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Your villa holiday in Corsica

Corsicans affectionately refer to their homeland as the ‘Île de Beauté’ – the beautiful island – in appreciation of the breathtakingly diverse landscape. Azure Mediterranean waters gently lap one thousand kilometres of unspoilt coastline in this idyllic, rural land that will show you the Mediterranean as it once was. The mountains that form Corsica’s backbone plunge down into remote valleys playing host to isolated hamlets whose traditions have remained unchanged for centuries. Anywhere you go on the island, you’ll be surrounded by the freespirited character of the Corsican people, proud of their spellbinding idyll and committed to keeping their unique culture alive.

Our resorts and villas

Map of Corsica

Our Best of James range

Outdoor pursuits

If you love the great outdoors, you’ll be captivated by Corsica’s dramatic mountains and stunning coastline. Cycling – widely considered the national sport of France, is extremely popular with plenty of steep mountains and winding roads to test even the professionals.

Corsica as a whole remains charmingly rural. Farming is still a very important part of life on the island and don’t be surprised to see cows and pigs wandering freely on roads or even beaches around many local towns. The abundent flora and fauna is left blissfully untouched in many areas, with protected land such as the beautiful Parc Naturel Régional de Corse protecting thousands of animal and plant species.

Hints of history

Boasting a wealth of culturally and historically important sites, Corsica will delight those who enjoy delving into the past. Most famously, the pretty town of Ajaccio found its place in history as the birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte. The Emperor of the French was born in a typically quaint Corsican townhouse that it is still possible to visit today, now existing as the National Bonaparte museum.

Having passed between the control of many great empires from the Carthaginians to the Byzantines, the island also bears many hallmarks from its earlier history. Beautiful architecture, including several interesting 15th century Genoese towers and bridges are perhaps the best examples of Corsica’s varied past, located all over the island. Wherever you are staying on Corsica, you are never far away from the island’s unique history.

On the beach

Corsica is the perfect destination to spend some lazy days on the beach, with literally hundreds of perfect stretches of sand to choose from. With the island remaining off the mass-tourism trail, it is possible to find stunning, tranquil beaches all to yourself, even in the height of summer.

Near our villas in the south of the island, the much-photographed Palombaggia beach is renowned for its electric blue waters and enticing white sands, fringed by the shade of lush pine trees. Further along the coast, the popular beach at Santa Giulia is equally beautiful and offers a wider range of water-sports and activities.

Discover local charm

Corsicans converse in French, live in towns with Italian names, and eat food that hints at alpine, but those native to this magical island have a distinct culture all to themselves. Keen to show off their traditions to visitors, there are a number of colourful festivities on the social calendar, particularly during the summer months.

On this still largely undiscovered island, French remains the only language widely spoken, giving you an excellent opportunity to practice your linguistic skills as you immerse yourself in the local way of life. The charming Corsicans will greatly appreciate your attempts to communicate with them, and will afford you a warm welcome to their island.

Getting to Corsica

We offer a great choice of flights to Calvi, Bastia, Ajaccio and Figari airports in Corsica. Take a look at the transfer time listed on your chosen accommodation page to see the closest airport.

We also offer a self drive option for guests staying at our villas in , via ferry or Eurotunnel crossings from the UK to France.

Our resorts and villas

Map of Corsica

Our Best of James range

James recommends

Relax and unwind on the perfect white sand at Palombaggia. Outlined with beautiful pines and lapped by translucent waters, this taste of the exotic is as beautiful as anywhere in the Caribbean.
Take one of the many excellent boat trips from the gorgeous little harbour at Bonifacio, for an amazing vista of the town perched dramatically at the edge of limestone cliffs.
Take a leisurely evening drive over to the west coast and take a stroll along the beautiful beach at Propriano, gazing towards the horizon at the spectacular sunset.
Get a taste of the 'real' Corsica in historic Sartène, as you chat with locals and discover the fascinating architectural wonders hidden amongst the maze of cobbled streets.
Drive the intricate twists and turns of the climb up to the Col De Bavella, taking in the amazing panorama, for some of the best moments you'll ever spend behind the wheel.