The French phone Corsica L’Île de Beauté (the Isle of Splendor) for very good explanation: with 20 peaks topping 2000m the Mediterranean island combines remarkable mountain scenery with lovely shorelines, concealed 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 consequence, some beaches in the west are inaccessible by highway or have to have a 4WD with higher clearance (your regular urban SUV is no superior below!) or a first rate pair of mountaineering boots to achieve.
Those along the much flatter east coastline are easily accessible and far more appropriate if you are traveling with children or anyone with mobility troubles.
We have grouped our suggestions according to the island’s two areas: Haute-Corse (Higher Corsica which encompasses the north and the financial funds Bastia) and Corse-du-Sud (South Corsica which includes the administrative capital Ajaccio).
There is a stark distinction in seashore facilities involving the two locations – most in Haute-Corse are wild with no features at all. Arrive prepared: a parasol is necessary as there is no natural shade and if there is, odds are anyone will have found it right before you! Deliver h2o and check out the climate in advance of you established off – if the Mistral wind is blowing it will whip up the waves, particularly along the western coastline, which could make swimming harmful. Beach locations in Corse-du-Sud, nevertheless, offer amenities and a host of nautical routines.
Irrespective of which seashore you opt for, a visit in the course of the peak of summer season indicates you’re not likely to have it to by yourself! And keep in mind to bring cash – numerous of the motor vehicle parks and dining places don’t settle for cards. With individuals practical ideas in brain, here’s our select of the most effective beach locations in Corsica.
Haute-Corse
1. Ostriconi
This 800m-extended, white sandy beach front lies in between the Ostriconi river and the sea. It faces west, which suggests on days with potent swells it will be too harmful to swim. But this is still the spot to be for sensational sunsets that flip the rocks at the northern finish of the seashore pink. On relaxed days, the vibe is extremely diverse – heat, nevertheless drinking water that stays shallow for a extensive way out helps make the sea in this article a amazing normal paddling pool for kids.
Swimming is supervised in summer, but provide what you require as there are no features at all. Nudist bathers are tolerated at the northern finish the place there are a handful of rocks. The seashore is a 5-minute wander from the absolutely free automobile park together a sandy route and more than a wooden bridge – not excellent for pushchairs.
Arranging tip: the Sentier des Douaniers (Customs officials’ path) starts right here heading east towards Saint Florent. It’s a two-working day hike that will choose you by way of Ghignu and Saleccia shorelines.
2. Ghignu
Tucked away in the Agriates Desert location, this wild seashore is much much less crowded than the additional well-liked Saleccia beach front even further along the coastline, but they each share crystal-very clear, turquoise waters and white sands. The only means to achieve it are either by boat or driving an off-road vehicle for 13km down an incredibly bumpy monitor, earning it a rather perfectly-retained key. Deliver a great deal of h2o and a picnic, and admire the 400m extend of sand from the top of the dune at its japanese close.
Arranging tip: you can continue to be right away in one particular of the restored paillers (the place shepherds held straw) which can sleep 4-6 men and women. There is no managing water, electrical power or mattresses but there are communal bathrooms. In winter season you can just rock up and snooze below for absolutely free but it’s on a initially-come, initially-served foundation. In summer time you require to reserve your place in advance.
3. Arone
Set just south of the Calanques de Piana Unesco World Heritage Web-site, Arone is a pretty family members welcoming beach with quick access from the vehicle park and a very gently sloping sea-bed, so the drinking water is warm and shallow quite significantly out. The maquis-lined foothills of Monte Ravu slip carefully into the sea on the southern stop of the seashore and the lower-lying rocks at equally ends are best for wannabe explorers of compact marine life.
Swimming is supervised in summer time. A few paillotes (seashore huts) offer sunlight loungers, parasols, showers and everyday taking in. If you want a smarter option, then head to Le Casabianca seafood cafe perched on small rocks at the western (ideal) conclude of the seashore. It’s also a good spot to watch the pink and pink columns of the Calanques de Piana glow in the sunset.
