Plage de Roccapina — Attraction in Sartène

This beach comes highly recommended by many, but in my opinion, it is somewhat overrated. When we arrived, the beach was in the condition shown in the photos – more than half of it was unfortunately covered in seaweed. However, there were parts of the beach where this didn't detract from its beauty, allowing us to fully appreciate its charm. The water was excellent, providing a refreshing experience, and the sand was pleasantly soft underfoot.

One of the biggest downsides of this beach is the road leading to it. The drive takes about 10 minutes over a very bumpy road. However, I think some of the other reviews exaggerate the difficulty of the journey. While you don't need a special vehicle, as many suggest, it is true that you need to be cautious, especially with a low-clearance car. We saw all kinds of vehicles in the parking lot at the end, including some low-set cars. It just requires careful driving to avoid scraping the bottom of your car. If your vehicle has decent ground clearance and isn't too low, you should manage just fine. The real question is whether the beach is worth the effort.

Lastly, there's the neighboring beach, Plage de Erbaju, which is much larger and visible on the map. It’s said that you can walk to it from this beach, but we didn’t find any clearly marked paths. The paths through the bushes near the parking area were very overgrown, and while it might be possible to make the trek, it would likely be challenging, especially if you're carrying items or have children with you. We contacted the exclusive restaurant on that beach, and they informed us that it is a private beach, only accessible by reservation and without children. So, perhaps if you walk there, you might be able to enjoy the beach, but unfortunately, we...

I will concentrate only in the road, which is in a very bad shape. The SMALLEST cars which could reach the beach today (01.01.25) were DaciaDusters or VW Tiguan. I enjoy driving in bad roads with my Peougeot 308 but I parked the car at about half the way since it was not possible. The challenging parts are 3: a) at the very beginning: if you can pass this one easily with a bit of care, then you will probably be able to make the whole road. b) if like me, you can just go through the first part, unfortunately there are two additional segments which are a bit worse than this one, so that I parked the car in a small clearing in the macchia about half the way. c) if the first part is too much for you, park the car and walk. As I have written before, today no normal car was able to reach the beach, just smaller SUVs, bigger SUVs and Pickups. Consider this when planning the timing...

One of my top-five beaches in Corsica. When we visited in late spring the sea was crystal-clear, pleasantly warm, and the stretch of sand was almost empty.

Getting there: The first and middle parts of the access road are pock-marked with rain-made potholes, so take it slow. The final few hundred metres turn rocky and uneven, but the track stays wide enough for a small rental. Full insurance is sensible, just in case.

Once you arrive: Make the quick scramble up to the lion-shaped rock above the bay for a panoramic sweep of turquoise coves and rolling headlands. Because the road puts off many day-trippers, the beach remains wonderfully peaceful outside peak summer.

Tolerate a bumpy drive and you’ll be rewarded with warm, transparent water, postcard-worthy scenery, and plenty of space to spread out—well...