A fishermen's cove below Piana, crystal-clear water and red cliffs — 37 minutes away, on a difficult road
Ficaghjola is the little jewel of the area: a fishermen's cove tucked below the village of Piana, framed by the red cliffs of the Calanques, with water of rare clarity. It is probably the finest setting for a swim in the gulf. It is also the hardest to reach — the two go together.
You come down and the cove appears all at once: the fishermen's huts, the small slipway, the turquoise water against the red rock. What strikes you most is the contrast between the granite of the Calanques and the sea. Mask and snorkel are a good idea — the rocky bottom starts just below the surface.
You do not park at the water's edge. The last part is done on foot, down a path: which also means climbing it again on the way out, with the cool box. It is not long, but it is not flat, and it is not suitable for pushchairs.
Space is very limited — that is Ficaghjola's number one constraint. In high season, arriving in the middle of the day often means leaving again without finding a spot. Early in the morning or late in the afternoon the problem disappears, and the cove is more beautiful in that light anyway.
Ficaghjola sits below Piana, listed among the most beautiful villages in France, and a few minutes from the Calanques de Piana. The day puts itself together: the Calanques in the morning when the light is low, a swim at Ficaghjola, a walk round the village at the end of the day.
Thirty-seven minutes from the hotel, and the road counts as much as the beach: narrow, winding, and frankly not something we would recommend in a campervan or motorhome. Allow half a day, and leave early. If you arrive after eleven in August, switch to Arone, where the parking keeps up. Ask us the evening before and we will tell you how busy it is.
A huge stretch of fine sand and turquoise water, often ranked among the finest beaches in Corsica. Cliff jumping on the left for the adventurous, three restaurants — and the road from Piana, high above the sea, is worth the trip on its own.
See the beach
The closest to the hotel, at the foot of the Genoese tower: magnificent for photographs, picnics and sunsets. Supervised, with an access mat to the water usable in a wheelchair — but the waves are powerful and the bottom drops away fast, so swimming is better elsewhere.
See the beach
The best comfort for the time it takes: a thirteen-minute drive, easy parking, and fine pebbles that hurt neither your feet nor your car. Three beaches in one — the beach bars in the middle, sand and fish to the right, the climbing rocks at the far end, the naturist area to the left.
See the beachPhotos : Jean-Pol Grandmont, CC BY 3.0
Hôtel Le Vaïta welcomes you in the heart of the Gulf of Porto, thirty-seven minutes from Piana and its coves. 26 air-conditioned rooms, best rate guaranteed when you book direct.
