Everything you need to know for your holidays in Corsica...
| Where are the best beaches in Corsica? This is something that we are often asked, and the simple answer is all of them! The beaches are clean, the water clear and warm and they all have something to recommend them, it just depends what you're looking for as to which will suit you best. Most beaches are 'non-surveille' which means that there is no lifeguard, so please take care. There are so many fabulous beaches in Corsica that it would be impossible to list them all, so we have given below just some of our favourites. However, the best beaches and coves are often tucked away unmarked, so don't be afraid to explore - you might discover a hidden gem! If you know the area you are interested in, click the link below. Otherwise, simply read on to discover all of Corsica's best beaches.. |
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| THE NORTH WEST | Calvi to the Desert des Agriates via Ile Rousse |
| THE NORTH EAST | The Desert des Agriates to Moriani via Saint Florent |
| THE SOUTH WEST | Campomoro to Porto Pollo via Propriano |
| THE SOUTH EAST | Bonifacio to Porto Vecchio via Palombaggia & Santa Giulia |
The North West;
Calvi to the Desert des Agriates via Ile Rousse
CALVI - The main beach
in Calvi has something for everyone. It shelves very gently so it's perfect for children, and there is a wide range
of watersports on offer. There are also several restaurants where sun beds can be hired. There are many access
points to the beach from the Port de Plaisance heading out of the town in the direction of Ile Rousse. If you are
visiting from another area, go straight over the roundabout where the airport is signposted and then turn right
where you see the signs for 'La Plage' / 'La Pinede'. If you miss this turning, continue to the next roundabout
and turn right.
LUMIO - turn off the N197
where you see the sign for the San Petru restaurant and pharmacy, and follow the road to the bottom, crossing the
railway line. You can leave your car under the trees in the large parking area. The Matahari beach is a large cove
with sand and rocks and the Matahari Restaurant.
Alternatively, turn right at the bottom, rather than parking in the car park (just after you cross the railway
line) and follow the track right to the end until you reach what looks like a dead end. Park your car along the
roadside here and follow the dirt track through the maquis and you will come to a quieter sandy beach. This track
is narrow and you'll need both hands at some points, so not suitable for very small children or those with walking
difficulties.
ALGAJOLA - Algajola is
a huge stretch of sand that runs the length of the village and beyond. The beach at the village end is rockier
but the waters are shallower. From the Calvi direction, take the Algajola turn off and follow the road through
the village. In the centre (opposite the spar/mini-market) the road forks - bear right here. At little further
along you will see a parking area to your right and a turning on the left. Turn in here and follow the road round
to the right. From the Ile Rousse direction, take the Algajola turning and shortly after you have crossed the railway
line, you will see a parking area on your left and a turning on the right. Turn in here and follow the road as
it bears right. There are lots of access points to the beach off this track and a range of water sports is available
in season, but if you follow it to the end, there is a parking area and here the beach is backed by pines, so you
can find little shady corners. At this end of the beach the water is deep and there can sometimes be quite strong
currents. This part of the beach is also favoured by nudists.
BODRI - A little further
along towards between Algajola and Ile Rousse is Bodri Plage, a long stretch of fairly coarse white sand (so it's
easy to brush off when you leave!), and turquoise clear waters. You can get to the beach from two points along
the road; look out for the large white notice boards with 'Commune de Corbara' / 'Bodri Plage' written in red.
Turn off here to follow the road down to the car park where you'll need to leave the car and follow the track on
foot, across the railway line and down to the sea. It is about 500m, but worth the walk. Next door to Bodri is
Giunchetu Bay where the beach shelves gently, so it's ideal for children. There is a simple little café
for refreshments.
ILE ROUSSE - The main
beach at Ile Rousse is in the centre of the town and like Calvi, it is accessible by train. The sand is fine and
golden, the sea clear and blue and there are watersports and fishing trips from the beach. Some of the restaurants
heading away from the town hire sun loungers, and during the summer it is better to get to the beach by avoiding
the town; look for the sign which says 'Plage' at Avenue Comte Valery (just by the Esso garage).
Alternatively, head out of the town for approximately 3km and there is a dirt track that heads down to the Plage
de Rindara, but there aren't any signs, so it can be a bit difficult to find.
LOZARI - A large white
crescent of sand and probably the nearest beach if you're staying in Lama or one of the surrounding villages. The
beach is very relaxed and in the summer there are watersports and a little café. Access to the beach is
via a turning from the N197 between turnings for Palasca and Belgodere.
The North West;
The Desert des Agriates to Moriani via Saint Florent
SAINT FLORENT - The resort
itself has a number of beaches suitable for families;
There are some beautiful beaches in the area, but the best - Loto and Saleccia -
are really only accessible by sea. There are several boats that leave the marina for Loto and Saleccia beaches,
and even in the height of summer they are relatively peaceful.
CAP CORSE - The beaches
of the Cap tend to be shingle rather than sand. You will find beaches and little marina dotted here and there.
At Sisco, there is a small sandy beach backed with grass, but perhaps the best beaches in the Cap is Barcuggiu,
right on the very tip.
BASTIA - The town beach
is a quite pebbly and can get very busy in the summer. A better alternative is to head out to the Plage l'Arinella
- follow the main road out of town for about 1km.
MORIANI PLAGE - One of
the main resorts on the Costa Verde, the Plage l'Alistro runs for 14km from Moriani to the lighthouse north of
Campoloro. There are several access points to the beach, but the easiest is via the parking area in the centre
of Moriani just off the N198. Look for the signs.
