The French connect with Corsica L’Île de Beauté (the Isle of Splendor) for fantastic purpose: with 20 peaks topping 2000m the Mediterranean island combines extraordinary mountain landscapes with gorgeous shorelines, hidden coves, age-aged stone villages, and vegetation that ranges from Alpine to dry Mediterranean.
The mountains dominate the island’s western and central areas and variety the central bone of the long finger that juts north. As a result, some shorelines in the west are inaccessible by highway or have to have a 4WD with substantial clearance (your common city SUV is no superior in this article!) or a first rate pair of climbing boots to access.
People alongside the much flatter east coastline are effortlessly available and far more appropriate if you are touring with young children or anyone with mobility problems.
We’ve grouped our suggestions according to the island’s two regions: Haute-Corse (Upper Corsica which encompasses the north and the economic funds Bastia) and Corse-du-Sud (South Corsica which incorporates the administrative capital Ajaccio).
There is a stark contrast in beach front facilities amongst the two regions – most in Haute-Corse are wild with no features at all. Occur prepared: a parasol is obligatory as there is no normal shade and if there is, possibilities are a person will have identified it just before you! Bring drinking water and check out the weather conditions ahead of you set off – if the Mistral wind is blowing it will whip up the waves, significantly alongside the western coastline, which could make swimming unsafe. Shorelines in Corse-du-Sud, on the other hand, offer you facilities and a host of nautical things to do.
Regardless of which beach front you choose, a stop by all through the peak of summer implies you are unlikely to have it to oneself! And recall to provide funds – quite a few of the car parks and dining establishments don’t accept playing cards. With those people useful ideas in head, here’s our decide on of the finest seashores in Corsica.
Haute-Corse
1. Ostriconi
This 800m-extended, white sandy beach front lies involving the Ostriconi river and the sea. It faces west, which indicates on times with solid swells it will be also unsafe to swim. But this is still the spot to be for sensational sunsets that transform the rocks at the northern stop of the seaside pink. On relaxed times, the vibe is pretty distinctive – warm, still water that stays shallow for a extensive way out can make the sea below a wonderful normal paddling pool for kids.
Swimming is supervised in summer time, but carry what you require as there are no amenities at all. Nudist bathers are tolerated at the northern close wherever there are a several rocks. The beach front is a 5-minute walk from the free of charge motor vehicle park along a sandy path and around a picket bridge – not best for pushchairs.
Organizing tip: the Sentier des Douaniers (Customs officials’ route) begins in this article heading east toward Saint Florent. It is a two-working day hike that will consider you by way of Ghignu and Saleccia beach locations.
2. Ghignu
Tucked away in the Agriates Desert region, this wild seashore is considerably fewer crowded than the far more popular Saleccia seaside even more alongside the coastline, but they the two share crystal-crystal clear, turquoise waters and white sands. The only approaches to reach it are either by boat or driving an off-highway motor vehicle for 13km down an particularly bumpy track, making it a pretty effectively-retained solution. Provide a great deal of drinking water and a picnic, and admire the 400m extend of sand from the best of the dune at its jap conclusion.
Planning tip: you can stay overnight in just one of the restored paillers (in which shepherds held straw) which can slumber 4-6 people today. There is no operating h2o, electrical energy or mattresses but there are communal bathrooms. In winter season you can just rock up and rest here for cost-free but it can be on a first-arrive, first-served basis. In summer time you need to reserve your spot in progress.
3. Arone
Set just south of the Calanques de Piana Unesco Environment Heritage Website, Arone is a lovely family members friendly beach with straightforward access from the vehicle park and a extremely gently sloping sea-bed, so the h2o is heat and shallow fairly considerably out. The maquis-included foothills of Monte Ravu slip gently into the sea on the southern close of the beach front and the reduced-lying rocks at the two finishes are perfect for wannabe explorers of little marine lifestyle.
