Based in the sheltered waters of Hyères on France's Côte d'Azur, Dédé is a 2024 Aura 51 catamaran built for both comfort and confident cruising. Her twin 60hp engines and generous 15.5-metre hull make her equally at home under sail or power, while her eight-metre beam creates the kind of stability and interior space that transforms a week at sea from pleasant to genuinely luxurious. With six cabins and twelve berths across six en-suite heads, she's purpose-built for groups of friends, extended families, or small flotillas seeking a floating base camp along one of Europe's most storied coastlines.

The Hyères departure point opens onto the Îles d'Hyères—Porquerolles, Port-Cros, and Levant—each a world unto itself. From there, a week typically unfolds eastward toward the Îles de Lérins, the Esterel's dramatic red cliffs, or westward into the Calanques near Cassis, where limestone gorges plunge directly into crystalline water. Dédé's electric winches and lazy jacks make sail handling effortless, even for mixed-experience crews, while the onboard desalination system and generator ensure you never compromise on fresh water or comfort. The radar and modern navigation suite keep you confident in variable conditions, and the cockpit speakers transform evening anchorages into intimate gatherings as the sun descends.

Below deck, air conditioning and a well-appointed galley with full refrigeration mean meals can be as simple or as ambitious as your mood allows. The lazy bag and electric toilets handle the practical side of boat life seamlessly, leaving your focus on what matters: the rhythm of wind and water, the taste of Provençal rosé shared at sunset, and the kind of unhurried exploration that only a well-equipped catamaran allows. A week aboard Dédé typically weaves together hidden anchorages in protected coves, morning swims in water so clear you can count the seagrass below, and evenings spent watching the Mediterranean light fade behind the Maures hills.