Sunbathing and swimming without a swim-suit? As for naturist possibilities, Corsica is in a funny way divided into two:
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the official naturist resorts and diving centers are on the Eastcoast; |
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there are plenty possibilities for nude recreation on the beaches of the Westcoast, although not officially recognized. |
INF-membershipSeveral Corsican naturist resorts think their visitors should be a member of the INF, the International Naturist Federation. If you are not, there's nothing to worry about, because you can become a member right on site. But of course you can also join a naturist association in your own country beforehand: then you'd automatically be a member of the INF. |
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Unfortunately, Piana Verde al Mare doesn't exist anymore.
The most Northern naturist possibilities along the Eastcoast of Corsica immediately form a unique entity. In the municipality of Linguizzetta, about 55 kilometres under Bastia, lies a beautiful naturist beach, which is at least seven kilometres long. The most Northern area of this beach is Piana Verde al Mare, the most Southern part is Bagheera. Between these two, every possibility of naturist recreative accommodation you can imagine is being offered: camping, fully-equipped caravans for rent, apartments, studios or little houses suitable for permanent residence. Across the entire length of this beautiful beach, a long, uninterrupted naturist walk along the shore is possible. You don't need to starve or be thirsty while at it, because this beach counts as many as nine places with eating- and drinkingfacilities, which are perfect for lunch and/or diner. These grounds are accessible for day tourism, too!
North of Corsica Natura is a piece of no-man's land,
where only a lucky few succeeded to arrange a permanent stay. In this
area you can also find the little resorts A Chiosura, A Furesta and the former
camping Tropica. For shopping supplies the residents depend on the villages
and on what the adjacent resorts have to offer.
A Chiosura consists of a limited amount of houses and studios. A part was built
under the German architect Kopp and that part is also being rented out:
Les Maisons Bleues.
A Furesta is a complex of bungalows, where mostly the richer
people have landed.
Tropica is probably bringing up pleasant memories from a past long gone for some people! A part of the former
campgrounds is now arranged
with a varied hodge-podge of self-constructed shelters. Most constructions of the camping
have been demolished. Other parts are unused and in poor condition.
Route: A little past the junction to Piana Verde, the exit to A Chiosura and A Furesta is indicated, a little further you'll see the exit to Tropica. Coming from Bastia, that is.
In fact Corsica Natura is a holiday cottage-village from the German traveling organisation Oböna. A part of the area is arranged as a camping, the rest contains studios or little houses. It is located next to Club Corsicana and the residents from both areas can make good use out of each others facilities. On Corsica Natura you can find a tilt-cart with regional and souvenir-like products.
Route: Corsica Natura, Club Corsicana, Les Eucalyptus and San Carlu can be reached via the same exit on the N198: a sign on a trafo-house marks the spot.
Club Corsicana is without a doubt the beating heart of the area, or at least from the former Tropica up to and including San Carlu, of which the houses are also being rented out via Club Corsicana. Here you find a store, and here are a surf-, sail- and scuba diving club and a bigger restaurant which attracts a large amount of customers. And the Club also does its utmost to organize lots of things for these target groups who camp on and around the terrain. At Club Corsicana itself camping isn't possible, only rental of houses / bungalows.
Route: the exit towards Corsica Natura, Club Corsicana, Les Eucalyptus and San Carlu is well indicated on a trafo-house on N198.
Rental of apartments with an adjacent camping, directly connected to Club Corsicana. Les Eucalyptus offers plenty of camping space in a beautiful Eucalyptus forest with a delicious fragrance. There is always shade. You can actually give yourself just as much space as you need during your vacation. The camping borders the beach, so the sea is always nearby. But other than that, the camping doesn't have much more to offer. There's only one sanitary block that gets very well cleaned every morning. For what they have to offer, they ask a lot of money.
Route: see Club Corsicana.
Between Les Eucalyptus and Bagheera lies San Carlu. Permanent occupation, but it's also being rented out via Club Corsicana. The visitors of San Carlu have to make use of the provisions of this Club.
Route: see Club Corsicana.
