Ferretti Infynito 9088' 5" (26.95 m)
View Specs & ReviewThe wild island between two rivieras — Bonifacio's fjord to boat-only Girolata
Yachting in Corsica
A Minted Location · Corsica, France
If the Mediterranean you're after is limestone cliffs over a fjord-deep quay, a marine reserve where the rules are posted and enforced, and a village you can only reach by sea, Corsica is the island that delivers it — the wild one between the Côte d'Azur and Sardinia's Costa Smeralda. Bonifacio's port runs 350 berths, 150 of them for visiting boats, at the foot of the citadel inside its natural fjord; across the island, Girolata's little harbor holds 80 places in a village its own port site calls reachable only on foot or by boat.
Minted Yachts is the American buyer's broker in these waters, and everything below comes from each port's, commune's or maritime authority's own published information — the same standard behind every yacht review on this site.
For an owner, Corsica is really two coasts. The southeast works the Strait of Bonifacio: the fjord quay, the Sant'Amanza buoy field, the Lavezzi archipelago inside the Réserve Naturelle des Bouches de Bonifacio, and Porto-Vecchio at the head of its gulf. The west and northwest run from Ajaccio's old-town quay past boat-only Girolata to Calvi and Saint-Florent. Pick your coast, and the boat follows.
Where to keep a yacht in Corsica
Corsican dockage sorts into two coasts. In the southeast, Bonifacio's fjord marina is the marquee berth — 350 places, 150 transient, open year-round below the citadel — with the commune's Sant'Amanza buoy field to the east, the Port de Cavallo out in the Lavezzi archipelago (150 berths, run by the commune of Bonifacio since 26 June 2026), and Porto-Vecchio's 350-place marina taking boats to 164 ft (50 m). On the west and north coasts, Ajaccio's Port Tino Rossi berths yachts to 394 ft (120 m) on its Quai d'honneur, Girolata offers 80 boat-only places in season, Saint-Florent runs 920 places with a fuel quay and a working careening yard, and Calvi's Port Xavier Colonna anchors the Balagne — berths there book through the official Corsican ports portal. Figures below are what each port publishes about itself.
Marinas
| Name | Where | Max yacht | Slips | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Port de Bonifacio (Bonifacio Marina)The marquee berth of the strait — 350 places at the end of the naturally protected limestone fjord, VHF channel 9 (sémaphore ch. 10, CROSS ch. 16), 5 knots in port, capitainerie 07:30–20:30 from 1 June to 30 September. Water and electricity on all pontoons, free Wi-Fi, showers and weather bulletins; over 10,000 visiting boats a year. The port publishes its tariffs directly — ask the capitainerie. | Bonifacio — the fjord below the Genoese citadel | — | 350 | Fuel station in the inner harbor (Station de ravitaillement) |
| Port de CavalloThe harbor at the heart of the Lavezzi archipelago, between Bonifacio and Sardinia — 150 berths, taken into management by the commune of Bonifacio under Bonifacio Marina on 26 June 2026. | Île de Cavallo — Lavezzi archipelago | — | 150 | — |
| Port de plaisance et de pêche de Porto-VecchioThe east coast's town marina: 350 places for boats to 164 ft (50 m), fresh water and electricity on every pontoon, six showers, laundry and free Wi-Fi. The port's own pages state two different maximum drafts — 15 ft (4.5 m) on its presentation page and 10 ft (3 m) on its services page — so confirm yours with the capitainerie. Tariffs are published by the port. | Porto-Vecchio — head of the gulf, Quai Pascal Paoli | 164 ft | 350 | — |
| Port Tino Rossi (Ajaccio)Ajaccio's superyacht-capable old-town quay: boats from 16 to 394 ft (5–120 m) in a 13–39 ft (4–12 m) basin, with 380V shore power from 32A to 250A on the Quai d'honneur Brancaleoni. Run by the EPCI de Corse; free wastewater and used-oil pump-out, mini waste facility, sanitary blocks open around the clock. | Ajaccio — Jetée de la Citadelle, old town | 394 ft | — | — |
| Port de Saint-FlorentThe northwest's yachting base: 920 places (670 annual, 250 visitor) for boats 13–157 ft (4–48 m), in the heart of the village at the foot of the Citadelle ramparts, capitainerie staffed 8:00–21:00 in season. Visitor dockage is priced per m² per night (LOA × beam, water and electricity included — e.g. €1.95/m²/night in high season for the 56–150 m² band), with a lower-cost Aliso zone without electricity. | Saint-Florent — Golfe de Saint-Florent, below the Citadelle | 157 ft | 920 | Fuel quay in port (Station d'avitaillement, Éts Orsini) |
