Corsica at a glance
- Our villas are located in the south of the Island
- Iconic beaches & many water sports
- Flights to Fagari from Heathrow
- Sparse, rugged, beautiful landscape
- 2900 sunshine hours per year
- Diverse terrain offers a playground of activities
One of Europe’s last untouched corners, the French dependency of Corsica is a living museum of the culture, history and people of the Mediterranean. Balzac described Corsica as 'a French island basking in the Italian sun' but the island has a singular character that is entirely its own.
Coveted by many since earliest Bronze Age man; the Phoenicians, Moors, Spanish, Pisans and Genoese have each, in turn, left their signature on this land. The fiercely proud Corsican people have defended their independence for hundreds of years and laudably resist the bucket and spade brigade today, the most recent of marauding invaders. The result is a step back in time; a sparse, rugged, desperately beautiful landscape, completely unspoilt by the scar of development that blights much of the European coast.
From the moment you arrive, your senses are assailed by the intensely aromatic maquis, Corsica’s signature perfume. Deep into the interior, fragrant forests of pine, oak and sweet chestnut yield to a jumble of dramatic mountain peaks; snow-capped in winter and torn apart by dramatic gorges with cascading waterfalls and smooth enticing rock pools that have been eroded through time. Sleepy hilltop citadels rest on the gentler lower slopes, an age-old refuge from sea-borne invaders and present day strong-hold of cultural traditions.
Genoese watch towers stand sentry behind the sweeping Corsican beaches, exquisite stretches of sand in every hue from honey gold to Caribbean white. There are long, sweeping bays and deep rocky inlets; wild, wind-swept strands and tiny hidden coves accessed only by rough track or boat. The sea sparkles in a thousand shades of blue, from the dazzling turquoise in the Palombaggia shallows to the deepest indigo of the Valinco Gulf.
Our luxury villas are located in the far south of Corsica, an area which boasts some of the most iconic beaches and captivating towns on the island.
For the more adventurous, Southern Corsica offers an adrenalin rush of water and mountain based activities; from sailing, windsurfing and kayaking, to climbing, cycling and canyoning.
We do not operate these activities ourselves but our staff will be happy to pass on their tips based on the experience of past guests. Staff in resort can advise you of times, prices and book activities on your behalf.
Sailing and boat rental
There are many fully licensed sailing clubs to choose from in Corsica, especially on the west and south east coastlines so it is very easy to hire equipment. Make sure you take an appropriate license with you if you intend to hire a motorboat with an engine more powerful than 6cv.
Windsurfing
There are windsurfing schools located at plage De Pinarella, plage de St Cyprien, Santa Guilia and Bonifacio. As well as lessons, they also offer equipment hire.
Water-skiing
Whatever your style - whether you'd rather water-ski, wakeboard or mono-ski, Corsica will be able to accommodate your every whim at one of its water ski centres. St Cyprien and Santa Guilia are good places to try.
Jet-skiing
Jet skis can be hired at Palombaggia. Unless you provide appropriate documentation to prove that you are a competent pilot of a jet ski, you will have to attend an induction course. Jet skis can only be hired by over 16's.
Diving & snorkelling
If you are interested in diving but aren't PADI qualified, many of the diving clubs in Corsica will let you do an initiation dive. For those who are qualified, there are numerous opportunities to go on organised dives and to hire equipment. Diving areas that are particularly rated are Porto Pollo around Valinco, Bonifacio, Scandola, Ajaccio, Cargese and Propriano.
Mountain biking - Corsica's mountainous terrain means that mountain biking is not for the faint hearted but fit and experienced cyclists will enjoy the challenging climbs and the winding routes. Mountain bikes are recommended over normal bikes as being more suitable for the terrain and can be hired from numerous operators.
Quad biking - Operators in Porto Vecchio and Santa Guilia will arrange quad biking on accompanied trails. May be a better choice for those not feeling energetic enough for mountain biking!
Paragliding, parachuting and hang-gliding - A wonderful way to enjoy the scenery if you've got a good head for heights! Corsica has opportunities for all three activities but you may be asked to show a doctor's certificate to prove that you are fit to take part.
Helicopter trips - A more sedate and relaxing way to make the most of the majestic views, flights are from Porto Vecchio, Ajaccio and Bonifacio.
Golf - Corsica's only 18 hole golf course is called Golf de Sperone and is overlooking the Bonifaccio Strait. One of the top 100 golf courses in the world the Golf de Sperone was designed by Robert Trent Jones. A handicap certificate is required to play and equipment hire and tuition are possible. A 6 hole course and driving range can be found on the Rte de Bonifacio and is called Golf de Lezza and if mini-golf is more your thing, there is a lovely course at La Testa.
