Getting around by boat and ferry Corsica

The shipping company Corsica Ferries provides the majority of traffic to Corsica, covering the 4 major ports of the island, Bastia, Ile Rousse, Ajaccio and Porto Vecchio. From Marseille, Toulon or Nice - the shortest - the ferries offer a wide choice of schedules for crossings that increase in summer. For Italy, you can make connections between Bastia and Livorno (4 hours) or Bastia and Portoferraioon Elba Island (1h30). For the return trip, take the boat or go along the Ligurian coast by train to Ventimiglia and Nice. Other line in Liguria: Bastia-Savona.

This marina offers 350 berths, more than half of which are reserved exclusively for visiting yachtsmen under 85 meters. In the harbor, you will find all the necessary services and amenities: toilets, showers and disabled facilities, free wi-fi, surveillance service, water and electricity. It is possible to anchor in the Catena cove, an excellent shelter with 60 places. Reservations should be made on a site common to all Corsican ports, resaportcorse.com.

The port of Île-Rousse is the gateway to the Balagne region! Several companies serve the port and organize crossings between Corsica, the mainland and Italy. Corsica Linea will take you to Marseille and Nice, while Corsica Ferries will take you to Toulon, Nice, Livorno and Savona. The shortest Corsica-continent crossing is from Nice. Fares and timetables are available on the port's website.

In all seasons, the Corsican company, which has 8 boats, 6 mixed cargo ships and 2 ferries, ensures a departure every other day from the mainland. The crossing by boat from the mainland is from Marseille on board the Pascal Paoli, the largest boat in the fleet. With Wifi on board, a restaurant, a bar, sandwiches, but also a store and a solarium, the Pascal Paoli is one of the best equipped ships of the Corsica Linea. The crossing is usually done at night, which allows you to arrive in the early morning and start the day well!

Located in the heart of the city, the port of Bastia welcomes over two million passengers every year. Three shipping companies, Corsica Linea, Corsica Ferries and Moby Lines, provide daily connections with the mainland (Marseille, Nice, Toulon) and Italy (Genoa, Livorno, Savona and Piombino). The port also links Bastia to Elba, the largest island in the Tuscan archipelago, famous for having welcomed Napoleon I in exile.

The port has 357 berths, including 60 places for passing vessels (maximum length 25/30 metres). Draught: external piers 8 metres, outer harbour 5 metres, basins 3.9 metres, 3.6 metres and 2.2 metres at the bottom of the basin. Fresh water at the quay. Electricity. 2 sanitary facilities (13 toilets and 14 showers, hot and cold). Phone point. Ice cream for sale. Automatic laundry. 2 Ships. Careening area 04 95 34 14 14. Towing slip. Fuel

Nestled like a jewel between the Place du Marché and the citadel, the Old Port, Terra Vechja, is Bastia's oldest and most emblematic district. Take a seat on one of the café terraces to enjoy the friendly atmosphere. Once frequented by the Genoese fleet, royal and imperial ships have given way to pleasure craft and fishing boats. Fish lovers beware: every day at 4 p.m., a trawler sells its catch next to the harbor master's office.

If you're planning a stopover in Calvi, the port offers 145 berths for passing boats and 340 contract berths, of which 16 are reserved for boats over 30 meters long and 280 for those under 20 meters long. The reception and harbor master's office are located on the commercial quay. Here you'll find a wide range of services, including Wi-Fi Internet access, showers, toilets, disabled facilities and nearby parking.

The city of Porto-Vecchio was awarded the "Exemplary Port" label in 2010. The project has already been initiated with the conversion of the old technical quay into an honorary quay dedicated to the parking of prestigious vessels. The latest generation of equipment combining technology and aesthetics, and offering an ideal setting for the comfort of boaters and walkers, have been installed. The harbor can accommodate boats up to 50 meters in length and has 350 spaces. Around it, you can find ice cream shops, restaurants and boutiques.

The commercial port of Porto-Vecchio which is an extension of the Marina was created in 1974 and enlarged in 1994. The information bank is located in the harbour station. You will find information on the schedules of the boats (arrivals, departures), the schedules of the shuttles, trains, coaches departing from the bus station, the various services. Shipping companies: la Méridionale and Corsica Ferries Lines to Marseille, Nice, Toulon, Italy and Sardinia.

The port offers 70 anchorages secured on buoys in a natural shelter. For your comfort, mooring is done on the bow and stern of the boats so as to stay in front of the swell. Almost all berths are reserved for visitors. Even in high season, by reserving a few days in advance, you are sure to find a place for your stopover in Girolata. At night, two pontoons are free for the reception of boaters. The village is located in the heart of a large preserved area, classified as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

An information desk is open to the public inside the terminal. Here you'll find information on timetables for boats, coaches, maritime shuttles... as well as tourist brochures. Companies: Mobylines (✆ 04 95 73 00 29), Ichnusa Lines (✆ 04 95 25 50 86) and Ponza Jet. Line: Bonifacio/Santa-Teresa Di Gallura maritime metro every day. Four connections a day in low season and up to eight in high season.

The harbor has 770 berths, 250 of which are reserved for visiting yachtsmen. On-site services include toilets, showers, free Wi-Fi Internet access, leasing and fuel. The major attraction of the port of Saint-Florent is undoubtedly its location in the heart of the village, at the foot of the citadel ramparts. Here, you can stroll along the colorful, picturesque quays and watch the sun go down on the evening terraces.

A reception desk and information desk are available to the public inside the terminal. Open until 8pm, depending on boat departures in July and August. Here you'll find information on boat and coach schedules, shuttle services and sea tours... as well as tourist brochures. Companies : La Méridionale, SNAV and Corsica Linea. Lines to Marseille, Civitavecchia and Sardinia.

The port of Macinaggio, named after its windmills, is the Cap Corse marina and the largest on the peninsula. Well sheltered from the prevailing winds, the harbor offers a host of modern facilities and services, including a repair workshop, careening facilities, a 45-t elevator, a crane, drinking water, fuel and electricity at the quayside... Today, with 543 berths, the marina has doubled its capacity since 1971: it can accommodate boats up to 50 m long on its quays equipped for large yachts; 240 berths are reserved for passage.

The port of Ajaccio has twice-daily connections with the French mainland to Marseille, Toulon and Nice, with Corsica Linea to Marseille, Corsica Ferries to Toulon and La Méridionale to Marseille and Toulon. There are also occasional connections to Sardinia, via the Porto-Torres ferry terminal. For more information on crossings, you can visit the Gare Maritime every day from 6:30 a.m. until the last ferry departure.

Since 1931, La Méridionale has been providing twenty weekly connections between Ajaccio, Bastia, Propriano and Tangiers from Marseille. On board one of its three mixed ships, human size, you travel under the sign of conviviality. Cabins for people with reduced mobility are also available. Before returning to your cabin and slipping into a cozy comforter, you will enjoy a tasty Corsican-inspired dinner concocted by the chef and his brigade, followed by a peaceful moment of relaxation at one of the bars.