The South West;
Campomoro to Porto Pollo via Propriano
CAMPOMORO - Turn off the
N196 onto the D121 towards Belvédère /Campomoro and follow the road right to the end. There is a
little parking area in the village and a sandy beach that stretches for about 1km, but it can get very busy in
the summer. If you head towards the tower, there are several little coves where the snorkelling is particularly
good, but the walk will take you about 20-25 minutes (uphill).
PORTIGLIOLO - 4km of south
facing sand, popular with the locals and sun worshippers alike. The beach here does shelve quite steeply, so extra
care should be taken as it only takes a slight breeze to produce big waves. Turn off the N196 onto the D121 and
follow the road past the aerodrome on your right until you see the village. Access to the beach is just here on
the right. Alternatively, there are several access points from the road between the aerodrome and the village,
but these are unmarked, so look out for a wide dirt track and follow it for a few metres until you see a parking
area. If it narrows considerably to a grass track, you have taken a wrong turn.
PROPRIANO - The busiest
beach is the Plage du Phare (also known as the Lido Plage as the Hotel le Lido sits on the beach here). Follow
the road into Propriano and as you pass through the town look out for the sign 'Toutes directions' and a left turn.
Keep straight on taking the left fork of the road and continue on to the very bottom where there is a parking area
and a beach bar/café.
If you want somewhere a little quieter and don't mind a bit of a scramble, follow 'Toutes directions' until you
reach a roundabout with the newsagents on the right hand corner. Turn right here and follow the road round to the
right. Turn left as soon as you can which will take you up the Chemin des Plages, past the Arena Bianca on your
right. As the road approaches the top of the hill, look out for an unmarked track on the right. Follow this and
you will reach a small parking area where there are various scrambles down the beach below (be sure to wear rock
shoes or trainers). If you can't face the scramble, continue on past the little track until the road starts to
bear left round the headland and there is a larger beach on your right where the access is a little easier.
CAPPICIOLO - There are
lots of little coves and bigger beaches along this stretch. A nice little beach close to the marina and restaurants
where you can take lunch. From Propriano head out in the direction of Ajaccio and as you leave the town look out
for a left turn signposted D157 towards Porto Pollo. Turn left here and continue for about 4 or 5 kilometres. You
will soon see a couple of restaurants on the left including one called La Crique. There is a large stretch of beach
here, although if you continue on a little further there are lots of little coves if you scramble down the banks,
but the access is not always marked.
CUPABIA - A beautiful
beach with fine golden sand and clear blue waters, but you do sometimes have to share it with the cows! The parking
can be a problem in high season as the car park is quite small, so you need to get there early. There is a small
beach café for refreshments. Follow the D157 in the direction of Porto Pollo, turn left at the T-junction
and then right onto the D155 towards Serra-di-Ferro and the Coti Chiavari. Shortly after you pass through the village
of Serra-di-Ferro, look for a left turn (D155a) signposted 'Plage de Cupabia'. The parking area is at the end of
this road.
PORTO POLLO - A nice little
beach close to the marina and restaurants where you can take lunch. From Propriano head out in the direction of
Ajaccio and as you leave the town look out for a left turn signposted D157 towards Porto Pollo. Follow this road
all the way to the village.
The Extreme South;
Bonifacio to Porto Vecchio via Palombaggia
BONIFACIO - Petit Sperone
beach - Just outside of Bonifacio, conveniently enough, this is a gorgeous little inlet reached by walking 10 minutes
along Pianterella beach and 2 minutes more around the tip of the headland - a feast for the eyes when you arrive.
As you drive into Bonifacio and the port is on your right, turn left where the hospital is onto the D58 and after
about 200 metres turn right for Piantarella. There's a surf shop called Tam Tam on the corner on the right where
you turn. Carry straight on. Park and walk onto the beach. Turn right and head for Sperone.
SANT'AMANZA - An attractive
sandy beach a little off the beaten track. Not one of the best beaches, but very popular for wind surfing. Follow
the D58 for about 6km from Bonifacio.
LAVEZZI ISLES - part of
the nature reserve off the coast of Bonifacio, the Lavezzi isles boast a collection of small unspoilt beaches.
Accessible only by sea, most boat companies offer day trips.
ROCCAPINA BEACH - Perfect
white sand and clear water but there's not much room so again it can be too busy in July and August. About 20 or
so kilometres south of Sartene, and midway between Bonifacio and Sartene, turn off the main road by the Auberge
de Coralli and follow the dirt track down. The track to the beach may be very rough so drive carefully. Above the
beach is the so-called Lion of Roccapina, a natural rock sculpture, crowned by an old Genoese watchtower erected
at the start of the 16th century, in the first construction phase involving 25 towers.
PALOMBAGGIA - Perhaps
the most famous beach on the island, the fine white sand offers a stark contrast to the red hue of the rocks and
the turquoise blue waters. Backed by beautiful pines that offer some shade during the heat of the summer, but it
can be incredibly busy during July and August. All the beaches in this area are off the main east coast road, the
N196. All the signposts are on the left if driving towards Bonifacio or on the right if moving towards Porto Vecchio
SANTA GIULIA - Another
popular, east coast beach with pale golden sand and calm shallow waters. Popular with watersports enthusiasts,
here one can find almost any kind of water based activity and there are a selection of cafes and beach bars.
RONDINARA - A crescent
shaped beach with shallow water, fine white sand. Les well known than Palombaggia and Santa Giulia, so often quieter.
Follow the D158 down a windy narrow track to the beach at the bottom.
If you'd like to see some more pictures of the beaches in
Corsica, click HERE
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