Horse riding - You can book rides or treks of different lengths from riding schools operating in Palombaggia, Porto Vecchio or St Cyprien and you can choose from trekking through the countryside, along river beds or on the beaches.
Canyoning - If you fancy the idea of exploring Corsica's canyons by either walking, scrambling, climbing, abseiling or swimming through them, then canyoning may well be for you. There are a few different operators who will take you on arranged excursions.
Wine tasting and farm produce - Corsicans love their food and wine and the island is fast becoming renowned for its gastronomy. The tourist board is promoting this by publishing maps of the island with all the different local producers marked on them so that you can plan your very own 'gastronomic route'. Visit Corsica has a useful search engine where you can search for wine producers and farm products by area of the island and type of product. click here to go to the gastranomic search engine.
Top tips from previous guests and our resort staff:
Visit a vineyard
The home of Corsican wine making. Corsica is renowned for its rosé wines. Two of our favourite domains are Domaine de Torraccia de Porto Vecchio and Domaine Pero Longo. Almost all the domains have an outlet in the village where one can taste and buy wines direct from the vineyard. A top tip is to bring your own carafe (or they sell them for a few euros) for them to fill up and pay about half the price of the bottled wine. Alternatively you can buy a box of AOC wine for half the price of in the glass bottles.
Dive on the I’lles de Lavezzi
Just south of Bonifacio on Corsica’s southernmost tip lays a collection of islands that have been designated as a nature reserve by the Corsican authorities. These islands can only be reached by boat and are also home to some of the most beautiful beaches on Corsica. Taking a dive in the crystal clear waters gives you the opportunity to swim with Mérou (Grouper) fish, Murène (Moray Eel) and Pageot (Sea Bream). You’ll also find some beautiful Coral and Poulpe (Octopus).
Tour Corsica’s interior
Tour by car or bike or moped. Visit Zonza and see the Bavella Needles; which are huge formations of granite stretching up 100’s of metres. On a really hot day a trip to the mountainous interior can be amazingly refreshing – even more so if you decide to swim in some of the freshwater rock pools that are dotted along the roads.
Visit Saleccia beach
Found on the northern Coast of the Desert des Agriates this beach is only accessible by water taxi from St Florent in the north and is reputedly one of the best beaches in Europe; you might not find a more lovely beach anywhere in the tropics.
Eat at a traditional Corsican Ferme Auberge.
Try Sanglier (wild boar) and Aubergine and Brocciu salad which is a traditional dish from Bonifacio (sometimes called a Bonifacio Salad). Top all this off with a few glasses of local wine and Chestnut and Chocolate tart. Wash down with a glass of Myrte – a traditional Corsican digestif.
Hike some or all of the GR20
Europe’s longest marked hiking route.
Go horse riding
For a very modest sum of money you can hire horses and gallop along the sandy beaches in the south of Corsica. Even more idealic during sunset.
Go horse racing
There's an amazing race track in Zonza. Cut into the wooded hillside at over 1000 metres is a hidden horse racing track that was a surprisingly tourist free event. A real chance to mix and have flutter with the hospitable Corsican people and a great day out in a stunning location. During the summer races are normally held fortnightly.
Visit Filtiosa,
Corsica’s famous historical site which dates back to the Neolithic era (circa 3300BC). The site is situated about 30 minutes drive from Bonifacio in the south of Corsica. What makes this a unique day out is that, unlike many historical sites in Europe, you can still wander amongst the remains freely at your own pace. Take time before leaving to go round its fascinating museum which explains the history and exhibits lots of the artefacts recovered form the site over the years.
Have a night out at Via Notte
Via Notte is Porto Vecchio’s massive open air disco. During the peak months of July and August it attracts some of the worlds top House and Trance DJ’s. Even if the music isn’t your cup of tea it’s a fascinating place to go and see an eclectic mix of locals and tourists dressed up to the nines and partying the night away. Doors open at 11pm and expect to pay about 9 euro’s for a half a beer. Tables are hard to come by therefore booking a table is recommended a few days before.
Visit the Hotel Belvedere
The choice for a luxury evening meal. You can eat in the grill, sitting almost on the beach with stunning views of the sunset across Porto Vecchio. Or if you’re feeling like an extra special meal, you could eat in the gastronomique restaurant which has a Michelin Star.
Find a spectacular beach
Guests have often said that St Guilia & Palombaggia beaches get too busy in high season. In which case we recommend Cala Rossa beach. Head to the furthest end away from the Grand Hotel and all the crowds. You will be sure to find a relatively quiet spot with soft white sand & plenty of rocks for snorkelling.
