Ports for fun/refuge on Italian/French riviera

[MissFitz]

I've been asked to deliver a friend's boat from Talamone (north of Rome) to Sete (near Montpelier) at the start of April. I'm hoping to keep the stops to a minimum but will be keeping fairly close to the coast as I'll have a relative novice on board. If we do need to stop for weather or a leg stretch, can anyone help with thoughts on the best ports of refuge (or just for a bit of fun) between the two? Would going into Monaco or Cannes for a giggle be a waste of time & money?

Also, if we can't do the trip in a week I may need to leave the boat somewhere along there & come back. Any suggestions on where would be good value, convenient for an airport & not too crowded?

All help very much appreciated, thanks.

 

[charles_reed]

If I were doing the delivery I'd go Talamone - Bastia - Toulon - Sete.

Shouldn't take more than 5 days, unless you've got a very slow boat.

I'd give a wide berth to any of the places you mention as being painfully, pretentiously expensive.

Genoa old port is well worth a visit, but to far a diversion

 

[Sybarite]

Personally, if the weather were reasonably settled, I would go via the Bouches de Bonifacio and up the west coast of Corsica which is very pretty. You can then leave Corsica anywhere from Ajaccio to Calvi depending on winds. A crossing from Calvi to the continent should take about 20/22 hours in an average boat depending on the conditions. You are just as likely to have no wind as too much, so be sure of your engine. It should be an easy trip in a week.

No point in aiming for Monaco; they won't let you in anyway unless the yacht you are delivering is a mega.

 

[MissFitz]

Going via Corsica, north or south, does make a lot of sense - but I do worry a bit about the long hop over to France, given how the weather seems to come up out of nowhere there, plus I've heard very scary things about Cap Corse. And we won't have an engine - altho the boat does only need about 2kt to get going - & the crew is quite inexperienced. But maybe it's not as bad as it sounds!

 

[Sans Bateau]

You wouldnt need to go into Monaco, stop at San Remo, then you have Nice or Cannes, then one of the loveliest destination along that coast (IMO) is Sainte Maxime, you can take a ferry over to St Tropez from there. Then I'd head for Porquerolles, lovely destination. Then Bandol. Thats as far as my experience goes. That said I have not been into San Remo.

 

[Blueboatman]

These boats that don't have an engine but will move in 2kn of wind...presumably need a half decent foredeck crew to change down headsails?

But my real question is, does the boat really, really 'go' to windward in an open sea Meddy chop and a rising wind, cos I think all other considerations might be secondary to choosing the timing and route to keep best winds for that one...