The best beaches: South Corsica’s 10 gems

South Corsican beaches are often uttered in the same breath as the paradisiacal beaches of the Caribbean. But this comparison, sometimes an accusation of mimicry, does no justice to the unique and inimitable beauty of the best beaches South Corsica boasts. There are reminiscences of the Caribbean, but there is a wholly unique allure to the beaches of Corsica. 

As one of our favourite luxury holiday destinations, we want people who visit Corsica to have all the best tips and ideas to inspire their holidays. 

These are our top 10 beaches in South Corsica: 

• Palombaggia
• Santa Giulia
• Lavezzi
• Plage de Mare e Sole
• Plage Ficaghjola
• Cala D'Orzo
• Cappizolu
• Tivella
• Cala D'Aguila
• Roccapina

The famous beach of Palombaggia

Palombaggia is a sweeping bay of white sand sheltered by the dancing branches of pines. On the hottest of days, set up camp slightly aback from the beach and find refuge from the sun amongst the lightning-like trunks of the trees. The beach, which is a large arch of white sand, is partly separated by clusters of red rocks that burn a bright and fiery blaze in the warm summer sun. The gently sloping beach makes it a perfect destination for families to while away summer days on the shores, frolicking in the sandy shallows and swimming with a sense of safety. On the northern end of the beach, you will find parking and the majority of the amenities, from parking to water sports.

Its effortless beauty draws in visitors from across the island. This means that a number of wonderful restaurants have popped up along the beach. Try Palm Beach restaurant at the southern end of the beach, from where you can also explore the bulging boulders of Plage de Tiramicciu. Despite the throngs of people that sometimes frequent this beach, it remains a blissfully beautiful beach.

Santa Giulia's crystal-clear water

This is a water sports enthusiast's paradise: snorkel in the clear sea or wakeboard the mirror-like surface with the setting sun as the backdrop. Santa Giulia is a place of harmony, where activity and relaxation can both be pursued with utmost ease. Buried amongst the folds of trees you will find welcoming cafes and bars, where crisp refreshments will offer some respite from the swelter. The bay is superbly sheltered, meaning the water is crystalline and perfect for those who wish to scour the seafloor for marine life. The shallow seabed gives the water an emerald tinge that only adds to the natural wonder of the area. One will not get bored on Santa Giulia beach - one of Corsica's most beautiful beaches. 

Read our article on Santa Giulia Corsica to discover more about this stretch of Corsica's coastline.

Hidden beaches on the Lavezzi Islands

One of our favourite day trips is to adventure to the mesmerising granite archipelago of the Lavezzi Islands that lies off the coast of southern Corsica. Its magic lies in the vast boulders that are peppered across the islands, concealing secret coves and quiet beaches. The islands serve as some of the best snorkeling spots around Corsica and definitely worth visiting. Skim across the sea from the south-eastern town of Bonifacio to explore this scattering of islands from a hired boat. Head to La Chiesa beach to immerse in the wild and rugged quietude of the island, where the protected bird and sea life flourish.

Plage de Mare e Sole: Sandy bliss

Known as the silver beach for its strikingly pale sand, Plage de Mare e Sole is a picturesque idyll just south of Ajaccio on the west coast. The light sand gives the water a steely blue that marbles and shimmies with colour in the midday sun. While the beach is shared by a resort, you can still find a more untamed side beyond the pines, where cows can sometimes be seen sauntering.

Plage de Ficaghjola on the Gulf of Porto

The Gulf of Porto boasts some of the most breathtaking stretches of the Corsican coastline. The red-hued rocks of Calanques de Piana rise and fall in great, sheer walls before inevitably plunging into the lazy sea below. It is a dramatic part of Corsica; a meeting point of the Mediterranean and the jagged peaks of the mountainous interior. The result of this meeting point is one of contrasts, where the flatness of the glistening sea is set against the sharp grimace of time-worn cliffs. Plage de Ficaghjola is cradled amongst the creases in the landscape on the southern side of the gulf. It is a small slice of a beach that sits beneath the cliffs. The cove is quiet, with a few fishermen's huts perched in the rocks. Choose between the sandy or pebbly beaches.

The turquoise water of Cala d'Orzo beach

Dip into this untamed beach on the west coast - a stone's throw from Plage de Ficaghjola - for sandy solitude. The bumpy, bouncy road that trundles down to the beach makes this beach quite difficult to access by car. We like to visit this wee spot of serenity by boar, where we can anchor in the bright blue bay and plunge from the boat. At one end of the bay, an old Genoese Tower gazes with the wisdom of time over the picturesque setting. Capu Neru is a natural and historical landmark on the magical Isle of Beauty. 

On the white sand of Capizzolu beach

Another wonderfully wild destination on which to spend your holidays in peace is Capizzolu beach in Cargèse. The beach, a 300m-long dusting of fine white sand on Corsica's west coast, is one of the island's lesser-known idylls. The maquis and the whispy, bed-head grasses give way to the beach, which is fringed by rocks on either side. 

The PICTURESQUE: Tivella beach

What makes this beach so special is the sparseness of people who visit it in the summer. Even in the high season, you will find few souls basking in the beach's prevailing peace. The coastal path that leads you to this beach is scored between the dense maquis before it debouches onto a picture-perfect crescent of golden sand. The beach is a two-hour walk from Tizzano's harbour, so be sure to pack water and a picnic for the journey. While it is a lengthy journey, we think it is worth every ounce of effort.

A west-coast wonder: Cala d'Aguila

Cala d'Aguila is a tranquil cove, a rocky inlet where the azure water is still. Idle on the sandy shore or spend the day exploring the nooks and crannies that are concealed by the lightly rippling and twinkling water. The only disturbances to the complete stillness are the lapping water and the occasional splashes from a nearby boat as someone dives to cool down in the sea. 

Roccapina beach: beyond the pines 

Overseen by the king of the island - the lion rock - and a Genoese tower, Roccapina is one of the best beaches south Corsica has to offer its fortunate visitors. This 400m sickle of perfectly white sand is like a stage at the foot of the natural amphitheatre that is the surrounding mountains; the audience is the dense vegetation that cascades down the green hillsides. The rocks catch the sunlight in golden glints before softening with the evening light. The white flotilla of boats bobs silently in the brilliant bay. The beach is ideal for families, as the sandy bay slopes gradually into the Mediterranean. 

With Le Collectionist, finding the perfect place to stay for your Corsica holidays is an effortless task. Explore our luxury Corsica villa rentals to springboard your next exploration of south Corsica beaches on your luxury France holidays.