Swimming is supervised in summer time. A few paillotes (beach huts) offer solar loungers, parasols, showers and relaxed feeding on. If you want a smarter different, then head to Le Casabianca seafood restaurant perched on reduced rocks at the western (suitable) close of the seashore. It is also a fantastic location to view the pink and pink columns of the Calanques de Piana glow in the sunset.
Preparing suggestion: Get here early if you’re going to in the summer season or you could find the totally free car park is entire.
4. Calvi (aka La Pinède)
Calvi beach front has an urban vibe, especially all through the 7 days-prolonged Calvi on the Rocks music festival held in early July when younger Corsicans and vacationers sway and pose in trendy swim-put on on the beach and in the shallow sea water, typically with a amazing glass of some thing in hand, to the sounds of electro-dance audio from 3pm right until 4am day-to-day.
The rest of the summer months is a very little calmer. Paillotes occupy the central part of what is one particular of the longest beaches in Corsica, boasting some of the softest sand. Add in the light slope to the drinking water and you get the suitable seaside for youthful little ones who can paddle and lick ice product at the very same time. For more mature types eager to vanquish their worry of heights, there’s the Altore journey climb as a result of the pine trees about midway along the beach front.
Sunlight loungers and parasols are out there to lease and there are public showers, toilets, and a playground. Swimming is supervised in summer time. Decide on just one of the numerous dining establishments and sip a cocktail although you observe the sun sink driving Calvi citadel to the left of the beach, then transform your gaze inland and admire Corsica’s best peak (2706m), Monte Cinto, a person of the five peaks over 2000m that dominate Calvi Bay.
If you extravagant a adjust of landscapes, acquire the very little train northwards to Ile Rousse to check some of the other beach locations together the way or go diving at the foot of the citadel to see the wreck of a US Air Force bomber shot down in 1944.
5. Barcaggio
At the northern suggestion of Corsica on the Cap Corse, you could obtain you’re sharing beach place with a herd of cows. They seem mild but never check out and get up shut to just take a photograph – it annoys them. They will let you be if you leave them on your own.
The seaside is available on foot from the paying out (€2) parking good deal which is about 1km (.6 miles) absent. Or you can get to it by strolling together the Sentier des Douaniers that operates alongside the coast (unsuitable for pushchairs and youngsters less than 8) from Macinaggio (2.5 hrs) or the beach at Tamarone (just about 2 hours). There are 1 or two paillotes on the beach and places to eat in the close by eponymous village.
Scheduling idea: Hold in thoughts that all the beach locations on the Cap Corse have a tendency to get invaded by seagrass meadows (Posidonia oceanica) following storms – these are the lungs of the Mediterranean Sea so they might not glance or smell incredibly nice, but are essential to the ecosystem. If you dig into them you’ll uncover all kinds of very small sea creatures that fish and cows like to feed on.
Corse-du-Sud
6. Rondinara
A great, in a natural way shaped scallop stuffed with shallow, glass-clear, turquoise h2o edged by white sand: no surprise this beach front is consistently voted amongst the most beautiful in Europe! But its fame is starting to be its undoing: from June to September the sand is really crowded and the lots of boats that anchor here churn up the sea bed and switch the drinking water cloudy. If you cannot occur out of year try out coming extremely early in the morning or late in the afternoon when some of the outdated magic returns.
The only lasting building in sight is a restaurant set back from the beach among the trees. In the summer time a paillote is set up upcoming to the paying parking good deal (€5/day, money only). There’s a smaller nautical heart from which you can rent parasols and sunshine loungers. Wild cows also like this seashore, even at the top of summer season, but do not get way too close to them. They are wild animals and you should not respect shut contact.
Setting up idea: if the beach is as well busy for your liking, head toward the still left (southern) finish of the beach front the place you’ll uncover a route. A 5-moment stroll through the maquis will provide you to a crescent-formed beach exactly where the sand is a little bit rougher and the sea isn’t really rather as quiet but there are much less men and women.
