 Limerence Update 60Cote d’Azur - Riviera FranceJuly 2004Lat. 43d46N Lon. 07d30EWhen we were in Cassis France, we met two American boats, Seldsum and Qualia. Both are cruising the Mediterranean for a few months and go back home to the west coast of the USA. It was fun to meet them over and over as we made our way along the coast of France. Most of our friends from Barcelona have taken the fast track over to Croatia for the summer, so we have been alone. After years of sailing with many cruiser friends through Central and South America, we didn’t quite realize how much we’d miss the company of other cruising yachts! Sanary Sur Mer and the nearby Iles d’Hyeres (Porquerolles Islands) were our first official stops on the Cote d’Azur West. After getting some jobs done like researching Vodafone connections, laundry and butane cooking gas refills in Sanary, we escaped to the anchorage of Plage d’Argent in the Porquerolles just a few miles south. It was a rollicking downhill ride on a nice sized swell – going our way! The wind had been blowing in the 20-knot range for a few days, thus the swell. The islands have such crystal clear water that when you stand on the beach and look out to the anchorage, you would swear you were in the South Pacific.
Famous St. Tropez was the next stop – an easy seven-mile motor sail. Every evening there is quite a production as huge yachts jockey for position along the edge of the wharf, while crowds of people ogle the rich and famous. We spent two nights there enjoying the atmosphere before moving on to St. Raphael-St. Lucia. Since we were close to our friend Jimmy Cornell’s home in Aups France, we emailed him to come visit us. Unfortunately, Jimmy was getting ready to take off to fly to Australia to sail his boat, Aventura III, on to South Africa.
From St. Raphael we went onto Cannes. It was quiet and quite pleasant. Not much happening here except during the glitzy film festival in the spring. We have had good experiences so far in marinas. They have been fairly priced, quiet and comfortable. The beaches in Cannes were terrific people watching . . . especially for Doug - if you get my drift. Within a few days, we anchored south of Cannes on the Iles de Lerins islands. The anchorage was calm, but our GPS anchor alarm went off several times in the night causing us some concern that we were dragging. It was our imagination, but in the gloom of dark, the rocky shore looked closer! A weather system was moving in and the next morning in a light rain we moved to Villefranche. The marina was full so we attempted five times to anchor in the deep bay in 25 knots of afternoon wind. It was futile, as the grassy bottom just wouldn’t bite. At the end of the afternoon in very high winds, we went into the marina and they let us tie up to the fuel dock. The next morning they found a slip for us. No boats moved in or out as huge surf crashed over the shore around Villefranche for the next two days. As usual, we spent time riding our bikes for miles along the pedestrian promenades running parallel to the beaches.
In Villefranche, we met another cruising couple from America – Fred and Kitty on Mariah. They had wonderful stories to tell as they have wintered in Scotland, Paris and London. We fly our SSCA flag (Seven Seas Cruising Association) and it helps attract cruising friends to pop over to Limerence and get acquainted.
France just kept getting more beautiful as we passed Nice and went on to St. Jean Cap Ferrat and Menton. With the steep cliffs, azure blue water and picturesque villas, you just can’t get any better. We tried to spend the night in one of the three marinas in Monaco, but they were completely booked. Too bad! The idea of having Limerence in Monaco was a goal since we’d been there on a cruise ship five years earlier. We were truly in the land of the rich and famous now. The prices will give you chills. For example - a roasted chicken that you might pay $5.00 for in the States, will cost you $14E ($17 US) from the butcher in St. Jean Cap Ferrat. The scenery and wonderful bike rides made up for the price shock factor. We stayed there for the festivities around Bastille Day that celebrate the anniversary of the beginning of the French Revolution.
Menton lies on the border of France and Italy. It was particularly popular with the British in the 19th and 20th centuries because of the perfect climate. We were fortunate to get a slip in the tiny old harbor with views from Limerence like those in a tourist catalog. We waited there for a few days for high winds from the east to settle down, and then made a thirty-mile run up to Italy’s Andora Marina. The Italian Riviera has the same climate as France, but the difference is quite astonishing! Grab the Italian phrase book and get ready for another culture shock.
Don’t forget to sign our guest book when you check out our
updates and say “hello”! Fair winds friends, Doug and Judy
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