Roccapina Beach
Best for. Travellers chasing turquoise water and a wild setting who can handle a rough track in.
Best spot. The centre of the cove, where the water is clearest and the Lion rock sits on the skyline.
Know this. The access track is unpaved and rough, so a low car will struggle and a short walk may be wiser.
Roccapina is one of the images people carry home from southern Corsica, the cove of pale sand and turquoise water with a great granite lion lying along the ridge above it and a Genoese tower keeping watch. It sits off the main road between Sartene and Bonifacio, hidden below the highway so that most traffic passes without ever seeing it. Getting down is half the story, and it is the reason the cove stays as quiet as it does.
The water is the headline. On a calm day it glows in bands of green and blue that look almost tropical, clear enough to read the sand through several feet of sea. The cove is not large, so it feels intimate rather than grand, and the wild surroundings of maquis and rock give it a character that the more developed southern beaches have traded away.
The catch is access. The track down from the main road is unpaved, rutted and dusty, and it punishes a low hire car. Many visitors choose to park sensibly and walk the last stretch rather than risk the suspension. Make peace with that and Roccapina rewards you with one of the loveliest and least manicured swims on the island.
Clubs on this beach
Roccapina has no beach club and no daybed terrace, and its wild character depends on that absence. At most you may find a seasonal kiosk near the campsite above the cove, but it is not something to count on, so arrive self sufficient. For clubs with service and loungers, the Corsica directory is the place to look.
Seasonal kiosk near the campsite
Possible basic refreshments above the cove. Existence and hours to be confirmed.
Southern coast, Corsica
Roccapina lies off the N196 between Sartene and Bonifacio in the far south of Corsica. The turning is marked, and from there an unpaved track drops toward the cove. From Bonifacio it is a drive of around forty minutes plus the track, and from Sartene a little less.
A car gets you to the top of the track, after which clearance and confidence decide how far you drive and how far you walk. There is no public transport to the cove, so plan to be self contained for the day.
Photo: Yannick Marello via GoogleBook a beach club
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Common questions about Roccapina
Can you drive all the way down to Roccapina Beach?
There is an unpaved track from the main road to the cove, but it is rough and hard on a low car. Many visitors drive part way and walk the rest, which is often the more relaxed choice.
Why is Roccapina famous?
For its turquoise water and its setting below the Lion of Roccapina, a granite outcrop shaped like a resting lion, with a Genoese tower on the ridge. The combination makes it one of the most photographed spots in the south.
Are there facilities at Roccapina?
Very few. There may be a seasonal kiosk near the campsite above the cove, but you should arrive with your own water, food and shade rather than rely on it.
Is Roccapina good for swimming?
On a calm day it is lovely, with clear, gently shelving water. There is no lifeguard, so swim within your limits and take care if any breeze brings small waves into the cove.
When is the best time to visit Roccapina?
June and September offer warm, clear water with less traffic on the track than peak August. Mornings are calmest and show the turquoise colour at its finest.
