summertime goes south

5th July
Left Propriano in absolute calm, sea flat and glassy. The trip to Bonifacio some 35 miles away, represents our last port in France before we return to Italy. The narrow strait between Corsica and its larger neighbour Sardinia is notorious for high winds and unruly seas as the high cliffs funnel wind and waves. As we got closer to Bonifacio the wind increased, then died only to increase again as we began to feel the influence of Les Bouches de Bonifacio.
The entrance to Bonifacio is well hidden until very close. The gap in the white limestone cliffs conceals a dog-leg channel into a very narrow harbour. This natural harbour offers complete shelter and has been used as a refuge since before recorded history. It is generally held to have featured in Homer's Odyssey as the harbour where Odysseus sheltered his fleet only to be set upon by the hostile Laestrygonians (as Homer called them) who murdered his crews hurling rocks on the ships from the heights. Only Odysseus and his ship escaped.
The harbour is very small and the moorings are very tightly packed. This provides plenty of entertainment as inexperienced charter skippers and crews find the confined space leaves no margin for error. We witnessed numerous incidents of boats coming together, accompanied by much shouting and what I am sure was useful advice. Our schadenfreude was tempered when our bow anchor was crunched by a yacht trying to moor four spaces away, fortunately we sustained no damage. We have 2 more days of this and are reluctant to leave Summertime until all the spaces nearby are safely filled.
Haut Ville
The massive bastion of the citadel, reputed to be the largest in France, dwarfs the harbour and its surrounding buildings. Like most of the defensive works remaining on Corsica it can be traced back to Pisan/Genoese origins and was designed to withstand the heavy artillery developed in the 16th century whilst housing its own artillery pieces. It forms the entrance to the aptly named Haut Ville, still a formidable climb up the Montée Rastello steps followed by the Montée Roche to the Porte de Gênes. This huge edifice is a truly impressive construction that withstood many sieges.
The Haut Ville protected by the bastion and other defensive works, is the usual warren of narrow streets and high buildings that we have come to recognise as of Genoese origin. In this case though they cling to the cliff tops, sometimes precariously overhanging the sheer drop to the sea, a test of nerve for the visitor! The cathedral of Ste-Marie-Majeure dates back to the 12th century, a mixture of Gothic, Romanesque and Renaissance architectural styles that blend into a beautiful whole. It has been undergoing extensive restoration and unfortunately was barred to visitors, on my visit, as it was being decorated throughout with flowers and greenery. I surmised, either for an important wedding or religious ceremony.
Every three years the Haut Ville holds a 'Festi Lumi' in which various historical buildings are lit up in a series of 'son et luminère' displays and the bastion walls are bathed in vivid ever-changing colours. It made for a wonderfully atmospheric evening and the place was thronged with visitors marvelling at the unique spectacle. A truly special and unexpected finish to our three days in a very special place.
We also learnt that, in Bonifacio at least, 'mange tout' is French for whitebait, not mange tout!