpful (he's also trying to improve his English).

There's wi-fi at the office, good 7.2Mbps; comfy, old-fashioned douches and thoroughly friendly, chatty, club-members. The club restaurant does a business lunch which is outstanding value and gastronomically sound.

Security is neighbourhood-watch high, better than marinas with dogs, lights and razor wire. Gets a bit hectic on the road by the gate on Friday nights when the nightclub empties and drunken French totty has to try and use the club loos

Port Napoleon doesn't compare in any way, and has a far more serious mosquito problem. I'd agree about the insecurity there.

The drunken youth problem is increasing all over urban France - though not as bad as UK binge-drinking is on the increase there and several of my acquaintances in health/civil-service are expressing grave concern about that and banlieu youth.

Frankly, I prefer France, even over Catalunya (which is the next most civilised part of Spain), I've found it regularly cheaper and with far less petty-official harrassment or petty crime.
 
Many thanks /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif I phoned this morning. The fellow seemed to understand my French fine but his replies were, I think, in Klingon. Anyway, I seem to be booked in for tonight, at least, and will deal with a longer stay when we arrive. Sent a fax to confirm - always seems to be a good idea. It's our wedding anniversary tonight so I want to take Mrs L out for some posh-ish nosh. Any recommendations or is the Yacht Club the best place (you mentioned lunch, not dinner).

Banlieu youth isn't a term I've come across, before. 'Neighbourhood youth'? These ones weren't drunk, they were bored, rowdy and looking some kind of trouble. The docks and the boatyard are utterly deserted; no activity of any kind. Unless there is some kind of holiday, maybe they are short of work? One does need to be more understanding of kids if they have no jobs but it doesn't make it any more acceptable to the visitor.
 
Chef will be on tonight and he's very competent.

Slip over early, alone, to the Yacht Club, have an anise and talk with him - he'll probably welcome a challenge to rise to. Beware the Vieux Port area - it's definitely tourist trap.
"Best" restaurant in Marseille is Chez Fon-Fon at Vallée des Auffes, catch bus there but get a cab back. Also the pizzeria at the head of des Auffes - Harley-Davidson aficionado- extreme value for money and a most entertaining time.

Chez Fon-Fon will need booking and is pricey, personally I'd settle for la Nautique@ SNM with the chef on mettle.

Reference is to the mainly Arab-speaking youngsters in the working-class areas of Lille, Paris, Lyons and Clermond.
Even CRC heavies go there in force with assault rifles issued.

La Ciotat has been in decline ever since the shipyard packed in (1988?) and has a reputation within Languedoc as being the epitome of gracelessness - far worse than Teeside.
 
Thanks for that though we had already gone out before getting your message and were both tired so we will have an official anniversary in a day or so! We might postpone it until we get to Paris as Mrs L has never been to the Lido and she loves cabaret. But I have a birthday coming up as well so we will try your recommendation.

It looks as though they will let us stay in this berth for quite a long time - weeks, if we want, as the owner is away for a while. They seemed happy for us to go away since I have a French mobile. So far, very happy with everything here -- €26 per night, which is good for a 12.75m yacht at this time of year. People, as you said, are very, very friendly. Good security and our pontoon has a security gate as well. I see that everyone has springs (mooring compensators) on -- will have to fit our winter mooring springs and lines before leaving the yacht as I assume that surge can be a real issue.

We went for a wander in the town and were very impressed. There are a huge number of shops for Mrs L to browse in.

Thanks for all your helpful and useful advice....you were on the nail.
 
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