Corsica, Camper Van Road Trip

From our camper van rental agencies in Corsica, head towards Saint Florent via the D81 road that winds through very pretty small villages across the mountains.
Photo stop at the Teghime pass is a must!!

Take advantage of a stopover in a camper van in Patrimonio to taste excellent wines at Vignobles Gentille, Leccia, and Clos Bernardi.

In Saint Florent, you can spend 1 or 2 nights at the U Pezzo campsite, which is located at the exit of the village (very inexpensive – €12 per night).

You can park for free along the road in Saint Florent and take a water taxi to the Agriates Islands and the paradise beaches of Lotu and Seleccia. Le Popeye offers shuttles every hour from 9am, the crossing takes about 20 minutes. It costs between €16 and €30 for an adult depending on the season.

The protected and wild beaches of Lotu and Seleccia are connected by a coastal hiking trail, you should allow about 40 minutes of walking.

In the evening, don’t hesitate to dine at Le Grill, a small typical restaurant with Corsican flavors.

Between Saint Florent and the mouth of the Ostriconi, you’ll discover the Agriates Desert. In this arid and grandiose landscape composed of maquis, you’ll observe magnificent rocky escarpments! Don’t hesitate to stop from time to time on this magnificent D81 to immortalize your passage and take magnificent photos.

Then enjoy a short swim on the fine sandy beach bordered by dunes at Ostriconi. It can be accessed via the old road that extends from the village campsite. You can park your van in a huge parking lot and even spend the night there. Access to the beach is then through a shallow channel, walking a little over 1 kilometer.

After swimming, you can head to L’île Rousse via N197 and walk through the streets of the old town.
After having a drink on the terrace on the place des platanes, you can hit the road towards the charming little village of Algojola. You can end your evening strolling along the beaches which offer a plethora of restaurants and ice cream parlors. To sleep, you can easily find a spot by taking the inland road on the D551, in a small corner of the maquis on the small grounds behind the trees.

Morning departure from Algajola to visit a small village in the hinterland “Sant Antonio“, a perched village at 490 meters altitude on a rocky peak that dominates the landscape, among the beautiful villages of Corsica. The parking is paid (€2 per day) but the splendid panorama is worth the detour! Afterwards, you can go down to the village of Lumio, then take the N197 towards Calvi.
You can park in the free parking lot of the Pinèdes beach and from there, walk to the citadel for 3 good hours of visit through its port and narrow streets. At the edge of the beach, you can relax for a refreshing swim.

In the afternoon, you can reach Galeria via the D81b route, it’s not the shortest path, but it has the advantage of running along the magnificent narrow and winding coast. The scenery is magnificent and you can admire the sublime landscapes of Revellata Point with its turquoise waters and Nichiareto Bay.
After Galeria and the Fango Valley, the D81 continues towards the Palmarella Pass then the Croix Pass. Then the road continues towards Porto with its magnificent mountainous landscapes and the famous Piana calanques. Shortly before arrival, don’t miss the superb viewpoint on the port and its square tower.

You can stay with your van at Le Porto campsite located at the exit of the village or on the Ota parking lot, a 2-minute walk from the beach where you’ll find a shower and a 2-minute walk from the Port.

From Porto, you can visit several must-see sites:

• A dive in the Porto gulf
• Visit of Porto and its square tower, starting point for many sea trips
• Inland, you’ll discover wonderful easy hikes by leaving Porto towards Ota via the D124. For example, a superb excursion of about an hour in the Spelunca Gorges to the Genoa Bridge, the Vecchju Point, then the Laglia Point.
• Obviously the famous Scandola Reserve, to be done by speedboat for a new sensation with the Porto Linea or Corse Adrénaline companies. It’s really a magnificent circuit especially in the late afternoon with the light of the setting sun.
• And finally, the beautiful Piana calanques, to do either at sunset, or on the road between Porto and Ajaccio to take photos along the many viewpoints.

If you haven’t found a spot at Le Porto campsite, there is another, municipal one, at the exit of the city, on the left bank. You can also park in the large parking lot of the left bank beach provided you sleep at the bottom and don’t get spotted. There is also a bivouac arrangement for small vans at the exit of the town of Piana coming from Porto.

On the road to Ajaccio, a short stop at Sagone is a must. Although the town is not very attractive, it offers magnificent and long beaches along the way with large parking lots.

After visiting the city center of Ajaccio: the Notre Dame-de-l’Assomption Cathedral, the Bonaparte House, and doing some shopping to fill your fridge at the Producers’ Market, you can settle for the night facing the sea on a parking lot validated by the users of Park4night at Grosseto-Prugna, at 345 on Departmental Road 55.

Morning departure for the visit of the Sanguinaires Islands and its Parata Point. Along the way, you can stop for a short swim on beaches that are not always signposted but are all extremely beautiful. In some places, you can even park there for the night. In the evening, head to Propriano then the small perched village of Camporomo and its beach to spend the night peacefully.

Before arriving at Bonifacio, a short stop in the town of Sartène where parking is very difficult and expensive, but if you like walking, you can very well park on the road leading to Bonifacio near the cemetery.

In the afternoon in Bonifacio, again the parking lots are paid. You can park on the Porto Vecchio road and walk to visit the city. For sleeping, you can bivouac on the many beaches outside the city. A slight preference for those of Cara Lunga or Morea where you’ll be far from the crowd and quiet for a peaceful aperitif with your feet in the sand! From there you can easily visit the city of Bonifacio and its surroundings.

Get your masks and snorkels ready! It would be a shame to deprive yourself of a day visiting the Lavezzi Islands and Cavallo Island: a real little corner of Paradise for nature lovers and shades of blue!

At the end of the day, you can enjoy the drop in temperatures to climb the narrow streets of the magnificent citadel of Bonifacio.

To spend the night, we recommend the Rondinara campsite (€11.20 per night in a van) where you’ll find one of the most beautiful beaches on the island just a 10-minute walk away, as again the parking lots are very expensive in this part of the island.

After a stop at the unmissable Palombaggia Beach, a short visit to the town of Porto Vecchio and its old center is a must. From the city, many water activities are offered to you: diving, water skiing, sailing…

A return to Bastia via the national road will complete this small Corsican trip!