A catamaran transformed into a pizzeria
A surprising encounter between the Lerins Islands off Cannes. A Nautitech 48 catamaran at anchor displays a large"Pizza" banner with its telephone number on the boom. Curious, we went to meet Didier and Laurence who had the idea to launch this family business.
Didier was the one who wanted to cast off first. After a career in advertising, he wanted to take to the air or rather the sea. He graduated to become a skipper, but soon realised that the profession was saturated. And it was when he saw the skippers waiting for customers at Marin (Martinique) that he had the idea of offering them meals. Some kind of Truck food from the sea.
Porqueroles to be formed and the Islands of Lérins to transform
The project was finally launched in France on the catamaran purchased for the occasion: a Prout 38. The couple settled at anchor in Porquerolles, but the Natural Park, supported by local restaurateurs, managed to ban the sale there. And after 3 seasons on this site, they are forced to leave.
But more is needed to discourage our entrepreneurs. They decide to move to the Lerins Islands. And finally, the potential customers is more important, because each day of season, more than 1000 boats come to anchor in this bay.
Two ovens and four fridges on a Nautitech 48!
The Prout quickly became too small and after its sale, the Pizzeria was installed on a Nautitech 48. This sailboat bought second hand in Martinique is repatriated by the whole family at the time of a rather windy deckchair. On board, 2 ovens are installed and above all 27 batteries are installed to give the boat an electric autonomy. Because if the ovens are supplied with gas, the fridges are electric - and there are no less than 4 fridges on board! The 2 solar panels are sufficient to maintain the charge during the day, but at night, it must be supported by 2 generators to recharge the battery park.
Homemade with fresh produce
The pizzas are made entirely on board. The dough is kneaded in the morning by Didier in the port hull where we find a baker's kneader. Laurence is in charge of the supply by returning to Cannes with the annex. On the platform, a van parked permanently receives all deliveries of fresh products from suppliers: flour, olives, tomatoes, ham... Then comes the time for the first orders. In high season (July to August) they are 2 pizzaiolos with each one his assistant who officiate, that is 4 people who rotate in the cockpit. At the height of the rush, 8 pizzas leave the boat every 4 minutes!
Customers order with the phone number. They can pick up their order or be delivered by Laurence in semi-rigid (paid delivery). Some come swimming and leave with their pizzas on the buoy! The hardest part is finding the boats that are in command. Not easy to find among all the boats that of the customer who indicates by telephone:"I am right in front of you, my boat with the white hull... !" To facilitate the location, Didier has created a grid of the anchorage area on the map. Thus the customer can say, as in naval battle,"I am in C7".
After 5 seasons, the business is now well established and the happiness that can be seen on the couple's face makes them want to undertake. And to have tasted Didier's pizzas, we can only recommend you to try if you point your bows between the islands..
