Corsica

Only a few hours from mainland France by boat, the Mediterranean island of Corsica lives up to its name as the “Isle of Beauty”. It offers a range of accommodation to suit all tastes and budgets, from public campsites to 5 star hotels and perfect conditions for slalom and freeride windsurfing. This year, PWA slalom sailor Benjamin ‘Babou’ Augé took 3 young sailors, Julien Mangel (15), Antoine Tavan (14) and Esteban de Cruz (13) on a trip to the island to explore its southern shores and offer them some coaching at the same time. Eric de Cruz tells us more.

- Eric de Cruz

Corsica offers an intoxicating mix of sea and mountains, busy towns and isolated countryside. The good news for windsurfers is that it is also windy and thermal winds make it possible to sail on an almost daily basis with winds ranging from 15 to 25 knots in the main season. Even better is that Corsica isn’t some far-flung paradise, it is easily accessible, with daily ferries from mainland France and an airport close to all the good spots on the south of the island. Here’s a guide to some of its main spots. LA TONNARA

La Tonnara on the SW coast is one of the windiest spots in France in summer. It is easy to get to and offers plenty of space to park your car and rig your sails and you can eat on-site at one of the two ideally situated beach restaurants.

The spot is at the mouth of a large bay, renowned for its big waves during strong winter Mistral winds, but it’s also a great slalom/freeride spot in summer depending on wind conditions and suitable for intermediate and above; beginners should stick to the shelter of the cove. A thermal wind often kicks in by mid-afternoon giving you great blasting sessions until sunset. It also works with east winds, but watch out as these are offshore.