Setting up idea: Get right here early if you’re traveling to in the summer or you might obtain the no cost auto park is full.
4. Calvi (aka La Pinède)
Calvi seaside has an urban vibe, especially in the course of the week-long Calvi on the Rocks tunes competition held in early July when younger Corsicans and visitors sway and pose in stylish swim-don on the beach and in the shallow sea h2o, normally with a neat glass of anything in hand, to the appears of electro-dance music from 3pm until eventually 4am day by day.
The rest of the summer time is a tiny calmer. Paillotes occupy the central part of what is 1 of the longest shorelines in Corsica, boasting some of the softest sand. Insert in the light slope to the h2o and you get the great beach for youthful small children who can paddle and lick ice product at the very same time. For more mature kinds keen to vanquish their fear of heights, there’s the Altore journey climb by the pine trees about halfway along the seaside.
Sun loungers and parasols are readily available to rent and there are community showers, toilets, and a playground. Swimming is supervised in summer months. Decide 1 of the many places to eat and sip a cocktail whilst you observe the sunshine sink behind Calvi citadel to the still left of the seaside, then convert your gaze inland and admire Corsica’s highest peak (2706m), Monte Cinto, 1 of the five peaks in excess of 2000m that dominate Calvi Bay.
If you fancy a change of surroundings, acquire the minimal coach northwards to Ile Rousse to check some of the other beaches alongside the way or go diving at the foot of the citadel to see the wreck of a US Air Power bomber shot down in 1944.
5. Barcaggio
At the northern tip of Corsica on the Cap Corse, you may well obtain you’re sharing beach front space with a herd of cows. They seem light but never try and get up close to get a photograph – it annoys them. They will permit you be if you leave them on your own.
The seashore is available on foot from the paying out (€2) parking whole lot which is about 1km (.6 miles) absent. Or you can achieve it by walking together the Sentier des Douaniers that runs together the coastline (unsuitable for pushchairs and youngsters underneath 8) from Macinaggio (2.5 hrs) or the seaside at Tamarone (almost 2 several hours). There are one or two paillotes on the beach front and dining establishments in the nearby eponymous village.
Setting up suggestion: Retain in thoughts that all the beaches on the Cap Corse tend to get invaded by seagrass meadows (Posidonia oceanica) after storms – these are the lungs of the Mediterranean Sea so they may not search or odor really awesome, but are very important to the ecosystem. If you dig into them you are going to obtain all kinds of small sea creatures that fish and cows like to feed on.
Corse-du-Sud
6. Rondinara
A fantastic, in a natural way shaped scallop stuffed with shallow, glass-crystal clear, turquoise water edged by white sand: no question this beach is often voted amongst the most attractive in Europe! But its fame is turning into its undoing: from June to September the sand is really crowded and the several boats that anchor listed here churn up the sea mattress and switch the h2o cloudy. If you just cannot arrive out of year try out coming really early in the early morning or late in the afternoon when some of the old magic returns.
The only long lasting setting up in sight is a cafe established again from the beach among the trees. In the summer months a paillote is set up subsequent to the paying parking great deal (€5/day, funds only). There’s a modest nautical middle from which you can lease parasols and sunlight loungers. Wild cows also like this seashore, even at the height of summertime, but do not get as well close to them. They are wild animals and don’t enjoy shut speak to.
Arranging suggestion: if the seashore is far too fast paced for your liking, head in the direction of the left (southern) end of the beach exactly where you are going to find a path. A 5-minute walk as a result of the maquis will deliver you to a crescent-formed seashore where the sand is a little bit rougher and the sea is not rather as serene but there are much less individuals.
7. Palombaggia
Wonderful white sand, pink and grey granite rocks, umbrella pines (but as well far back again from the beach to offer considerably shade) and all this just 12km (7.4 miles) south of Porto Vecchio. The 1.5km (1 mile) extensive but quite slender seashore is easy to access by automobile (parking is free of charge) but also in the summer months by shuttle bus from Porto Vecchio. The straightforward access signifies the beach front is particularly popular in the summer months but that is also since swimming is supervised. The sea is commonly serene and the slope into the drinking water is mild, making it excellent for men and women with accessibility issues and small children. The tongue of flat pink rocks at the northeastern (still left) end makes an excellent organic armchair in which to sit with your toes in the drinking water and look at the snorkellers.
