Isula Rossa

Isula Rossa is in the very heart of L'Île-Rousse in a characterful building down a lovely pedestrianised lane. It’s about a 5 to 10-minute walk to the owner’s hotel where you can pay extra to enjoy their award-winning buffet breakfast if you wish or swim in the hotel's swimming pool. There’s also space to park your car at the hotel or you may prefer to try and find a public space nearer to the apartment.

There’s a little supermarket within a minute’s walk as well as a choice of charming restaurants, pretty shops and cafes. There’s a small covered market every morning in L'Île-Rousse selling lots of lovely local produce such as honey, cheeses, seafood and charcuterie and there’s also a large supermarket on the edge of town, just a five-minute walk away.

Within 200m you are in the main square, watching old men play boules, perhaps drinking a coffee or chestnut beer in the shade of the plane trees. The town beach is also great, backed by a handful of good restaurants with wonderful sea views. Walk a little further around the town to another small beach with summer watersports such as yachting, stand-up paddle boards, jet-ski and pedalos plus a diving school a little further.

There’s a lovely walk all the way up L'Île-Rousse’s lighthouse with mesmerising views all around you. Keen hikers could also walk from L'Île-Rousse up towards the Balagne countryside inland, following a path up the hill to Santa Reperata and Monticello where you can enjoy stunning views down towards the coast. Hire a car and explore some of the other magical villages of this region such as Speloncato, Feliceto, Pigna and Sant'Antonino, one of France’s ‘Plus Beaux Villages’. The perched villages of this region are full of history, charm and spectacular scenery of sea, forests and rugged mountains.

You can also catch the U Trinichellu, Corsica’s characterful little train, which runs between Calvi and L'Île-Rousse (with one or two daily trains continuing onwards to Bastia or Corte and Ajaccio). It stops at various points along the coast including Bodri where you can walk down to the beautiful sandy bay or the beaches of Sant Ambroggio and Algajola, both with a great choice of watersports. The small train can get very busy in the summer months but it’s a charming way to travel.

There are a number of beaches along this coastline, accessible by car then foot, where you will find little beachside shacks serving the freshest sea-food, white sandy shores and crystal clear seas that shelve gently and are wonderful for swimming. Wander through the maquis, seek shade under the pine trees or find a rocky shore; you are sure to discover your own piece of paradise along the Balagne coast. Heading east, the rather remote Plage de l'Ostriconi is also spectacular at the start of the incredible Desert des Agriates.

Calvi is also a lovely place to visit for the day, either by train or it’s half an hour by car. Enjoy lunch on one of the terraces in the old-town, explore the narrow lanes in the historic citadel with amazing views out to sea or laze on the town’s beach, also home to a variety of watersports. You can also pick up a boat trip which will take you on a tour of the Scandola Nature Reserve on the west coast, now a UNESCO World Heritage site and home to awe-inspiring scenery as well as rare and protected wildlife.

Read more about Northern Corsica

Northern Corsica offers diverse landscapes, idyllic beaches and picture-perfect villages where you can truly appreciate the Corsican way of life. From delightful seaside towns to rugged cliffs and mountains, Haute-Corse is an ideal holiday destination for keen hikers, nature enthusiasts and gastronomes as well as couples, friends and families seeking beautiful beaches for swimming, snorkelling and watersports.

Backed by mountain peaks, Calvi is so loved for its  Genoese citadel, charming old town and long sandy beach. Enjoy lunch on a restaurant terrace overlooking the rose façade of Église Sainte Marie Majeure or by the vibrant marina with its seafood restaurants and bars. Boat trips depart to the Scandola Nature Reserve where you can admire some of the most incredible coastal scenery on island.

The beaches between Calvi and L'Île-Rousse are fantastic – favourites include Plage de Sant'Ambroggio, an idyllic spot for snorkelling in the crystal-clear sea, and Plage de Bodri with soft white sand backed by wild maquis. The Balagne is also renowned for its characterful hilltop villages and the countryside is criss-crossed with walking paths where donkeys once roamed. Amongst others, visit ancient Pigna for its pottery and Corsican music, Monticello for its olive groves and perched Sant’Antonino for its rich history and panoramic views.

Soak up authentic island life in L'Île-Rousse as you watch locals play boules on the main square near the beach accompanied by an apéritif of local beer flavoured with maquis herbs or a glass of Cap Corse. The town hosts a lovely covered market every morning selling delicious Corsican delights and there are many restaurants along the narrow lanes – specialities include wild boar and chestnuts, Corsican lamb with rosemary and Cannelloni au brocciu. As the sun sets, follow the coastal promenade towards Île de la Pietra for romantic red-hued vistas.

Meanwhile, the little train, U Trinichellu, chugs along the coastline between Calvi and L'Île-Rousse with wonderful views - hop on early as it can get very busy, especially when coming home from the beach.

That said, a car is essential when exploring northern Corsica. When leaving L'Île-Rousse towards the north-east of the island, detour to Plage de l’Ostriconi, a wild beach on the edge of the remote Désert des Agriates. Follow the winding road to the attractive seaside town of Saint-Florent backed by the impressive mountains of the Cap Corse. Visit the vineyards of Patrimonio before venturing to little fishing villages and more outstanding landscapes of the Cap Corse.

Whether travelling with friends, loved ones, young kids or teens, a wealth of outdoor activities await across northern Corsica from watersports in Calvi, Algajola, L'Île-Rousse and Saint-Florent to quad-biking, horse-riding and even donkey rides in hilltop Balagne villages. Golf-lovers can play at the 18-hole Golf Reginu whilst there are so many hiking opportunities across the Balagne countryside, Désert des Agriates and Cap Corse landscapes.

Our carefully curated selection of villas in northern Corsica allows you to experience the many pristine beaches, characterful towns and stunning scenery in this mesmerising part of Corsica, the fourth largest Mediterranean island so lovingly referred to as l'Île de Beauté.