Corsica is actually one of the best surf destinations in the Mediterranean. That’s down to its ability to harness N and NW winds in winter, and a series of rocky reefs that shape the waves down the western shoreline. You’ll likely have to weather flat spells and the waves are challenging, unruly beasts when they come – best suited to intermediates and up.
An introduction to surfing in Corsica
Like Sardinia in Italy and the whole of the Spanish Costa Brava before it, Corsica is slowly coming to the fore of surfing in the Mediterranean. Despite long, flat summers, this island can actually muster some of the very best waves in this still and sunny part of southern Europe. It’s basically 100% windswell, driven on by the almost ceaseless Mistral that blows from November to March.
As that churns up the water in the northern Med, it can power sets of 8-10 foot on occasion. They meet the rock reefs that spread almost the whole way down Corsica’s western shoreline to give some surprisingly gnarly sets on their day. But it’s an opportunist’s surf destination – you have to be ready and waiting the moment the winds set in. Sometimes they last a matter of hours and flutter away as fast as they came.
The island has a mix of point breaks and some beach breaks, but it’s mainly about reefs. They aren’t like Hossegor or other French mainstays but they can tide you over for a season or for a sesh during your hols.
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This guide is just one part of our complete guide to surfing in France
Corsica surf at a glance
The good…
- Regular winds throughout winter and spring to bring the swell
- Empty spots
- The island is a gorgeous place to explore
The bad…
- Summers that can be completely flat for ages
- Almost zero surf infrastructure – camps, surf hostels, board rentals etc.
What’s in this guide to surfing in Corsica?
Where is Corsica?
Corsica – the fourth-largest island in the Mediterranean – sits at the join of three seas within the central Mediterranean. To the north, there’s the Ligurian Sea. The west is the Balearic Sea. To the east is the Tyrrhenian Sea. Officially a part of France, the island has been heavily influenced by Italy over the centuries – the Tuscan coastline is under 100km to the west and is the closest of all mainland European shores. Sardinia is just to the south.
How to get to Corsica?
Most people fly. There are four airports on Corsica to fly to:
- Figari–Sud Corse Airport
- Bastia – Poretta Airport
- Ajaccio Napoleon Bonaparte Airport
- Calvi – Sainte-Catherine Airport
The largest is the Ajaccio Napoleon Bonaparte Airport, which also happens to be the best option for reaching the surf breaks, since its located amid the reefs of the western coast, which hosts the best spots of all. You can search and compare flight deals for whole months using Skyscanner.
Corsica surf spots…
The north and west shores of Corsica are the best regions of this French island for surfing. They get the brunt of winter windswell but also are flanked by rocky reefs that shape the sets into lefts or rights. There are also occasional sandbar breaks by the beaches, which will die down completely in the summer months. Let’s look at the lot, starting in the north and going south…
Plage de l’Ostriconi
This gorgeous beach is well-suited to hoovering up most all of the windswells that cruise over with the winter Mistral. It’s one of the most reliable beaches on the island but won’t offer the same quality as some of the reef spots further down the south coast. Fun, mushy, and sometimes fat.
Algajola
The pint-sized village of Algajola anchors a beach that runs north for a couple of hundred meters. That’s where you can sometimes catch a good wave, one that’s hollow and peeling if there’s an element of NE in the wind and NW in the swell. On the biggest winter storms it can be crazy out here, with water churning all over the place. Leave those days to the locals.
Lozari
There’s usually a wave of varying quality on the long arc of soft sand that is Lozari. That’s because the NW windswells come right in here, hitting a shallow sandbank along from the cliffs. The way they align tends to make the lefts the better option and it’s generally fun for all levels. The views are awesome too.
Punta Caldanu/Lumio
Under the old lighthouse on the Punta Caldanu, there is a sucking wave with the potential to hollow out. Hates cross-shore wind and can completely disappear at the hint of a breeze on it. It’s a fun thing to ride if you don’t mind walking out over the rocks through, especially as there’s never, ever a crowd.
Plage de Sainte Restitude
This northwest-facing bay on the top end of Corsica begins a stretch of shoreline that’s arguably the best on the island for consistency. On sandbars by the mouth of a river that’s all but dry in the summer months, you can get an A-frame left-right with better lefts at Plage de Sainte Restitude. Offshores will kill it.