7. Palombaggia
Fine white sand, pink and grey granite rocks, umbrella pines (but as well far back from the seashore to provide substantially shade) and all this just 12km (7.4 miles) south of Porto Vecchio. The 1.5km (1 mile) prolonged but incredibly narrow seaside is quick to obtain by auto (parking is absolutely free) but also in the summer season by shuttle bus from Porto Vecchio. The effortless access indicates the seaside is incredibly well-known in the summer season but that is also for the reason that swimming is supervised. The sea is normally calm and the slope into the drinking water is gentle, producing it suitable for folks with accessibility concerns and young children. The tongue of flat pink rocks at the northeastern (remaining) stop helps make an perfect normal armchair in which to sit with your toes in the water and observe the snorkellers.
Unusually for a Corsican seashore, there are general public bogs. You can rent parasols and solar loungers from the beach dining establishments and paillotes. There’s a diving club, a sailing club and a nautical club.
8. Santa Giulia
The south-experiencing seaside, an straightforward 8km (5-mile) push south from Porto Vecchio, is along a slim strip of land with the sea to the east and a shallow lagoon to the west. It’s properly guarded from winds and the drinking water is shallow pretty considerably out – get there early as younger family members will rapidly group it at the height of summer season.
There’ll be less people among the massive, spherical, grey pebbles that arise from the sea towards the left of the beach front. These are pretty to snorkel by way of but the sea mattress right here is a bit pebbly so you may want to wear some water shoes. From here you can also smile at the antics of amateur paddle-boarders and kayakers, and observe sailors hone their capabilities aboard compact dinghies or catamarans.
Parasols and sun loungers can be rented from one of the places to eat and paillotes, also open up in the evenings. Swimming is supervised in the summer season. Income only at the motor vehicle park.
Preparing tip: If you visit in the winter season you could see a flock of pink flamingos in the lagoon.
9. Piantarella, Petit Spérone, Grand Spérone
If you are into kite-browsing or wind-browsing, the northern conclusion of Piantarella is the put to be. The beach front is slim and tends to get overcrowded, so walk south earlier the Roman ruins and along a 250m (820ft) route by means of vegetation. It will bring you to the Petit Spérone beach front which, alongside one another with neighboring Grand Spérone seaside, features some of the whitest sands in Corsica.
If there are still too quite a few individuals right here, head south and climb the techniques reduce into the rocks to reach the prime of the corniche. Then flip west together a shady route by the golfing program and 500m (1640ft) even more along you are going to arrive at Grand Spérone beach which is much considerably less crowded even in the middle of summer months. There are no features at either of the Spérone shorelines.
Setting up tip: You will be experiencing thanks south with views of the Lavezzi islands – when the weather conditions is obvious you are going to be in a position to spot Sardinia.
10. Capo Di Feno
A further beach for massive surf enthusiasts! There are in fact two shorelines right here divided by a discipline – Grand Capo is major ample to by no means seem crowded, and Petit Capo (aka Sevani) to the south is smaller and appeals to less individuals. You will get shaken and stirred on the paved road to Grand Capo which forks in close proximity to the coastline. Both the filth monitor on the left and the paved road to the appropriate direct to the seashore but there’s additional (cost-free) parking at the close of the grime track. To get to Petit Capo just walk to the southern (remaining) close of Grand Capo and cross the area or splash by means of the rocks.
Swimming from both seaside is hazardous when the surf is up. A lifeguard is on obligation in July and August so retain an eye on the flag and never go into the drinking water if the yellow or crimson just one is hoisted. Parasols and solar loungers are offered from paillotes.
At day’s conclude head more than to the Grand Capo restaurant, Casa Nostra where by you can sit with your ft in the sand, a cocktail in hand and feast your eyes on the shifting colours of the sky as the sunlight sets and the final of the surfers journey the waves. On some summer months evenings, there’s stay audio in this article way too. Provide funds as the cafe does not acknowledge playing cards.
Setting up idea: If you stroll to Petit Capo you will have to go past the nudist part at the significantly left of Grand Capo. If you would prefer not to, you can need to generate back again up the D111B until you arrive at a turnoff pointing to Plage de Sevani. Generate by way of the housing advancement to get to the automobile park by the seashore.
