16 Best beaches in Corsica: the Island of Beauty’s secret beaches

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Making a list of the best beaches in Corsica is not the easiest job in the world. After all, Corsica is called the Island of Beauty for a reason and let me tell you it is a very suited name for one of the most romantic places in Europe. I have been traveling to Corsica,in the south of continental France for years now. It was one of my French family’s tradition and I’m so happy this was the kind of traditions we had!! And although I have also traveled the world and gone to many different countries and continents, Corsica Island remains one of my favourite destinations. Corsica is truly a jewel.

Corsica has some of the most beautiful beaches in Europe and arguably in the world! In Corsica, you will find beaches with thin white sand and completely clear turquoise water which makes it a perfect place for snorkelling. It is a destination that France is famous for. The island is definitely a must add to your France summer itinerary. If you are looking for things to do in Corsica, going to the beach is definitely one of the best things to do in Corsica. 

Looking for more beautiful beaches to visit in Europe? Have a look at the best beaches in Paros and Santorini best beaches. If you are looking to spend some time in Italy, Favignana beaches are quite amazing!

Now, you have probably heard about the most famous Corsican beaches such as Palombaggia beach, Santa Gjhulia beach and Rondinara beach. Those beaches are so beautiful, they are definitely a must-see. However, in this Corsica travel guide, I am going to also tell you about the best beaches in Corsica that are not as famous and therefore not as crowded and touristy! Corsica best beaches, here we come!

Corsica travel tips to remember when going to the beach

Traveling to Corsica is probably one of the best gifts you could give yourself. But before we jump into the secret beaches of Corsica, I just want to clarify a few points so you can have the best experience while visiting Corsica Island. 

First, always bring your own food and drinks, especially water. A lot of the beaches in Corsica are secluded and there isn’t any store or restaurant close by. Corsica Island gets really hot during the day and it is important to always have some water in your beach bag. Also, where there are restaurants, they are usually on the dearer end, sometimes for low quality products. If you’re traveling on a budget, you will appreciate bringing your own food for sure. 

Second, please always pick up your garbage. I have spent hours picking up plastic on beaches in Corsica and it truly breaks my heart that anyone would have no problem leaving their cigarette butts on such a beautiful island. Again, as those beaches are usually secluded, there isn’t always a garbage can near by. Bring your own with you so you can bring your garbage back home with you.

Third, I would honestly recommend always bringing an umbrella with you. Contrary to beaches in the South of France who are often organized, it’s not the case of Corsican beaches. It’s almost impossible to stay on any beaches in Corsica in the afternoon without an umbrella (you will burn for sure) so make sure you bring your own.

And finally, bring your snorkelling gear (and cameras and pool noodles lol) because you’re in to see some true beauty! If you’re a snorkelling enthusiast and are planning your French Riviera itinerary, you will want to include a detour to Corsica Island for sure!

Corsica’s best secret beaches

Tower beach “Plage de la Tour”

Tower beach is located by the village of Pianottoli-Caldarello in the south-west coast of Corsica. It is not very well known but it is, in my view, one of the best beaches in Corsica. 

The road to get there is really more like a dirt road but it is accessible even with small cars. I would recommend to drive slow and avoid little holes and bumps so you don’t damage your car. There is a small parking lot right by the beach and lots of shade so you shouldn’t have issues finding parking space. 

Tower beach is a very thin sand beach with clear water. On the left end of the beach, you will see a rock formation resembling the rock formation of the Lavezzi islands. This rock formation is impressive and makes tower beach quite special. If you climb on top of it, you will be able to enjoy a beautiful view of the mediterranean sea and Corsica. 

However, I wouldn’t recommend jumping from those rocks. When I was there, teenagers were jumping off the rocks into the water and one hurt himself badly. People had to call the emergency number and the person had to be transferred to the hospital. When in Corsica, always remember that those small roads are not the best and it can take quite a long time for an ambulance to get there!

Under the rocks, you will find cool caves that are also worth exploring. 

The cove between Palombaggia beach and Tamaricciu beach

As I said before, you have probably heard of Palombaggia beach which is probably the most famous Corsican beach and one of the best beaches in Corsica. However, it is so famous that it is often crowded and it can be a bit difficult to find a spot to settle for the day. 

The answer to this dilemma is the cove between Palombaggia beach and Tamaricciu beach. Most people walk past it but want to join the main part of Palombaggia or Tamaricciu beach. This means that there isn’t usually a lot of people there. This is the perfect spot for a romantic picnic on the beach away from the crowds.

To get there, find a parking space by Palombaggia beach. I recommend bringing some cash with you as you usually have to pay for parking in cash. Then reach Palombaggia beach and walk to the right. You will need to pass all the restaurants, and then walk out the beach into a path surrounded by trees. Then keep walking until you find the one Tamaricciu tree pictured below. This is where the cove is. 