Napoleon once said: If you put me on an island blindfolded, I can smell whether I'm on Corsica. Bagheera is also a pleasant-smelling joy, with all its Eucalyptus- and conifer trees. You can camp there, or rent a house, apartment or an arranged caravan. Fully shaded spots, a nice little store (some vegetables, no meat), tennis courts, little beach clubs where you can eat or drink something, a more fancy restaurant, a kiddy club. Now and then something gets organized. The quality of the sanitary is, depending on the season, not always quite perfect. The course-grained sand beach can be reached directly from the camping and in northern direction the beach invites you for that walk from Bagheera to Piana Verde al Mare.
Route: The entrance to Bagheera is on the N198 from Bastia to Bonifacio (Bunifaziu) and easy to recognize. You can hardly miss the gate, which by the way is always open!
A beautiful camping, where also houses are available for rent.
Route: Riva Bella lies about 5 kilometres north of Aléria. The junction is well indicated by a bright-coloured orange ball and by a heading on a barn which towers high above the way. You can't miss it if you pay a little attention.
Heated swimming pool, jacuzzi, (Turkish) steam bath, fitness studio, cardiotraining and seawater-circuit with water fall and wildwater slide (water temperature about 32° C): the new pride of Riva Bella is called Balnéoriva. Relaxation treatments (four handed massage!!) and complete multi-day retreats are possible. Le bien être en vrai....
Unfortunately, Villata isn't a naturist camp-site anymore, since 2006. It was the oldest naturist camp-site on Corsica, at a splendid location: at a cup-formed bay with a little sand beach and a cool Genuese tower directly in sight. The sand of the beach is fine grained and the beach slopes only very gradually. Shallow water warms up rapidly. This makes the camp-site extremely well-suited for children. So in fact, Villata as a camp-site doesn't belong on this site no longer. But as the beach contains to be accessible for naturists, we didn't remove the information about Villata yet.
Route: In Sainte Lucie de Porto-Vecchio (Santa Lucia di Portivechju), take the exit to Pinarello (Pinareddu, the D168). In Pinareddu you bow, in the sight of the sea, behind the cemetary to the right. Follow this coastway to the direction of San Ciprianu until a signpost in the direction of Villata points to the left. Coming from the south (Porto-Vecchio, aka Portivechju) this would be a roundabout way; after several kilometres outside of the city, take in La Trinité the exit to the right, to the direction of San Ciprianu (D468). Where on these signpost also Pinareddu (the French name doesn't appear anymore around here) is mentioned, stay on this direction. Do not go to the ranch Villata, because a few kilometres ahead a signpost points to the right, indicating camp-site Villata.
U Furu's location is not directly at the beach, but at a little river with a lot of cascades. Cascades are formed by smooth, washed-out basins in (granite) rocks. The water is often deliciously warmed up by the sun. Along the river is a hiking route. So if you don't visit U Furu for a longer stay on the camping or in one of the originally Corsican-style built "casetti" (houses, all luxuries provided), don't miss the dayly visit for a naturist hike through these thirty hectares of pure nature! Wonderful, also from a photographic perspective.
Route: On the N198 from Bastia to Bonifacio (Bunifaziu), take the ring road around the city in Porto-Vecchio (Portivechju). Coming from the north, take the first exit to Muratello (Murateddu), the D159. Coming from the south, you don't take the first possibility (D159 bis) to go to Murateddu, but instead you take the next roundabout to the left. Follow the signposts to U Furu from the D159. The resort has put quite an effort and money in the signposting, so you can hardly miss it.
Horseback riding, playing tennis, scubadiving, surfing, (catamaran-)sailing, dancing: That, and also lessons in it are possible on La Chiappa. Gymnastic exercises, Aerobics, Aquajogging, table tennis and other ballsports can certainly make your holiday a sportive one. They have a yoga-class and an atelier where you can prove your artist skills in many different ways. There's a sauna, and even an internet café. And for those who have (small) children, the babysit-service and the Mini-club (crèche) can offer you a great solution. The disco targets a little older age group, without causing too much trouble for the others by the way. Eating and drinking is a thing every age group does and for them, of course, there is a bistro, beach bar and restaurant. The store is quite equipped, and the sanitary is really ok, especially on the newer part of the camp-site, and there's always warm water. Disadvantages: The price you have to pay for all these accomodations is high, and a second one is: more and more people dress up, at the camp-site, and swim-suits on the beach, especially the youth. Also at the other Corsican naturist camp-sites nobody minds if you wear a swim-suit. Some people think that's a shame, though, because possibilities for dressed vacations are plenty on Corsica, unlike the naturist possibilities.
