Memories of Côte d'Azur
22nd - 29th June 2024
We join longtime club member Steve Drowley and the rest of the crew to share memories of an exciting adventure exploring the South of France.
Another voyage of discovery with Sundowners – this time to the Cote d’Azur – started in the notorious French city of Marseilles. A colourful, vibrant city full of classical history, bizarre mirrored flower-market – and a superb base from which to sail east along the Cote d’Azur via the magnificent Parc National des Calanques.
And who knew that sailing with Sundowners had become an Olympic sport! Two yachts full of aspiring ‘Olympians’ set off from the Vieux Port to test out the fickle winds awaiting them in the balmy (too often becalmed) bay selected for the Olympic sailing regatta.
The first day we shot out of Marseilles with 20 to 25 knot winds, past the island of If, where the Count of Monte Cristo was famously emprisoned, towards Sanary-sur-Mer, a delightful, but curiously quiet, resort with its flowered hills and colourful traditional fishing boats.
Day 2 took us past the island of Embiez and the city of Toulon to lunch on the end of the extraordinary Giens peninsula, and to harbour on the island of Porquerolles. The island, being 7 kilometers long, was the ideal place to test out our cycling prowess.
Day 3 we island hopped to the more remote Ile de Port-Cros, the eastern-most point of our voyage. There was a gallant attempt to find a TV ashore to watch some football game or other – but our hearts were not really in it, and the prospect of rowing that far when the outboard failed led to a very long, languorous and delicious dinner aboard instead. Those moments of stillness at anchor are some of the best, alongside the more upbeat forays ashore.
Day 4, with winds of 8 to 15 knots, we motor-sailed to the so-called island of Embiez, and into the swanky Paul Ricard resort, set up by the millionaire Pastis, film, sailing and motor-racing mogul, who he abandoned Paris for the Cote d’Azur when the Nazis rolled in. And would you believe it Steve was wearing his Dark Side of the Moon T-shirt as the sound of a Pink Floyd tribute band was rehearsing on shore!
And so to Cassis, a gorgeous maritime town stuffed with boats – we had to radio in and wait our turn just to pass the harbour gates it was so full. Cassis, we discovered, is the real jewel of the Cote d’Azur, every bit as charming as Saint-Tropez but with none of its smarm and far less crowded. We walked up to the castle (we thought) only to find it was an exclusive private hotel – some things don’t change however charming a place is.
And Cassis was the venue for the epic Sundowners battle of the cocktails – some amazing concoctions were spirited into some bizarre containers and consumed by a bunch of very smart-looking sailors.
Our last day revealed the magnificence of the Calanques– a series of miniature limestone fjords with pebbled and sandy beaches. Anchoring is restricted to preserve the rich bio-diversity of the underwater marine life – including the Posidonia (an aquatic flowering plant) that gives the in-shores their turquoise hue. So, some we edged into and out of without stopping, and in some we lingered, marvelling at the rock formations and jaw-dropping cliffs. This was truly a breath-taking last day.
And so back to port and an exhilarating sail into Marseilles – our Olympic sailors would have been happy with that! And that evening at a very pleasant final dinner in the Vieux Port we had the Sundowners rope trick – otherwise known as ‘can the skippers tie a few knots as quickly as our Julie?’
Overall, another splendid Sundowners trip, with some great sailing, beautiful islands and landscapes, historical interest, inspiring views and excellent company – oh and the ice-creams – what’s not to like. Get on board folks!
