BOAT-COMPARATOR Guide

Renting a Boat in Ajaccio: The Gulf and the Sanguinaires Islands

The Gulf of Ajaccio, the Sanguinaires Islands and their lighthouse: what to know about renting a boat from Corsica's capital.

By Clément Lacaille, editor of Boat-Comparator · updated 12 Jul 2026

The birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte, Ajaccio opens onto a wide gulf closed off by rocky headlands, with direct access to one of Corsica's most photographed sights: the Sanguinaires Islands.

The Gulf of Ajaccio

The gulf offers sheltered enough waters for a day trip, with the town and its arcades visible from offshore and several coves reachable along its northern shore, near the Pointe de la Parata.

The Sanguinaires Islands

At the mouth of the gulf, the Sanguinaires archipelago takes its name from the reddish tint its granite takes on at sunset. The largest, Mezzu Mare, carries a 19th-century lighthouse still in service — a classic late-afternoon pass, when the light rakes across the rocks.

Which boat to choose

A RIB (€200-600 a day) is enough to run along the coast to the Sanguinaires and back to anchor in a gulf cove. To push further south towards Porticcio or the Valinco coves, a sailboat or catamaran rented by the week (€1,500-4,000 for a sailboat, more for a catamaran) lets you string anchorages together without returning each evening.

Comparing offers

The Ajaccio listing on Boat-Comparator gathers the available offers by boat type, and our Corsica by boat guide helps place Ajaccio within a wider itinerary. Our platform comparison guide helps decide which one to check first.

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