Sperone beaches at Bonifacio - canoeing in southern Corsica

Writer: Helena Bergström

We finally got to visit the beaches of Sperone at Bonifacio again! We were here ten years ago, and it is one of the best experiences of that trip. So it was no wonder that we wanted to go back. It was sun, swimming and a lovely canoe trip!

Sperone beaches at Bonifacio

Sperone beaches consist of Little Sperone Beach (Little Sperone beach) and Grand Sperone Beach (Great Sperone beach). Both of these beaches are incredibly beautiful and surrounded by crystal clear, turquoise waters. The fact that you have to make a bit of an effort to get to them perhaps adds to the experience...

The beaches of Sperone are located about 7 kilometres southeast of the town of Bonifacio, in southern Corsica.

To visit Sperone beaches at Bonifacio

To make an excursion to Sperone beaches from Bonifacio, it is best to have your own vehicle. At the town's tourist office they told us that there are no buses, and that taxis are a expensive way to get to the beaches ... With a motorhome, you can choose to either Camping des Iles and walk from there or park along the road, as all cars do.

We parked along the road and made our way down to the water, where you are met by boat hire companies and a few food outlets. To get to the beaches of Petit Sperone and Grand Sperone you have to walk a long way along the shore (unless you hire a boat or canoe of course!), and you have to be prepared for a route that is in no way prepared. There are slippery pebble beaches and narrow paths through dense shrubbery ... But shame on you!

Little Sperone Beach

The first beach you come to is Petit Sperone. This small sandy beach is really magically beautiful, and the water is turquoise blue like in a tourist brochure.

Grand Sperone Beach

If you continue the walk you will eventually reach Grand Sperone. This beach is also incredibly beautiful and we had our picnic here (baguette with salami and fruit). The reason we don't have many photos is that shortly after our picnic, unbelievably, it started to rain... Well, when it's summer in Corsica, it doesn't get cold, and soon the weather got better...!

Island of Piana

Just off the two Sperone beaches is an island called Piana Island. This island is part of the Lavezzi Islands Nature Reserve and is so close to land that you can actually, at low tide, wade out to the island. Other ways to get to the island are of course by boat or by canoe.

We travelled here in a rented canoe, not least because it is nice to paddle for a while on the clear water.

Out on the island, Peter also brought up his drone, which of course I wanted to wave to ...

Hiring a canoe

There are several places where you can rent canoes, near the Sperone beaches. We walked past the first two rentals we saw and rented a canoe at the third. Here we had to pay 40 euros for 3 hours, which we definitely thought was worth it.

If you want, you can choose to paddle to Petit Sperone or Grand Sperone, or to a cave near them. We paddled to Piana Island, where we docked at a few different beaches. A lovely trip!

Golf courses at Sperone beaches

It is also worth mentioning that there are a number of golf courses on the beaches of Sperone. Those who play golf here do so with magnificent views, we promise. It is also easy to walk from the golf courses down to Petit Sperone or Grand Sperone - much easier than taking the route most "regular" tourists take.

Things to consider when visiting Sperone beaches

Are you planning to visit Sperone beaches when you are at Bonifacio? Keep in mind that the environment is "wild" and it can be challenging to get around if you have mobility or balance problems. Also, keep in mind that restaurants are only at the beginning, at the car parks, so you will need to bring everything you need for the day. Here are some tips on what to pack:

• Swimwear
• Bath towel
• Sun hat/cap
• Sunscreen cream
• Parasol (Could be good, but we skipped it because we didn't want to carry too much.)
• Snorkel and cyclops
• Plenty of water and/or other beverages (Our 3 litres were just enough, and it was still cloudy at times).
• Packed lunch/snacks
• Bag or bucket to bring the rubbish back
• Mobile phone/camera

Where can you stay or park your motorhome?

If you're a golfer, you might want to check into a golf resort on the beaches of Sperone. Another option is to stay at a campsite Camping des Iles, where you can stay in your own campervan or in a cottage/bungalow. A further option is to stay in Bonifacio and take a car/caravan to Sperone. We stayed at Camping L'Araguina, which is a smaller campsite with a very central and good location in Bonifacio.

More to see and do in the neighbourhood

Near the beaches of Sperone, you'll naturally want to check out Bonifacio - the city with the dramatic location on the cliffs, in the far south of Corsica. It is also nice to make a boat trip to Lavezzi Islands. In addition, we can recommend visits to the city Porto-Vecchio as well as on the surrounding beautiful beaches, such as Plage de Palombaggia.

Have you visited the beaches of Sperone?

Have you visited Sperone beaches? Or maybe you can tell us about another beautiful Mediterranean beach that you have experienced?