Our5 essentials

Between the sea and the mountains

The perfect destination for lovers of idleness on the beach and seasoned sportsmen and sportswomen. The town of Porto Vecchio is separated into two: you will find the upper town and the port below. To enter the citadel, take the magnificent Porte Génoise gate. To discover the town, it is better to wander in the alleyways and open your eyes wide. You will end your walk by finding the church of St Jean Baptiste. For a panoramic view over the bay of Porto Vecchio climb upon the terrace of the Bastion de France history museum: the countryside will take your breath away!

If you need to reinvigorate yourself after a day’s visiting, go to the Plage de Santa Giulia beach. Being less busy than its counterpart resorts, it is the perfect place to “chill out” on a little wooden floating pontoon, which moves towards the sea.

A breathtaking view

Hewn in granite red, this imposing site reaches 1,243 metres and is located in the Regional Natural Park of Corsica. Their unique shape and colour is out of place with the lush forest surrounding the Aiguilles (a rocky hill including jagged peaks, large rock walls and pine trees). Several hikes located on the famous GR20 hiking path exist to discover this wonder of nature. It takes 5 hours of fairly intense effort for the longest route compared to 2 hours for the easiest, which takes you up to the Trou de la Bombe (a natural hole roughly 8 metres in diameter in the ridge of the Paliri mountains). You will certainly pass pigs or goats by the path. A multitude of waterfalls run alongside the path. It is perfect to sit down and reinvigorate yourself.

Put on your trainers and don’t forget your bottles of water and sun cream. It is worth knowing that when there is a risk of fire, the path between the pass and Solenzara is closed.

On the gentle river flow

A 3 hour descent canyoning in one of the loveliest rivers in Corsica, the Sulinzara. The Vacca canyon is certainly the most powerful and the wildest in Bavella. You will encounter on the course a multitude of waterfalls from 2 to 9 metres, which are not compulsory, but also natural water slides sculpted within the rock. During the long abseil of around 15 metres, you will have the impression of flying through the air! It is a real delight to allow yourself to be carried by the current of these crystal-clear waters and to swim in the pools, themselves sometimes very deep.

A multitude of trips out are organised by canyoning companies in the area. Neoprene wet suits as well as a harness and helmet will be supplied, but remember to bring swimwear and a pair of old trainers.

With your toes fanned out

Heavenly sandy beach with a dune and red rocks running alongside. Palombaggia is certainly the loveliest beach in southern Corsica, with its crystal blue sea and immaculate white sand. It is particularly enjoyed by families owing to the low water depth, but also for the surrounding pines which protect children from the sun’s rays. For greater intimacy, we advise you to step over some of the rocks located at the extremities of the beach.

To park, do not delay in going to the end of the paying car parking, as free parking spaces are hidden there.

A natural interlude

Perched at 850 metres in altitude, the village of L’Ospédale offers you a magnificent view over the Porto Vecchio bay. If you go higher up as far as the forest, a multitude of activities await you: treetop adventure park, horse riding, via ferrata and others...Nestling amidst the pines, the artificial lake of Lac de l’Ospédale is the main reservoir in Porto Vecchio. You can even cool down after a picnic by the water. In summer, the dried up lake makes way for a genuine “lunar” scenery intermingled with tree stumps.

In the vicinity of the dam, a pathway takes you to the spectacular waterfall of Piscia Di Gallu. This waterfall gushing forth from a mineral wall, 70 metres in height, is very much worth the detour. Watch out when you arrive though, as the descent is fairly abrupt but quick.

The small +

The Salt Town

This nickname given to Porto Vecchio results from the expansion of the salt marshes between 1795 and 1815. The unique salt marshes in Corsica now stretch over around ten hectares the salt being used particularly for salting the roads, the chlorination of swimming pools and consumption by the population. The marshes produce around 900 tonnes of salt per year, harvested from August to September.

The Panoramic Viewpoint in Porto Vecchio it’s:

733hectaresof national forest
35kilometresof heavenly beaches
20eurosper kilo of Tomme de Brebis cheese

And if this were your nextBest holiday memory?