Unusually for a Corsican beach front, there are general public bogs. You can hire parasols and sun loungers from the seaside places to eat and paillotes. There’s a diving club, a sailing club and a nautical club.
8. Santa Giulia
The south-struggling with seashore, an straightforward 8km (5-mile) generate south from Porto Vecchio, is together a slender strip of land with the sea to the east and a shallow lagoon to the west. It’s perfectly shielded from winds and the drinking water is shallow pretty significantly out – get there early as young family members will swiftly group it at the top of summer season.
There’ll be much less men and women among the major, spherical, gray pebbles that emerge from the sea in direction of the still left of the seashore. These are wonderful to snorkel by way of but the sea mattress listed here is a bit pebbly so you could want to have on some drinking water sneakers. From right here you can also smile at the antics of amateur paddle-boarders and kayakers, and enjoy sailors hone their capabilities aboard modest dinghies or catamarans.
Parasols and sunshine loungers can be rented from one particular of the dining places and paillotes, also open in the evenings. Swimming is supervised in the summer. Money only at the vehicle park.
Arranging suggestion: If you visit in the winter season you may perhaps see a flock of pink flamingos in the lagoon.
9. Piantarella, Petit Spérone, Grand Spérone
If you are into kite-surfing or wind-browsing, the northern conclusion of Piantarella is the put to be. The beach is narrow and tends to get overcrowded, so stroll south earlier the Roman ruins and along a 250m (820ft) path by vegetation. It will deliver you to the Petit Spérone beach front which, alongside one another with neighboring Grand Spérone beach, features some of the whitest sands in Corsica.
If there are however too lots of people in this article, head south and climb the methods reduce into the rocks to reach the top rated of the corniche. Then change west together a shady path through the golf class and 500m (1640ft) more along you are going to get to Grand Spérone seashore which is much much less crowded even in the middle of summer months. There are no features at either of the Spérone beaches.
Organizing tip: You are going to be experiencing because of south with sights of the Lavezzi islands – when the weather is crystal clear you are going to be equipped to spot Sardinia.
10. Capo Di Feno
Yet another seashore for big surf enthusiasts! There are really two beach locations listed here separated by a subject – Grand Capo is large more than enough to by no means feel crowded, and Petit Capo (aka Sevani) to the south is smaller sized and appeals to fewer people today. You’ll get shaken and stirred on the paved highway to Grand Capo which forks near the coastline. The two the dirt track on the left and the paved street to the correct lead to the seaside but there is more (absolutely free) parking at the conclusion of the filth observe. To attain Petit Capo just stroll to the southern (remaining) close of Grand Capo and cross the area or splash via the rocks.
Swimming from both beach front is harmful when the surf is up. A lifeguard is on obligation in July and August so keep an eye on the flag and really do not go into the h2o if the yellow or red 1 is hoisted. Parasols and sunshine loungers are available from paillotes.
At day’s stop head above to the Grand Capo cafe, Casa Nostra exactly where you can sit with your toes in the sand, a cocktail in hand and feast your eyes on the modifying hues of the sky as the sun sets and the previous of the surfers trip the waves. On some summer season evenings, there is live music here way too. Carry cash as the restaurant doesn’t accept cards.
Arranging suggestion: If you stroll to Petit Capo you will have to go earlier the nudist portion at the far left of Grand Capo. If you’d like not to, you will have to have to travel back up the D111B until eventually you access a turnoff pointing to Plage de Sevani. Travel by way of the housing improvement to attain the car or truck park by the seashore.
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/pmn/XBYSMNVOLVHY5LESNOHCCXTKZA.jpg "⛄ Winter (almost) dispatch from the beach")