Go to Puracaccia Waterfalls
‘Paradise Rock’ as it has been coined since our visit, deep in the mountains is a must see. There is a walk from the Col de Bavella which takes about fifty minutes on a track around the side of the mountain. The waterfall runs gently down a serious of rocks creating natural waterslides in a truly beautifully setting against the mountains. Organized Canyoning groups visit this spot.
Do the Via Feratta.
There are many in Corsica, one is in L’Ospedale, 20 minutes from Porto Vecchio. There is a park to get you started before venturing to the medium or difficult track around the huge rocks. There are easy to very challenging courses & plenty of zip wires for fun!
The east coast has some of the islands most iconic beaches, great seaside restaurants and many water sports.
Pinarello
Near to the village of St. Lucie de Porto Vecchio this beach is a huge arc of white sand, stretching for 2kms and overlooked by a Genoese watch tower. The water is very shallow for quite a distance, making it ideal for children, there are also some nice shady areas under the trees. Most water sports are available here and at the southern tip of the bay is a village with several good beachside restaurants and snack bars.
Cala Rossa
This is one of the smartest beaches in the area that opens on to the bay of Porto Vecchio and the open sea. Because of the 4 star Luxe hotel nearby, the in-crowd can be observed and a good place to do it is from the restaurant “The Beach” who allow free parking. If you eat there and if you feel inclined, you can rent one of their sun loungers and parasols for a hefty fee! At this end the water is fairly shallow, head round the bay further and you will find the sea becomes very deep very quickly so is not great for children.
Palombaggia
South of Porto Vecchio, this beach easily rivals the Seychelles with its incredible weathered rocks and white sands. The water is shallow and great for children, as is the sand which is just right for making sand castles! There are a few lovely restaurants and ones with children’s menus and various spots with sun loungers and umberellas.
Tamariccia
A little further south of Palombaggia lies another beautiful curve of sand known as Tamariccia where the sand is soft and fine and the water is shallow and clear. It has one of the smartest beach restaurants in the area with better food than most beach shacks and prices to match.
Santa Guilia
The bay at Santa Guilia is quite beautiful and the turquoise water is a marvel to see. The almost perfect round bay means the water is shallow and warm and the sand is great for sandcastles, hence ideal for kids. You will find almost everything you could want from a built up beach here - many motorised and wind powered water sports are available as well as pedalos and canoes, there are several restaurants and snack bars with kids menus, sun loungers and parasols.
Rondinara
Further south towards Bonifacio is Rondinara. The name suggests a round beach and on descending after some fire scarred hills, you will see the shell shaped cove that most people would favourably compare to an ideal of a pacific island paradise. There is a lovely restaurant which does great salads and children’s food. Very often you will see cows on the beach, minding their own business and enjoying the sunshine!
Going north from Bonifacio the beaches on the west coast are wilder and due to the prevailing westerly’s tend to be windier, hence they are less frequented than those beaches on the East Coast. They will suit those who want to find relative seclusion or adrenaline junkies looking for the latest trend sport but not those who want to be seen or to find the best (or any) beach restaurants.
Tonnara
A must for the wind surfers and kite surfers, several itinerant kite water sport schools regularly use this beach for their lessons.
Roccapina
As the road north twists and turns along the stunning coast road you arrive at a hamlet called Roccapina which is well known for its recumbent lion shaped rock on the opposite headland. Roccapina is a wonderful bay situated below the lion.
Propriano
The Valinco Gulf has some of the best beaches on the island and a day in the area warrants a few hours on one of them. On the southern end of the bay is Campo Moro a particularly a great beach for the kids. The view is amazing and the water shallow and crystal clear. On the north side is Capicciolo and Olmeto Plage. There are at least 50 beaches stretching all the way to Porto Pollo which also has a wonderful beach of at least 5kms long.
Cala D’Orzu
The beaches between Porto Pollo and Porticcio are well worth discovering, none more so than the beach at Cala D’Orzu. There are a couple of wonderful beach restaurants, and the beach is a stunning arc of white sand.
Verghia
Plage d’Argent (or silver beach) in Verghia just 40 mins south of Ajaccio can quite easily be mistaken for a Caribbean beach. With fine white sand and an aquamarine sea you can just relax or hire a jet ski to zip round on. There is a fantastic restaurant here called A Pineta, upon arrival your car will be parked as you make your way into a chic restaurant with tables on the seafront. Enjoy freshly cooked Mediterranean food with a glass of the local wine. After lunch you can hire a double four poster bed on the beach and have waiter service for the rest of the afternoon.
follow us
