Just Back From…Porto Vecchio, Corsica

I first visited Corsica when I was 16. That was in 2003, and I was traveling alone with my mom as my parents had just separated. I cherish the memory of our first summer holiday together, because we decided to do something unusual: stay in France, but not on the continent. We situated ourselves in the northwest part of the island, the region of Balagne, at a property called La Villa. My memory of the place, hidden away as it was in a garden on the heights of Calvi, is a sensory one—the smell of maquis, or dense scrub, warmed by the late July sun. This connection led me to return the following year, again with my mother, and then during my studies with a Corsican friend from Ajaccio. I still remember our long dinners on the beach of Le Pain de Sucre or along the Port, followed by some late nights at Tao, a famous piano bar in the Genoese Citadel.

It was later that I discovered the southern reaches of the island and the Porto-Vecchio region (accessible from Figari airport via regular flights from Paris, Nice and Marseille). My first inkling of it was through some of its iconic hotels during a stint with the Parisian travel agency, Voyageurs du Monde. One of my tasks was to sort all the hotel brochures—I browsed leaflets of various sumptuous places until my eyes landed on a photo of a pontoon with a bicycle under a moonlit sky. I didn’t think such exotic places could exist so close to Paris—I even remember the rooms were named after flowers (iris, hibiscus). I promised myself I’d get there one day.

Whereas the north of Corsica is characterized by a rugged landscape, with numerous hotels on high ground overlooking a sublime panorama of the coast, the south feels like paradise on earth, with the mountains backing a succession of fine sandy beaches. The south is also so close to Sardinia that its Italian influences are deeply felt—a symbiosis between two cultures that is reflected in local flavors and pastimes: charm and understated elegance, simplicity, uniqueness…not to mention a real beach culture.

Southeast Corsica is also the location of the park of Cala Rossa, and the Grand Hotel of the same name. Here, the pine trees lean into a sea shaded in ultramarine blue and emerald green. Dating to the 1960s, it’s a historic family home and one of the Great Corsican Maisons that has been transformed into a charming and luxurious lodging. 

In 2016, I finally laid eyes on the hotel I’d fallen for all those years before from its photo. I invited my husband-to-be for dinner while we were staying at the newly opened La Plage Casadelmar. The old-school atmosphere appealed to me immediately: the candles, the antique furniture, the floral arrangements, the large key cubby at reception, the grand, tree-lined terrace of the restaurant La Pinède. The guests were elegant and cosmopolitan—although predominantly French, there were a few Italian families and two British couples—the former owing perhaps to geographic proximity, and the latter to explore Napoleon’s birthplace.

I stayed for the first time in 2019, for a wedding. I could hardly convince myself to leave the hotel to get to the open-air church of Saint Cyprien as the place holds you captive with its beauty. I have since returned twice, in 2022 and 2023, and watched it evolve under new direction by the Canarelli sisters, daughters of the hotelier Toussaint Canarelli, the force behind the original property. They have shifted towards a more modern style of hospitality—the furniture is lighter, the palette muted—while respecting Corsican traditions and values. They have upheld their father’s legacy, including his stance on no outdoor swimming pool. After all, the experience is about the exceptionally fine, white sand at the end of a centuries-old pine forest—a private cove whose beauty could be compared favorably to the beaches of the Seychelles, with clear water flanked by rocks in unique formations and colored the same red that gives the hotel its name.

It is all discretion, charm, and voluptuousness: an incredible spa with a natural skincare line developed by the female proprietors; an aromatic vegetable garden that supplies the kitchen; a deep wine cave and cocktails with the scents and flavors of the maquis.

In an age of rapid change, it’s reassuring that a degree of old-fashioned elegance remains. Although jackets are no longer compulsory for men, shorts are still forbidden after 19:30 in the hotel’s public areas, which is the only way to enjoy the cuisine of chef Pascal Cayeux, who has overseen the menu of the Grand Hôtel for 25+ years. It’s a small hotel with a big soul, a worthy destination especially in spring and autumn, which perpetuates the traditions of an untouched land.

Although it’s hard to tear oneself away from the hotel’s lush grounds, here are some addresses in the area I’ve come to know and love: 

Lunch or aperitif by the water

La Plage Casadelmar – A luxury boutique hotel with direct access to the beach, they are the sister property of the main Casadelmar. Their grill and bar are worth a visit for the sea view alone.

Le Cabanon Bleu – A simple yet iconic spot for those in the know. Great people watching.

Paillottes – The Corsican name for seasonal beach hut restaurants with sun loungers for rent. A good one is at Le Tiki Chez Marco, and most hotels (not Cala Rossa) offer paillotte services: La Plage Casadelmar, Le Cabanon Bleu, and a tad more remote, U Capu Biancu.

Gourmet Restaurant – An aptly named two-Michelin star restaurant by Italian chef Fabio Bragagnolo inside the island’s leading hotel, Casadelmar.

Melia – The latest addition to the local culinary scene in Porto Vecchio, with an extensive list of cocktails.

Le Tiki Chez Marco – An iconic beach restaurant located on the bay of Saint Cyprien

Three unforgettable white sandy beaches

Palombaggia

Santa Lucia

Rondinara – Near the famous town and port of Bonifacio

Shopping in Porto-Vecchio

Luciani Optique – A unique selection of designer eyewear

Calarena – If you’re into Pucci prints, they have collections of swimwear, RTW, and accessories inspired by the Mediterranean.

Granite – For street-style fans, or to give your boyfriend a makeover with a certain je ne sais quoi.

Malinea – A discreet furniture boutique for all lovers of interior-exterior designs (they don’t have a website)

La Maison Sur I’île – An ideal place to pick up a souvenir, located opposite Malinea

100mL Parfumerie – They have a unique selection of niche fragrances and natural skincare with spf. The shop for all lovers of Frédéric Malle fragrances.