The cove is quieter than the main beach, and is protected from the wind. There are lots of rocks in the water which makes it a great place to snorkel and see fish, sea cucumbers, and if you’re lucky, maybe even an octopus (I can testify there is one octopus that lives there and loves to come out!!). 

Ficarola beach – Calanques de Piana

Ficarola beach is definitely one of the most beautiful beaches in Corsica and one you must stop at after driving across the Calanques de Piana. The Calanques de Piana are a must-see in Corsica. However, when visiting the Calanques de Piana, you will get hot and will long for the end of the day where you can finally get into the water! That’s when Ficarola beach comes into play. 

You can access Ficarola beach quite easily by the road from the Calanques all the way to the beach. From the parking lot, you will need to walk for a little bit and go down a few stairs to reach the beach. The beach is surrounded by a formation of red rocks which go straight into the sea. This is a true magical place. The formation of red rocks, the clear water and the end of the day sun make it one of the Corsica best beaches.

The beach is made of pebbles which isn’t surprising considering the surroundings. I would recommend bringing some see shoes so you can be comfortable while going in the water. In the (extremely clear) water you will see lots of fish and they might even come play with you!

Piana Island

Piana Island is one of Corsica’s secret beaches which I would recommend visiting at least once. It is not as easily accessible as the other beaches of this list. 

First, you will need to park at Piantarella beach and walk to the beach. Second, once you get to the middle of the beach, you will be able to see an island across from you. That is Piana island. 

What makes it special you ask? Well, simply that you will need to walk, swim or paddle to the island! There is no road that leads to this island so it will be up to you to pick how you want to reach it. 

One thing to consider is that, there is a good part of the way where you can actually walk in the water as the water level is quite low. But you will need to swim at some point. I would recommend bringing a foam pool noodle with you so you can have some support or paddling there if you prefer. 

However, I would not recommend going to Piana island if you are not comfortable in the water, if you are not a good swimmer, or if you get tired easily. Please understand that the island is a bit far and you need to be in good shape to get there. That said, the water is clear all the way so you will always see what’s going on around you.

Once you reach Piana island, you will see a first beach. It’s usually quite windy which can get irritating. After you have rested from your long journey, you can gather your stuff and walk to the beach on the other side where it’s usually a bit more protected from the wind. Piana island feels like a magical island and is another perfect place to snorkel. It is one of the most scenic beaches in Corsica.

Le Petit Sperone beach

Le Petit Sperone beach is located right by Bonifacio’s Golf course (which is a beautiful place to play golf as you can imagine). Funny enough, to get to Le Petit Sperone, you will also need to go and park at Piantarella beach. And then walk some more (lol).

The walk can be a bit long and it will take some efforts to reach Le Petit Sperone. But your efforts will be rewarded by one of the most beautiful beaches in Corsica: Le Petit Sperone. Le Petit Sperone is a thin white sand beach with extremely clear turquoise water. It is surrounded by rock formation on each side which protects it from the wind and make it a perfect place to spend the day, tan and snorkel.

As it takes a bit of time and efforts to get there, it usually isn’t too busy. However, if it is, you can keep walking to its brother beach: Le Grand Sperone.

Le Grand Sperone beach

To reach Le Grand Sperone beach, you will need to walk a bit more by the golf course. It is not really well indicated but you just need to follow where other people are going really. Le Grand Sperone is a bigger version of le Petit Sperone, with white thin sand as well. It is extremely beautiful and as it is bigger, there is a lot more space on the beach.

That said, Le Grand Sperone is more exposed to the wind and the water can get rough with big waves. It is also surrounded by big white cliffs that gives it its charm. 

Canetto beach

Canetto beach is a beach I discovered more recently and is easily accessible for all. What makes it special is this huge white cliff which throws itself in the water. It’s truly impressive and a beautiful landscape to look at from the beach. It’s not very well known and the beach is quite wide so you will find space to settle there.

L’île-Rousse beach

L’île-Rousse is a Corsican town located in the north-west of the island. It is a beautiful and typical town where you can grocery shop, have a drink, go for dinner or a typical Corsican concert. But it also has its own beach with its own promenade. And it’s one of my favourite beaches in Corsica.

Sometimes, after spending a few days discovering secluded beaches, it is nice to go to a beach where you can get ice cream while still benefiting from a beautiful view and white sand beach. It’s like having the cake, and eating it too! And this is what makes it one of the best beaches in Corsica.

When you get to the beach, you will see it is quite long. I recommend driving to the very end of it where you will find a large dirt parking lot. Then walk a bit more towards the end of the beach. There, you will find small quieter creeks with nice white sand. It’s also a good place to snorkel or swim to the big rock in the water.

