We left in June to discover the west coast of Corsica. We made the voluntary choice to put our trip under the sign of the slow travel. That is to say that we didn't drive more than one hour per trip. In Corsica, with regard to the roads that represents 50 kilometers! However we enjoyed ourselves visually as well as gustatively and despite this limited perimeter, we did not have time to see everything, as the region is so rich. This is the advantage of Corsica: to be able to benefit from a great diversity of landscapes in a small territory.
First step : tourist discovery around Ajaccio
The genoese towers
Corsica has 83 of them, so I'll stop you right away, we didn't visit them all! However we had the opportunity to discover 3 of them, two of them during the 1st part:
The Tower of Parata
It has the advantage of being located only a few minutes away from the center of Ajaccio and thus accessible by public transport for those who would not have a car.
The Parata tower faces the famous bloody islands. It offers a beautiful point of view on these 4 islets that used to welcome fishermen in quarantine.
It is quite possible to go around it, by a well marked path. It is also possible to go inside, which we did not do.
The visit here does not stop here, you also have the possibility to join the customs path, a must on the west coast of Corsica. This one will lead you in one hour of walk to the superb beach of Capo di Feno. The path is accessible to all levels of walkers, nevertheless here are some advices
- Don't forget your hat or cap and your water bottles. The first part of the trail is in full sun with very little shade,
- so don't forget to bring cash if you want to eat in the straw huts once you arrive on the beach. There is no network so it is impossible to use a credit card.
The tower of Omigna in Cargèse
It is by this one that our stay on the west coast of Corsica began. Indeed, as soon as we got off the boat, we went to Cargèse. This immediately put us in the vacation atmosphere: the place is superb.
To reach the Tower of Omigna, you have to park at the page of Péro, just below Cargèse. There is then a well marked path of one hour that will guide you to the point with the tower. You have the possibility to extend your hike if you wish, explanatory panels are installed at the start. There are 3 different paths in total.
On our side we made our faignants: we were hungry and it started to rain so we chose the small circuit! It is true that the rain lasted only 5 minutes, but we could not know it before because the sky was very threatening. In any case no matter which way you choose you will be in the heart of the vegetation. A treat for your eyes as well as for your sense of smell, if like us, you go there in June and the shrubs are still in bloom.
It is also possible to enter the tower and climb to the top. You will then have a very nice view on the coast, superb at this place.
Corté
Change of scenery, we temporarily move away from the west coast of Corsica to reach Corte, the historical capital of the island. Geographically it is located in the center of the department surrounded by mountains.
The city is also located at the junction of two rivers with developed accesses. This is a real plus to be able to refresh yourself after a day of discovery.
As far as visiting is concerned, you will not be bored!
- The historical center is very pretty and deserves that you get lost in the alleys to discover its richness. It will be the occasion to discover the Gaffory square, the fountain with the 4 cannons, to go to the belvedere to admire the panorama on the city and the surrounding mountains
- The citadel. In addition to the historical building which is worth the detour, it also shelters a museum on the history of Corsica
- The Casanova bakery, to discover one of the specialities of the city which comes to lengthen the list of the gastronomy of the beauty island: the falculelles. It is a real treat, a sweet delicacy cooked on a chestnut leaf. I'm still salivating just thinking about it! If you haven't scheduled a trip to the west coast of Corsica, you can always try to make your own falculelles using this recipe.
What else to see on the west side of Corsica ?
As I told you above, we only stayed three days around Ajaccio and we didn't want to run after time to check all the boxes. So we couldn't see everything and it's absolutely not serious because we really loved what we discovered, so it gives us a great opportunity to come back!
However if you stay longer or wish to have a bigger choice to occupy your days, here is a non exhaustive list of things to see/do on the west coast of Corsica :
- The calanques of Piana. We hesitated for a long time to go there when we arrived, however the weather forecast was capricious. That's why we made the choice of the Tower of Omigna
- The village of Cargèse
- The bloody islands. We did not wish to go there because the exits with other tourists, a defined circuit and a restricted timing, it is not too much our cup of tea. However, due to lack of time we did not look for alternatives less oriented to mass tourism.
- La réserve de Scandola
- Ajaccio...
For more inspiration, visit the website of the Ajaccio tourist office.
Where to sleep to discover around Ajaccio ?
There is no lack of tourist attractions in the area. You will indeed have a plethora of choices. However, finding a committed accommodation is another story. That's why I can only advise you Mare E Legnu in Peri.
This ecological bed and breakfast ticks all the boxes, which for us, make for a great stay for sure!
Two comfortable rooms with view
Mare e Legnu are two very comfortable rooms built in a wooden building at the back of their house. The rooms are spacious and comfortable. Each one has a large bathroom with Italian shower and its own terrace. The owners' terrace is on the other side of the house and we have the use of the garden in front of us with our neighbors. Isabelle has even added comfortable spaces everywhere so that we can enjoy the place and especially the view as we wish. Indeed, the house is located on the heights of Ajaccio and thus offers a panoramic view on the valley. The ideal spot for your aperitifs at the end of the day.
Between the two rooms, there is also a common space with fridge, dishes and microwave. In short, everything you need to have your meals. A great opportunity to enjoy the place, to save money by avoiding restaurants, to limit your travels and stop at local producers to discover the Corsican gastronomy without taking the car!
A great breakfast
Speaking of gastronomy, it is impossible to talk about Mare e Legnu without mentioning breakfast. The best moment of the day is on the terrace of our hosts with a breathtaking view on the Ajaccio bay. And our eyes are not the only ones to enjoy, our taste buds are not left out.
Indeed, Isabelle concocts every morning a home-made breakfast. The opportunity to discover the local specialties: cheese, cold cuts, tea, falculelles... But it is also the moment to enjoy her delicious jams. They are all as good as each other and there is no lack of choice.
