Corsica: Part 2

Porto-Vecchio & The Surrounding Area

Porto-Vecchio is about a 35-min drive from Bonifacio and is located on the southeastern coast of the island. It is a port city as the name implies and it too possesses a citadel, although its setting is more played down compared to Bonifacio’s. The more notable attractions associated with Porto-Vecchio are its nearby beaches set along scenic mountain scapes. Some have even gained worldwide acclaim and in summer they typically attract quite a crowd. Given that we visited in late October, we didn’t have to contend too much with this aspect. Additionally, the semi overcast skies made for a more modest mood at Palombaggia and Santa Giulia beaches where we dropped in but it was apparent as to why these can be powerhouse destinations during the high season. From the beaches, it was on to the old town of Porto-Vecchio followed by an afternoon trip to the natural pools at Cavu Valley, where the eponymous river gifts visitors with numerous swim holes set among massive boulders against a mountainous backdrop. Nature here was at its finest and rawest form. The clear pools were very inviting although the water was quite frigid for most as only a few brave bathers seemed not to mind.

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Corse, of course!

The first of 4 school vacations for the 2021 – 2022 academic year had arrived and we decided on spending the 2-week break visiting Corsica (Corse), and Sardinia (Sardegna). Corsica is part of France and Sardinia is part of Italy, although as one would learn, don’t call Corsicans French and don’t tell the Sardinians they’re Italian. We were all very excited for the trip and the girls really got into the nearly 8-hour ferry ride from Toulon to Ajaccio (Corsica), which admittedly was a lot more comfortable in the cabin we booked. We planned a full week in Corsica and 5 days in Sardinia and brought our car along. One of the cool things about Mediterranean ferries is that they accommodate personal vehicles (of all sizes), from Vespas to RVs and anything in between.

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A Taste of the City

In the last week of my mom’s stay, we managed to cover a few more of her favorite things: a new seaside hiking trail, a picturesque hilltop village, and the expressive character of a large metropolis — France’s 2nd largest city, Marseille. The weather was still nice with highs into the low 70s (Fahrenheit), which made her October trip quite pleasant.

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Hilltops and the High Life

My mother had booked her ticket a few weeks after our arrival in France and was very excited to make the trip over. She planned for an October timeframe when the weather was still quite nice (sunny with highs into the low 70s F). She flew direct into Nice which was convenient given that it’s the closest international airport to us with US direct flights.

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Life’s a Beach and Then Another and Another

Around the Côte D’azur the saying can be quite literal. There is no shortage of wonderful beaches, islands, and inviting waters of all blue and green hues to beckon your attention. Of the places we’ve been, Le Lavandou quickly became one of our favorite beach towns. Named after the prevalent lavender in the area, Le Lavandou boasts 12 different plages (beaches), with different types of sand, clear water, and a vibe that emanates vacation through and through. Even as summer may seem comprised (it is October after all), Le Lavandou’s beaches state otherwise with bathers in the water and sun seekers still perfecting their bronzed glow.

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Surf or Turf? Why Not Both

A trip to the historic town of Grimaud goes hand in hand with a visit to Port Grimaud (its “sister” town separated by a mere few miles). The difference being that Grimaud is a medieval hilltop town situated inland, while Port Grimaud as the name implies lies on the water. Before making our visit, we also learned that Port Grimaud came to be just about 60+ years ago, a man-made town built upon marshes of the river Giscle, converted into beautiful water channels and homes equipped with their own boat landings. Some dub it the French Venice and that alone makes it intriguing enough to see.

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A Visitor Comes

We’ve been settling into our new place for about 3 weeks and were super excited for the arrival of our first visitor (from back home). Tata Vanessa (aunt to the girls), is visiting us and is partaking in our day to day (from dining al fresco on the terrace to picking up the girls from school). The girls are so excited for her to be here and Brigitte and I are happy to share our Provençal experience with her as well. The weather is still great for the beach which can make one’s visit that much more enjoyable, and may have played a part in influencing her impromptu trip.

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How Blue? Royal Blue, Blue Green and Sky Blue

Ever since arriving in Provence (over three weeks ago), I was eager to get out on the water or on a boat, to visit an island off the coast and to have some detachment from the mainland. The cluster of Hyères islands visible from our place only intensified this feeling. But as our local friends advised, waiting till August wrapped up was prudent. It meant far less vacationers and tourists (added bonus, cheaper out of season boat rental rates), and the weather was still right. The expert advice proved worthy as did our friend Loïc’s boat captain’s license which granted us the liberty of renting a vessel without a skipper. He was the captain now.

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When Wednesdays = No School

One of the quick adjustments to living in France is the much welcomed no school on Wednesday. Apparently this was institutionalized long ago and for us it bodes well in terms of spending more family quality time, one of the main reasons we’re here. There are ample programs to keep kids busy on this day for working parents, but without having to worry about that (for now), we’re tapping our free Wednesdays for local travel and discovery. On the agenda was one of our favorite old fishing towns, Cassis!

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Proximity is Key: Local Discoveries (Bormes-les-Mimosas & Le Lavandou)

Bormes-Les-Mimosas

One of our goals while in Provence is to explore much of our immediate surroundings, nearby towns, mediterranean islands, wineries (we do live in Côtes de Provence wine country after all), and other interesting attractions. We dedicated a half day to visiting Bormes-les-Mimosas, a medieval village set in the hills with expansive views of the sea and countryside. Among its charms, the village boasts a modest sized castle dating to the 13th century which is a private residence today. We had a fun time checking out this gem of a town.

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