Famous Corsica best beaches

Palombaggia beach

Palombaggia beach is probably where you will first head to when visiting the south of Corsica. It is located between the breathtakingly beautiful cliff town Bonifacio and Porto-Vecchio. Palombaggia beach is famous for its long strand of thin white sand and the umbrella pines that overlook it. The water here is clear as glass and there are lots of spots to snorkel and observe fish. You might even get lucky and see a small octopus here and there. Palombaggia beach is definitely one of the best sandy beaches in Corsica.

Your best bet for parking is to use one of the paying carparks near the beach. Count about €5-€10 for the day payable in cash. At Palombaggia, you will find a couple of beach restaurants allowing you to eat lunch with your feet in the sand!

Santa Giulia beach

Santa Giulia beach is one of our long-time favourite best beaches in Corsica. One reason for this is that its shape protects it from the wind. Another reason for this is that it is stunningly beautiful with shallow clear waters and a long strand of thin white sand. If you walk to the right end of the beach, you will see the beginning of the lagoon that flows behind the beach. There you will also find some of the best beach hotels of Corsica. Having visited Corsica over 10 times in the summer, we can confirm that the water here is exceptionally warm. There were times where it just felt like a bath and wasn’t even refreshing at all! It is definitely one of the Porto-Vecchio beaches that you want to visit.

Parking is fairly easy for Santa Giulia as there are two carparks, one free and one with an entrance fee. That said, we advise that you arrive early as it is a very popular spot! There is also a small shop on the main carpark along with a food concession on the beach.

Rondinara beach

Rondinara beach is located in the same area as Palombaggia beach and Santa Giulia beach and is famous for its semi-circular shape. Its shape is actually one of its perks as it protects the beach from the wind and waves. We highly recommend coming here on a very windy day. Just like its sisters, Rondinara beach offers clear blue waters and thin white sand, almost reminding you of the Caribbeans.

Rondinara beach is also special when it comes to the little guys you can find in the water! From fish to hermit crabs, you won’t be disappointed by one of the best snorkelling beaches in Corsica! On the beach, you can find a couple of restaurants and a nice lady offering massages. For a massage, count one euro per minute.

Parking here is fairly easy as a big carpark was recently built right behind the beach.

Mare e Sole beach

Mare E Sole beach is one of Corsica’s best beaches in the Ajaccio area. While in Corsica, we would recommend spending only a few days in the Ajaccio area and definitely including Mare E Sole beach in your itinerary. This white sand beach with clear waters resembles Palombaggia beach with umbrella pines and red rocks in the water.

Bodri beach

Bodri is a great beach located a few kilometers away from L’île Rousse town. It is a popular beach although we wouldn’t recommend going here on a windy day. There are carparks available close by and you can even get there by the local train.

Saleccia beach

Saleccia beach is located in the North of Corsica in the famous Agriates Desert. The beach is a long strand of extremely thin white sand, soft as a cloud with clear turquoise waters. It is usually not very crowded and is the perfect place for a peaceful day in nature. The beach is only accessible by hiking, boat or jeep, explaining why it has been preserved and remains quiet.

We highly recommend renting a buggy in the Gulf of Saint Florent and going down to the beach that way. Buggy rentals are around €180 for the day with half day rentals available as well. Driving down to the beach with the buggy is quite the fun experience!! We don’t recommend driving your car down the path at all. We also advise that you bring everything you need for the day such as lots of water, food, and sunscreen as there are no shops on the beach.

Saleccia beach is definitely one of the best beaches in Corsica and we highly recommend you take a day to go check it out.

Roccapina beach

Located on the West coast of the island about 30 minutes from Bonifacio, Roccapina beach is a strand of soft white sand and turquoise clear waters protected by large rocks making it a great beach for windy days. Roccapina beach gets pretty busy in the summer with sail boats coming to spend a few hours in those beautiful waters. It is however, one of the most scenic beaches in Corsica and therefore worth a visit!

Cala Achiarina beach on the Lavezzi islands

Visiting the Lavezzi islands is one of the best things to do in Corsica. It is definitely a pricier activity (Tickets are about €40 per adult) but worth every penny! The Lavezzi islands are located in the Natural Reserve of Bouches de Bonifacio. On the Lavezzi islands, one of the best beaches of Corsica is Cala Achiarina. From the dock where the boat drops you off, you will want to walk straight ahead and then to the left. Essentially you will follow the main path and arrive to Cala Achiarina after about 20 minutes.

Cala Achiarina is a beautiful white sand beach with clear waters. In the water, you’ll find lots of fish of lots of different colours making it one of the best snorkelling beaches in Corsica. The specificity of the Lavezzi islands are the large boulders surrounding them in the water. You will for sure see some people jump from them into the water!

Any questions on the best beaches in Corsica? Drop them in the comments or on insta and I will get back to you asap.