| Port de GirolataThe boat-only village: the port's own site states Girolata is reachable only on foot or by boat. Bow-and-stern moorings hold boats into the swell, with 328 ft (100 m) of quay on two pontoons; drafts run 16 ft (5 m) at the buoys and 7 ft (2 m) at the quay. Water is sold at €0.10 per litre; the port states there is no fuel station and points boaters to Porto, Calvi or Cargèse. The organized mooring field has been in place since 2006, per the island's official tourism site. | Girolata — Golfe de Girolata (commune of Osani), west coast | 98 ft | 80 | Plan fuel at Porto, Calvi or Cargèse — the port's own guidance |
Fuel docks
| Name | Where | Max yacht | Slips | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Station d'avitaillement de Saint-Florent (Éts Orsini)The serious fuel stop of the north coast, run under public-service delegation by Éts Orsini — duty-free (sous douane) petrol and diesel dispensers for eligible vessels, as the port states it, on 197 ft (60 m) of dedicated quay. | Saint-Florent — fuel quay | 131 ft | — | 4 petrol dispensers (1 duty-free) and 6 diesel dispensers (2 duty-free); June to mid-September daily 8:00–20:00 non-stop |
| Station de ravitaillement du Port de BonifacioThe port's own fuel station inside the fjord, which also hosts Bonifacio's free fixed wastewater pump — a practical pairing before a Lavezzi or Sardinia day. | Bonifacio — inner harbor | — | — | Port fuel station; free fixed grey/black-water pump at the station |
| Station d'avitaillement de Porto-Vecchio (Éts EPB)The gulf's fuel point, operated by Établissements EPB at the town marina — the port lists the service and the operator's number; hours and grades come from the operator. | Porto-Vecchio — marina | — | — | Fuel service listed on the marina's official services page — Éts EPB, +33 4 95 70 21 41 |
Figures are as each facility publishes them on its own site; blank cells mean the facility doesn't state a number. Confirm slip availability and current rates directly — or ask us to make the calls.
Cruising from Corsica
The fjord. Bonifacio's entrance sits at 41°23.2 N / 009°09.8 E; the port works VHF channel 9 (sémaphore on 10, CROSS on 16) and holds the harbor to 5 knots. The port's own pilot notes state the prevailing winds are W and SW — the exposure that makes the fjord's shelter worth having. Inside the goulet, the Catena mooring area runs under its own port police regulation, and the capitainerie keeps summer hours of 07:30–20:30 from 1 June to 30 September.
The reserve. The Réserve Naturelle des Bouches de Bonifacio was created by decree on 23 September 1999 — the founding text totals 79,460 hectares with eight reinforced-protection zones (the Lavezzi plateau alone is 5,904 ha), while the manager's own leaflet states the perimeter at 80,000 ha with 12,000 ha of reinforced protection and 1,200 ha of no-take zones, where all fishing and scuba diving are prohibited. Landing is authorized only on the Lavezzi archipelago — Lavezzu, the îlot de la Pyramide and Piana — and there only on beaches and marked trails, with dogs and camping prohibited. For big boats the line that matters is Arrêté préfectoral N°206/2020 (14 October 2020): vessels of 79 ft (24 m) and over may anchor only seaward of its Annexe I coordinate line from Les Moines to Punta di a Chiappa — dynamic-positioning stops included — with inshore stops on authorized buoys only, a rule the préfet maritime grounds in the degradation of Posidonia seagrass beds by large-vessel anchoring. And since Prefectural Order N°235/2023 (31 July 2023), the northern part of Lavezzi island and the islets of Ratino, Porraggia and Perduto are closed to navigation, anchoring and stationing outright, for five years, to protect nesting seabirds. Know the lines and the reserve is the finest day in these waters.
Sant'Amanza. The official alternative to anchor work near Bonifacio: the commune's organized buoy field in the Golfe de Sant'Amanza — 15 moorings, 12 for boats to 79 ft (24 m), 3 to 197 ft (60 m) and one to 246 ft (75 m) — laid to protect the Posidonia beds, available 1 June to 30 September with a team on the water daily 11:00–19:00.
