Corsica - Island of Beauty

 

We settled into beach life easily. It's a hard life, all this going to the beach all day and sitting with a beer or two in the evening, falling asleep listening to the waves crashing and a sea breeze blowing across us in our rooftop bed. In the morning we'd wake up to a dip in the sea while the coffee was brewing. 

We pitched literally 20 steps from the beach which was not busy because Camping Amurucciu is all that's on this piece of Corsican coast. Even so we walked five minutes in either direction to have masses of sand and sea all to ourselves. Corsica has a population density a third that of mainland France and one seventh that of the UK. So when you take ten kilometres of beach on which there's only one smallish campsite and not a lot else, you end up not sharing your paradise with many others. Nothing could have been better for summer 2021. The landscape is stunning and it's amazing just swimming or floating around looking back at the beach and the trees and mountains behind.

Mini review - Camping Amurucciu

Our favourite kind of campsite - stunning location, no frills.

Camping Amurucciu's selling point is its beachfront location on the east coast of the island of Corsica. It's just 45 minutes drive from the ferry port of Bastia where it shares the beach with no other commercial properties. The beach extends in both directions as far as the eye can see. Camping pitches are available right next to the sea or set back from it under the shade of trees. There are no delineated pitches and you're free to pick where you like to pitch up. There are a number of electric hookup points but a 25 to 50 metre cable is a good idea to give you greater choice of location.

The facilities consist of toilets, showers and washing up areas, plentiful water points and chemical and refuse disposal. Brick barbecues are dotted around too but that's it - there are no other 'attractions' - but what else do you need? You have a view, the sea in front and mountains behind, and you have your necessary amenities.

In the midst of lockdown when we were craving a beach getaway this place was top of both Tony's and my lists. You really can't beat this place.

The site is set very well back from the main coast road down a long tarmac track. Almost opposite the turning for the campsite is a medium to large E LeClerc supermarket. It takes 10 to 15 minutes to walk there for your groceries. Two beach-side restaurants are 15 minutes in either direction along the beach should you wish, though cooking alfresco is an enjoyable part of the holiday for us so we haven't experienced either.

The site attracts couples and families but remains peacefully quiet day and night. There are pitches that look like their occupants are staying all summer and others used for one or two nights. There's so much beach to go around that even right in front of the campsite you'd never be on top of each other. Campers leave their chairs and umbrellas on the beach overnight and even small yachts and kayaks.

Corsica is a large island with much to see and do, but if you're just looking to unwind on the beach and in the sea, Camping Ammurucciu is a fine place to do it.