Tuccia
There’s a heavy left that can work on the rocks south of Tuccia town. Needs a big winter swell and zero offshore, otherwise it will get messy. The finish zone is shallow here and right beneath the cliffs, so know what you’re doing!
Capo di Feno
Capo di Feno is 25 minutes’ drive from the port of Ajaccio – the main airport arrival point in southern Corsica. It’s got fantastic exposure to W swells but tends to work better with a touch of N in the compass. When there’s about five foot in it, you can hit hotdogging peelers in the center of the bay that are fun but rarely glassy. It’s usually kinda’ busy here because Capo di Feno is one of the most popular spots for Corsica local to play around. The vibe is good though – most people are happy to see visitors enjoying the waves on the island!
Ruppione
The beach at Ruppione in the area of Pietrosella is probably the finest spot in the southwest of the island. It’s the chosen haunt for the best local surf school in the whole region: Surfing Corsica. There are two main breaks that work on big windswells in the midwinter. To the south, it’s a left-hand point that comes off the rocks. It’s the more reliable spot, with a shifty take off and then a short but steep shoulder to rip on. The north side of the bay has a dash of underwater reef that gathers sandbars in winter storms. An extra foot can see NW swells wrap in to give a hollow right. There’s often mush in the middle for surf schoolers.
Hotels in Corsica
We’ve already mentioned how there’s not much in the way of surf infrastructure on this island. And it’s true. Only a couple of nascent surf camps are doing business here now. We can’t think of any that offer board and lodging. Then again, this isn’t Portugal. That’s why we’d recommend seeking out hotels that put you within easy striking distance of the west or north coasts by car. The following would do that:
Hotel La Santa
Set up between the pine woods of the mountains above Algajola, this hotel has sweeping views of the most surf-rich part of Corsica. You’ll need to drive at least 20 minutes to get a wave, but the reward is a stunning infinity pool with 180-degree panoramas of the wave-bashed coast.
Residence ACQUA LINDA Porticcio
Come surf with Surfing Corsica down in Ruppione. This fantastic hotel gets you a short drive from the beach. It’s a great option for families and couples alike (there are room sizes to suit both). There’s also a seriously nice pool on offer.
Appartement neuf sur Plage de Calvi Vue Mer
Go for the Appartement neuf sur Plage de Calvi Vue Mer if you want your very own space on the beachfront near Calvi (which gets waves in the winter months). It’s a charming little pad, complete with balcony and modern lounge.
Step-by-step guide to planning your [yoast_kw] trip right now
Step one: Book flights to the [yoast_kw]…Lately, we like Omio for searching flights. It’s a nice interface and has lots of airline options. We also use Skyscanner because that sometimes offers deals that even beat going direct to the carrier!
Step two: Book your surf camp Book Surf Camps is the numero uno online booking platform for fully-fledged surf-stay packages on the internet right now. Then there’s Booking.com. That has consistently unbeatable rates for hotels and a nifty map feature that lets you check EXACTLY how close your hotel is to a surf break.
Step three: Get insuranceThis is kinda’ important. Not just for surf trips but for any trips. SafetyWing is great for nomad travelers. They offer rolling contracts that cover amateur surfing.
Step four (optional): Rent a car If you’re surf camping then you might not need wheels. If you’re not then we’ll just say this: We’ve never been on a surf trip that wasn’t improved by having our own car. Use RentalCars – they’re the best.
Step four: Enjoy!
When to surf in Corsica?
Winter is the best time to surf in Corsica. The whole island relies on strong N-NW winds to get waves. They are known as the Mistral, and they generally blow from November through to March, hitting a peak in January. Some years, the Mistral will push on through April and you can score lovely days on the beach breaks of Corsica, with hot sun and windswell that’s good for beginners. More advanced surfers should be certain to come in the middle of winter – December to Feb.
We might use affiliate links in this post. Basically, you click em’ and we get a little something from your booking or purchase. They help us keep offering more and more in-depth surf guides to awesome places all around the globe. So, thanks for that!