The east coast. Porto-Vecchio's marina sits at the head of its gulf with 350 places, 150 for visitors, boats to 164 ft (50 m) and VHF 9 — note that the port's own pages state two different maximum drafts, 15 ft (4.5 m) and 10 ft (3 m), so confirm yours with the capitainerie. Between it and Bonifacio, the shell-shaped Baie de Rondinara — inside the reserve — is the swim stop the island's official tourism site ranks among its most beautiful.
The west coast. Girolata is the reason to run it: a village with no road, 80 places for boats 16–98 ft (5–30 m) on bow-and-stern moorings, 328 ft (100 m) of quay on two pontoons, VHF 9, drafts of 16 ft (5 m) at the buoys and 7 ft (2 m) at the quay, open 1 May to 30 September with the harbormaster on duty 8:00–20:00. There is no fuel — the port points you to Porto, Calvi or Cargèse, so plan the leg accordingly. Calvi's marine quarter is the natural overnight on this coast; its berths book through the official Corsican ports portal. Ajaccio's Port Tino Rossi covers the Gulf of Ajaccio with a 13–39 ft (4–12 m) basin and 380V shore power to 250A on the Quai d'honneur Brancaleoni.
The northern finish. Saint-Florent holds the Golfe de Saint-Florent with 920 places — 670 annual, 250 visitor — for boats 13–157 ft (4–48 m), announcing on VHF 9 before entering, capitainerie staffed 8:00–21:00 in season. Its fuel quay takes yachts to 131 ft (40 m) and its careening yard swings a 60-tonne crane. En route from Calvi, the Plage de l'Ostriconi at the gateway to the Agriate is wild, road-free and reachable ashore only by footpath — the tourism authority's own warning is that its waves turn dangerous on windy days, so treat it as a fair-weather stop.
- Archipel des Lavezzi (Réserve Naturelle des Bouches de Bonifacio) — Bouches de Bonifacio — southeast of BonifacioThe signature anchorage of the market, and the most regulated: a 5,904-hectare reinforced-protection zone of the reserve created by the decree of 23 September 1999, managed by the Office de l'Environnement de la Corse. Landing is authorized only on Lavezzu, the îlot de la Pyramide and Piana — beaches and marked trails only, no dogs, no camping. Since Prefectural Order N°235/2023, the north of Lavezzi island and the islets of Ratino, Porraggia and Perduto are closed to navigation, anchoring and stationing for five years to protect nesting seabirds.
- Sant'Amanza Mooring (ZMEL Bonifacio Marina) — Golfe de Sant'Amanza — east of BonifacioThe commune's organized buoy field — laid, in the port's own words, to protect the marine ecosystem and the Posidonia seagrass beds. The official set mooring near Bonifacio, and the practical answer for yachts over 79 ft (24 m) that the reserve's anchoring line pushes offshore. Tariffs are published by the port.
- Mouillage de la Catena (Bonifacio) — Bonifacio fjord — the gouletThe historic mooring inside the fjord itself, run under the port's own police regulation for the Catena — official governance, with particulars from the capitainerie.
- Baie de Rondinara — Between Bonifacio and Porto-Vecchio — commune of BonifacioThe mid-day stop on the Bonifacio–Porto-Vecchio run: a nearly closed, shell-shaped bay of calm turquoise water over gently shelving sand that the island's official tourism site ranks among Corsica's most beautiful. Inside the natural reserve, with a smoke-free beach designation — pack out what you bring.
Service, refit & supplies
Shipyards & refit
| Name | Where | Max yacht | Dockage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone d'entretien du Port de Saint-FlorentThe port-run yard of the northwest: a 60-tonne crane with year-round operators, 15 to 18 hardstanding places depending on boat size, a recyclerie for used oils and hazardous waste, fixed and mobile grey/black-water pumps and pollution containment booms. | Saint-Florent — port careening area | — | Haul-out and launch for boats to 72 ft (22 m) LOA and 20 ft (6 m) beam |
On the Corsica calendar
Corsica's ports publish their calendars sparingly, so this list stays short and sourced.
Swan Bonifacio Challenge — the marquee regatta of the strait: the port of Bonifacio's own news page records the Swan fleet's return this spring, 20 April to 2 May, raced out of the fjord.
The Saint-Florent port calendar — the port's own feed lists its Salon du Nautisme et de la Plaisance and the traditional Course de Barques, alongside the port's tenth Pavillon Bleu; each season's dates are published by the capitainerie.