Route: To reach la Chiappa, take the ring road N198 around Porto-Vecchio (Portivechju), towards Ajaccio/Bonifacio. On several roundabouts that means straight ahead, but south of Porto-Vecchio you follow the right direction by taking the first exit to the right (towards Aiacciu/Bunifaziu). Very soon after that, an advertisement-board points left. So just follow this beautiful coastal road until another board points to the left again.
Unfortunately, Les Amis de Neptune doesn't exist anymore.
Finally: also on the Eastcoast some non-official possibilities of nude recreation call you to enjoy the sun and the surroundings in the nude.
About 14 km under Bastia lies La Marana. Take the road between the sea and the Etang de Biguglia to the southern part, up to about 3 km past the postoffice.
Another possibility to bathe in the nude, is in the river called Solenzara. Coming from the south, turn left, just before you drive out of the town Solenzara, towards Col de Bavella. Follow this road until it gets more narrow. Then follow the run of the river (la Solenzara). Park on the lower part of the road. From here, go down the river by foot.
The beautiful beaches of Palombaggia and Rondinara should offer some possibilities for naturism, but we have some serious doubts about that.
Corsica is known for its interesting diving possibilities, which also appear within a naturist context. First the combination between naturism and diving may sound odd. The diving itself isn't nude indeed. Under water you need protection: against cold, sharp rocks and against contact with sea creatures, which can be really... unpleasant. But of course it is pleasant to take on- and off your diving suit in a relaxed, unconstrained atmosphere. And as a naturist by nature you are of course always seeking to use as many naturist options as possible.
Tropica is the scuba-diving school of Peter Kowald. This one is located on the Eastcoast of Corsica, in the community of Linguizzetta, between the vacation complexes Piana Verde al Mare and Club Corsicana.
Route: From the N196 a signpost on the left side of the road points to diving school Tropica.
École de plongée Tropica, Peter Kowald, F-20230 San Nicolao / Corsica.
Phone 0495 - 389 616
Diving school Corsicana is located at Club Corsicana. The dives organised by Corsicana are sometimes 5 minutes of sailing, away from the 'base', but can sometimes also look like complete field trips. Dives go from Calvi up to the Iles Lavezzi.
Route: A few hundred meters from Tropica, a sign on a transformator-house points to the "Tauchclub".
Club Corsicana, école de plongée Corsicana, Peter & Sylvia Stude, F-20230
San Nicolao / Corsica
Phone 0495 - 388 644
Hippocampe is located at la Chiappa. La Chiappa lies at the edge of the "Reserve naturelle des Bouches de Bonifacio": harpooning forbidden. The diving locations normally are less then fifteen minutes of sailing.
Route: see the la Chiappa info above.
La Chiappa, école de plongée Hippocampe, Karin Schuller & Hans Bux,
F-20137 Porto Vecchio / Corsica
Phone 0495 - 705 654
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The link towards 'les maisons bleues' of a Chiosura |
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This link towards a Chiosura has a lot of photoes |
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Of the site of Corsica Natura exists a German version also |
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The info about Club Corsicana is coming from a traveling agency |
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Les Eucalyptus |
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Bagheera is affiliated to Natustar |
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Two links towards Riva Bella |
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Villata, suddenly the website vanished in 2006 |
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The site of U Furu has a clickable map of the resort. |
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La Chiappa, with an own photogallery |
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Scubadiving Corsicana at Club Corsicana |
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Scubadiving Hippocampe at la Chiappa |
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Sailing around Corsica, 1 |
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Sailing around Corsica, 2 |
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A German site with lots of information, eine Deutsche Seite ueber Corsica |
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Plagenat, with reports (une site francais avec des témoignages) |
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A rather new international site with information in English |