An exceptional welcome
In addition to all the advantages that I have just listed, what undoubtedly makes the magic of the place is the warm welcome of Isabelle. She is really a beautiful person that we had great pleasure to meet during our stay. We loved talking with her around the famous breakfast until 11am every morning.
She is not stingy with advice to discover the west coast of Corsica which she knows perfectly. She also has a lot of addresses of stores, local products and restaurants to recommend. In short, you will have understood that we did not have enough time in our 3 days to explore all the nuggets she told us about.
The little extras that make the difference
Isabelle worked for a few years on a luxury yacht. She has kept her attention to detail. Those little things that make all the difference to make the stay perfect:
- A rental car. Renting a car in Corsica is complicated. The rental companies lack thermal cars because regulatory constraints force them to acquire electric cars. Except that the island lacks recharging facilities. It is the snake which bites the tail. To compensate for this, a rental Twingo is now available to travelers.
- A beach basket that includes towels and umbrella. This avoids having to buy your own when you arrive.
- The possibility of reserving a meal basket for the evening and thus discovering the Corsican gastronomy. We did it one evening, we enjoyed it
Second stage on the west coast of Corsica: the bay of Propriano
After a stay inland, we also wanted to enjoy the famous Corsican beaches. So we took the road to Porto Pollo at the end of the bay of Propriano.
The schoolchildren's road between Ajaccio and Propriano
Instead of taking the quickest road to our second stop, we followed Isabelle's advice and took the schoolchildren's road. The objective was to take advantage of our trip to discover other wonders of the western side of Corsica. After our last Pantagruelic breakfast, we took the direction of Coti Chivari by the coastal road.
There is an old penitentiary there. The main building is not accessible because it is now used for private functions. However, you can get there, thanks to a short walk of about twenty minutes, to the water reserve which was used to feed the penitentiary and its vegetable garden. The latter offers a panoramic view of the bay of Ajaccio.
On our way back down to the road on the side, we stopped at the silver beach. A superb beach that rivals the most beautiful beaches of the Caribbean. Fine white sand and turquoise waters on a gentle slope. A real postcard setting.
After this swimming and relaxing break, we continued along the side road to our destination. This road offers incredible panoramas on the coast. It is a real pleasure for the eyes. Nevertheless, perhaps to be avoided by those who suffer from motion sickness. And yes like all the roads in Corsica it often turns!
An eco responsible hotel facing the sea
An inn on a human scale
It is after this beautiful day of road that we discovered the Auberge Kalliste, our new address. It is a small hotel of 16 rooms bought by Cedric and Justine. They renovated almost the entire establishment themselves. When they started this project, they wanted to make it a human-sized inn. Bet 100% won! We had the opportunity, during our 3 nights stay, to meet several regulars who come back every year to this committed address, on the west side of Corsica, with always as much pleasure. It is this family atmosphere which made them fall in love with the place and... we cannot contradict them. We feel very quickly at home. Justine, Cédric and their team reserve a warm welcome for each traveler and take pleasure in exchanging on their territory that they love time.
The establishment offers different types of rooms to meet your desires and/or budget. You will have the choice between view, sea or garden, double rooms or suites... The price includes breakfast and it is also possible to opt for the half-board formula including dinner. As for the location, there is nothing to say either, since the beautiful beach of Porto Pollo is just across the street.
From the farm to the table, a locavore restaurant!
One of the big advantages of this ecological hotel, in addition to the points listed above, is its locavore restaurant. Justine is an excellent chef who concocts dishes for us every day. Indeed, the establishment has its own farm and its own vegetable garden. Cédric supervises the pig farm and the permaculture vegetable garden, which supplies the majority of the restaurant's food. They produce their own charcuterie, which I absolutely recommend you try. They aim to be self-sufficient in a few years. We had the chance to visit the farm and they explained us all the things they do. It was really interesting.
To come back to the restaurant, in order to guarantee the home-made, the menu is very reduced with 3 starters, 3 dishes and 3 desserts every day. And every day a new proposal replaces another one. The advantage is that if you stay several days you will have the opportunity to try several dishes. We had dinner there every night of our stay and we enjoyed every time.
An eco responsible hotel with a label
Very committed to the protection of the environment and the Corsican heritage, it is naturally that they have embarked on an Ecolabel certification. Obtained in 2018, it is really the fruit of all their work. Cédric will be happy to explain all the actions they have put in place at the resumption of the establishment with a very precise management of waste. This last one has been successful, with a drastic decrease of the quantity of waste produced by the establishment.
They did not stop there and wanted to highlight the work done in the restaurant as well. Indeed, thanks to all their commitments and to the reflection carried out to propose locavore meals, they obtained the Ecotable label. This label rewards committed restaurants. To learn more about this certification, discover our article on how to make eco responsible meals on vacation
What to do in the Bay of Propriano
We were only there for 3 days and we really wanted to enjoy the almost deserted beach. And yes we had the good idea to come in June! It's really the right period to enjoy the beaches in the quiet.
However, we still took the time on the first day to discover Campo Morro. There again a very nice Genoese tower, the last one of our stay, with its fortifications to discover (paying visit) and especially the customs path which allows to discover a completely different landscape. A little air of Brittany with its pinkish rocky coasts and the waves which come to collide with fracas on the coast.
To enjoy even more the western side of Corsica in this area, do not hesitate to ask Justine, Cedric and the staff, they will be happy to advise you on the points of interest in the area:
- Filitosa, prehistoric site
- Pond of Tanchiccia, natura 2000 area
And many other things still
You will have understood it, we loved our stay on the western side of Corsica. We loved the beauty of the landscapes, the corsican gastronomy and especially the meeting with its committed owners. They transmitted us all the love they have for their region and the sure desire to come back soon!
