Corsica has literally hundreds of beaches, some are among the best in France and several among the best to be found anywhere. So when in Corsica where should you head to?
Beaches around Porto-Vecchio
Palombaggia beach
To the south of the island near Porto Vecchio, a perfect white sandy beach with the sea an amazing mix of deep blue and bright turquoise, and backed by sand dunes and pine trees, and a scattering of bright red rocks. The beach is internationally renowned, and also perfect for children. There is a bar on the beach making this a perfect spot for an evening drink watching the sunset.
Saint Giulia beach
A little further on from Palombaggia beach, the horseshoe shaped beach at Saint-Giulia is another stunning place to visit. Saint Giulia beach is extremely popular with lovers of watersports and sun-worshippers alike. Its long jetty allows you to walk out into the ocean and take pictures back over the beach and surrounding hills. Like Palombaggia there is a bar on the beach.
Tamaricciu Beach
Tamaricciu beach is another lovely beach near to Porto Veccio. A long sandy beach with a good scattering of rocks both on the beach and in the sea adding to the beauty of the beautiful turqoise water. There is a lovely scenic walk down to the beach from the parking area on the road above and from here you get great views of the bay. A beach bar is a great place to sit and admire the views.
Beaches near Bonifacio
The south of the island near Bonifacio also has some lovely beaches although not of the same quality as those around Porto-Vecchio.
Piantarella beach
Piantarella beach was not one of our favourites but is the starting point to get to Grand Sperone and Petit Sperone beaches and it has some superb views over Ile Piana. It also has an amazing sea colour and is a good spot for windsurfing.
Petit Sperone beach
From Piantarella beach walk along to the right for about 10 minutes. The walk takes you over some rocks and along a short path. Once in the small bay the beach of Petit Sperone is fabulous. The colours of the sea are an astonishing mix of blues and the view from the beach is straight out onto the jagged white rocks of the Ile Piana. The sea looks good for snorkling too. There are no facilities on the beach so bring your own drinks and snacks.
Grand Sperone beach
If Petit Sperone fills up walk up the steps on the right of the bay and then take the 10 minute walk through the woods and large flat moor-like area to get to Grand Sperone beach. It's not quite as pretty as Petit Sperone but it is a bigger sandy beach and less crowded. To get here you walk past the Golf de Sperone golf club. If you are into golf this really must be a perfect location to play. The views are fabulous.
Rondinara beach
This beach was accessed via a narrow road that was not very well maintained and at the end of the track there was a pay car park. The only one we saw for these remote beaches. The combination of road and pay parking would put us off going again but nonetheless it is a pretty beach with fine sand, a sheltered bay and a backdrop of maquis and pine trees.
Beaches near Ajaccio
Near Ajaccio the beaches are pleasant but this is not the best destination if you are looking for a beach holiday.
Petit Capo beach
We walked to Petit Capo from the Iles Sanguinaire car park. For more info about the walk see our Iles Sanguinaire guide. Alternatively you can drive to Capo-di-Feno. The beach is a course sand/fine grit beach and has little of the seaweed that can be a bit off-putting on some beaches. The sea is that lovely mix of turqoise and blue that is often found around Corsica. This beach also has a stylish beach bar. There is a car park and some houses around the beach which make it less attractive from a distance but once on the beach it is fine.
Grand Capo beach
About a 15-20 minute walk from Petit Capo beach (again see our Iles Sanguinaire guide for details) is Grand Capo beach. It is a lovely large bay with rolling surf and is popular with surfers. The sand is a fine white sand and again very little seaweed. All in all it is very attractive and in our opinion well worth the walk from Petit Capo.
Beaches near Cap-Corse
Loto and Saleccia beaches
Being accessed by boat from Saint-Florent means that these beautiful beaches usually remain uncrowded even in high season, and are two of the most lovely beaches in Corsica.
Saleccia beach, in the Desert des Agriates, is often said to be the best beach to be found anywhere in France. You may spot celebrities like Kylie Minogue in luxury yachts anchored off the beach!
Barcaggio beach
Right at the northernmost point of Cap Corse, the inaccessibility of Barcaggio has helped peserve its allure. Calm and peaceful even in summer, the lovely sandy beach shelves gently into fabulously turquoise waters. A highlight of the beach is the groups of cows often on the beach and appearing to enjoy a spot of sunbathing themselves!
Beaches around Calvi
Calvi beach
The long sandy beach running for several kilometres along the coast north of Calvi is a white sand, beach with water shallow enough that children can play safely. Snack bars are dotted along much of the length of the beach. It is not especially beautiful but very handy being right next to the town.
Saint Restitude beach
Attractive, quite secluded, small beach accessed via the tramway from Calvi (or a long walk!) Restitude beach is a lovely sandy beach backed by typical Corsican scrubland and pine trees, and offering good conditions for swimming. The restaurant at the beach, Le Pain Sucre, is a great place for lunch!
Ostriconi beach
Near L'Ile Rousse, north-west Corsica, a great beach accessed by fording a small river and backed by mountains. As it is a bit of a walk to get to the beach you can be reasonably confident you will escape the crowds here.