Yachts we'd shortlist for Corsica
Reviewed the same way as everything on this site — specifications verified against the builder's own numbers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Sant'Amanza mooring field?
The commune of Bonifacio's organized buoy field (ZMEL) in the Golfe de Sant'Amanza — 15 moorings available from 1 June to 30 September: twelve for boats to 79 ft (24 m), three to 197 ft (60 m) and one to 246 ft (75 m), with a team on the water daily 11:00–19:00 and day or overnight formats. The port laid it expressly to protect the Posidonia seagrass beds, and it is the set-mooring answer for yachts the reserve's 24-meter anchoring line pushes offshore.
Where can a boat be hauled and serviced in Corsica?
Saint-Florent runs the sourced yard: the port's own zone d'entretien swings a 60-tonne crane with year-round operators, hauling and launching boats to 72 ft (22 m) LOA and 20 ft (6 m) beam, with 15 to 18 hardstanding places depending on size. The yard adds a recyclerie for used oils and hazardous waste, fixed and mobile grey/black-water pumps and pollution containment booms — the working counterpart to the port's 920 berths.
Is Corsica a practical base for an American owner?
If you want the wildest cruising between the French and Italian rivieras, yes — a year-round fjord marina at Bonifacio, a 394 ft (120 m) quay at Ajaccio, and the Lavezzi reserve a short run out. The trade-offs are real: the reserve's rules reward preparation, August berths are rationed at Bonifacio, and the port's own pilot notes put the prevailing winds at W and SW on the exposed west coast. Tell us how you'd run these coasts and we'll work the berth and the boat as your broker — the Broker Request form on this page, TS@MintedYachts.com or +1 (404) 805-9819.
Where do yachts fuel in Corsica?
Saint-Florent runs the standout stop: 197 ft (60 m) of dedicated fuel quay serving yachts to 131 ft (40 m), with four petrol and six diesel dispensers — one and two of them duty-free (sous douane) for eligible vessels, as the port states it — open daily 8:00–20:00 from June to mid-September. Bonifacio's port fuel station sits in the inner harbor alongside the free wastewater pump, and Porto-Vecchio's marina lists fuel service by Éts EPB. Girolata has none — plan that leg around Porto, Calvi or Cargèse.
Can I anchor at the Lavezzi Islands?
Yes, under the reserve's rules. Below 79 ft (24 m), anchoring in the Lavezzi reinforced-protection zone remains authorized; at 79 ft (24 m) and over, prefectural order N°206/2020 permits anchoring only seaward of its charted line from Les Moines to Punta di a Chiappa, with inshore stops on authorized buoys only. Landing is allowed solely on Lavezzu, the îlot de la Pyramide and Piana — beaches and marked trails, no dogs, no camping — and a 2023 order closes the north of Lavezzi plus the islets of Ratino, Porraggia and Perduto to navigation, anchoring and stationing entirely.
How do I visit Girolata by boat?
It is the only practical way in — the port's own site states the village is reachable only on foot or by boat. The Port de Girolata runs 80 places for boats 16–98 ft (5–30 m) on bow-and-stern moorings and two pontoons, VHF channel 9, from 1 May to 30 September, harbormaster on duty 8:00–20:00. Drafts are 16 ft (5 m) at the buoys and 7 ft (2 m) at the quay, water is sold at €0.10 a litre, and there is no fuel — the port points you to Porto, Calvi or Cargèse.
Where can I berth a 100-foot yacht in Corsica?
Ajaccio first: Port Tino Rossi takes yachts to 394 ft (120 m) on its Quai d'honneur Brancaleoni, in a 13–39 ft (4–12 m) basin with 380V shore power to 250A. Porto-Vecchio berths boats to 164 ft (50 m) — though its own pages state two maximum drafts, 15 ft (4.5 m) and 10 ft (3 m), so confirm with the capitainerie — and Saint-Florent takes 157 ft (48 m). On a buoy, the Sant'Amanza field east of Bonifacio holds one mooring rated to 246 ft (75 m).
Where can I berth a yacht in Bonifacio?
The Port de Bonifacio — 350 berths, 150 of them for visiting boats, open year-round at the end of the naturally protected limestone fjord below the citadel. The port works VHF channel 9, holds the harbor to 5 knots, and staffs the capitainerie 07:30–20:30 from 1 June to 30 September. Plan August early: from the 1st to the 25th the port caps visitor stays at one night for boats under 59 ft (18 m) and two nights for larger yachts, and it counts over 10,000 visiting boats a year.