Pete Seaward
A microcosm of Corsica itself, the south boasts two of the island's most alluring port towns – the cliff-hugging citadel of Bonifacio and the glamorous resort of Porto-Vecchio – along with its most remarkable megalithic sites (Filitosa and Cucuruzzu), some of its most breathtaking mountains (Aiguilles de Bavella) and its most beautiful beach (Palombaggia).
These are our favorite local haunts, touristy spots, and hidden gems throughout Southern Corsica.
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The high pass by which the D268 crosses the mountains, the Col de Bavella (Bavella Pass; 1218m), is overlooked by the magnificent silhouettes of the serrated Aiguilles de Bavella (Bavella Needles). Soaring to over 1600m, and also known as the Cornes d'Asinao (Asinao Horns), these jagged points vary in colour from grey to ochre to golden as the sun moves across the sky.
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Corsica's most important prehistoric site, 20km north of Propriano, preserves extraordinary granite menhirs (standing stones) that were originally erected as much as 6000 years ago. Many were re-carved during the Bronze Age, 2500 years later, to hold detailed faces and weaponry, and thus, uniquely, appear to commemorate specific individuals. It takes around an hour to explore this lovely open-air site, wandering across fields and hillsides that hold vestiges of ancient monumental enclosures, and finishing in the modern museum.
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The great joy of visiting Bonifacio lies in strolling the tangled medieval lanes of the citadel. The paved steps of montée du Rastello and montée St-Roch lead up from the marina to its old gateway, the Porte de Gênes, complete with an original 16th-century drawbridge. Immediately inside, the Bastion de l’Étendard was the main stronghold of the fortified town. Built to hold heavy artillery, it now houses a small museum, and provides access to the ramparts, which offer jaw-dropping views.
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When it comes to longing for the archetypal 'idyllic beach', it's impossible to think past the immense Plage de Palombaggia, southeast of Porto-Vecchio. This is the Corsican paradise you've been daydreaming about: sparkling turquoise waters, long stretches of sand edged with pine trees and splendiferous views over the Îles Cerbicale.
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Paradise! If you love to splash in tranquil lapis-lazuli waters, this protected clutch of uninhabited islets was made for you. The largest, the 65-hectare Île Lavezzi itself, is the most accessible. In summer, operators based at Bonifacio’s marina (and also in Porto-Vecchio) offer boat trips; bring a picnic lunch.
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A side turning north from the D268, 3km west of Levie, arrives after 4km at a beautiful forest, where an easy 2.5km loop trail leads past two remarkable castelli (Bronze Age hillforts). The first, Cucuruzzu, is a rocky hillock that was fortified around 1200 BC by cramming boulders into every crevice, and topping the walled ensemble with a round tower. Capula, a similar fortress further along, was strengthened by the Romans, and altered and then levelled during the Middle Ages.
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Only accessible from the top, this impressive staircase cuts down Bonifacio's southern cliff-face. Legend says that during the siege of 1420, Aragonese troops carved its 187 steep steps from the bottom up in a single night, only to be rebuffed by Bonifacio’s defenders at the top. In reality the steps gave access to an underground freshwater well.
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The desolate and beautiful Cauria plateau, 15km south of Sartène, holds several intriguing prehistoric sites. To find them, take the D48 south then follow signs to Stantari, where a 10-minute walk down a dirt track leads to a 40-minute loop trail. Both Stantari and Renaghju are short alignements (lines) of standing stones that show similar anatomical details and weaponry to those at Filitosa. Funtanaccia is a dolmen, one of Corsica’s few burial chambers, with its pillars and capstones fully exposed.
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This modern museum traces Corsica’s prehistory from its original fauna through the megalithic, Bronze Age and Roman eras. Much of it is rather dry, with cases of tiny, symmetrically arrayed arrowheads, though an interesting section on marine archaeology displays huge jars salvaged from shipwrecks. There are also full-sized granite-carved replica menhirs, with good explanations of the cultures that created them.