The Corsican Coast
Corsica's coastline is the wildest in the western Mediterranean — 1,000 km of red granite, white limestone, turquoise coves, and forested headlands, much of it roadless and reachable only by boat or on foot. While mainland France's coast has been developed, defended, and domesticated over centuries, Corsica's shore remains fierce: the mountains — rising to 2,706 m just 25 km from the sea — plunge directly into deep water, creating landscapes of almost tropical intensity.
The South — Bonifacio and the Lavezzi Islands
Bonifacio
The citadel town of Bonifacio perches atop white limestone cliffs that overhang at the base — the town's buildings sit directly above void. The
Lavezzi Islands
A marine nature reserve in the strait — flat granite islands with water so clear it appears fake. The snorkelling and diving here is among the best in the Mediterranean: grouper, barracuda, morays, and impossibly coloured wrasses.
The East Coast
Flatter, sandier, and less dramatic than the west — the eastern plain from Bastia south to Porto-Vecchio has Corsica's longest beaches:
- Plage de Palombaggia: Regularly voted one of Europe's best beaches — white sand, turquoise water, Parasol pines
- Plage de Santa Giulia: A calm, shallow lagoon and fine sand
- Étang de Biguglia: Corsica's largest coastal lagoon (1,450 ha) — a bird reserve
The North — Cap Corse
The
The Cap Corse Marine Nature Park was created in 2016 — protecting the waters around the peninsula and the offshore island of Giraglia.
Coastal Conservation
Despite development pressure, Corsica's coast is better protected than most of the Mediterranean:
- The
owns 18,000+ hectares of Corsican coastline - The
restricts development within buffer zones - Marine reserves (Scandola, Lavezzi, Bouches de Bonifacio, Cap Corse) protect the most significant stretches
Driving in Corsica — Navigating Corsica's mountain and coastal roads — practical advice on La Porte.