Discovering Corsica's Lavezzi archipelago
Spend an unforgettable afternoon on the Lavezzi archipelago: don't forget your sun cream, explore the charming little coves and discover the wonders of this unique part of the marine reserve.
Where are the Lavezzi Islands?
The Lavezzi archipelago is a veritable paradise for tourists, located just an hour's sail from Bonifacio or Sardinia, in the heart of the Bouches de Bonifacio nature reserve. It comprises two main islands (Lavezzu 0.64 km² and Cavallo 1.1 km²), 34 islets and numerous reefs, making it a particularly dangerous place for sailors. Access is by sea only.
The wildLavezzu Island is home to a superb granite chaos. Once inhabited only by shepherds, who looked after their herds of cows, goats, sheep and a few donkeys, it is now a popular tourist destination for the beauty of its seabed and its rich natural heritage of rare and endemic species.
The island of Cavallo, nicknamed the "island of billionaires" because many stars and celebrities own a villa here, is one of the most secret jewels in the Mediterranean. From Jean Castel to Bill Gates, from Victor-Emmanuel de Savoie to the Princess of Monaco, its history over the past 50 years has been a veritable voyage of romance.
Departure from Bonifacio, where to take the boat?
You have several options for this visit: take the shuttle, go on an excursion or hire a boat with or without a skipper.
Getting there by shuttle :
Les Traversées leaves Bonifacio harbor every hour, starting at 9:30 a.m. and returning no later than 6:30 p.m. You can buy your tickets on site and benefit from free parking at certain service providers. Bring picnics and umbrellas, as there are no shops on the island of Lavezzu, where you'll disembark after a 30-minute boat ride. You're free to spend as much time as you like on the island.
Along the way, the Captain will show you the sea caves (Grotte de Napoléon and St Antoine), the town balanced on its limestone cliffs 70 meters high, the 187 steps of the Roy d'Aragon staircase, the gigantic grain of sand, the Fazzio creeks and the superb Paraguan beach.
Public boat transfers are available at regular times only from Piantarella not far from Bonifacio to reach the Hotel des Pêcheurs in Cavallo.
Take a boat trip, excursionor cruise:
With a day trip from Bonifacio, you'll be spoilt for choice! 2 stopovers are planned: the first on the island of Lavezzu and the other in the Spérone lagoon. Lunch will be served on board to awaken your taste buds: swimming, eating and sunbathing will be the themes of the day!
Seafloor enthusiasts will enjoy a 1h15 cruise on an underwater an underwater vision boat with "glass wells" every hour from 10.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m., a must-do too!
The excursion from Porto-Vecchio is just as magical. You'll sail along the coast and all the beaches of the far south as far as Bonifacio, then its port, caves and cliffs, before making a 3h30 stopover in the archipelago of the Lavezzi Islands, where lunch on board is included. Get your masks and snorkels ready!
You can also reach them on a cruise from Ajaccio. Breathtaking views and turquoise waters the whole way!
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Where to go, how to visit the islands
We'd like to draw your attention to this point. In fact, on this extraordinary but fragile site, you'll need to respect a few rules: you must walk only on the paths so as not to trample the protected species of grasses and flowers. Bivouacking, gathering and fishing are forbidden, as are the keeping of animals. Please bring back all your garbage, including used toilet paper.
The tour of the island will only take you an hour on foot; you'll come across the Pyramid of the Semillante, the lighthouse built in 1872 and 2 cemeteries , with perhaps a little emotion.
You won't be able to visit Cavallo Island, but you will be able to catch a glimpse of its port, hotel and large luxury villas with their terraces overlooking white sandy coves decorated by majestic surrealist rocks smoothed by the wind and cradled by the the cry cormorants and shearwaters,
Which beach do we prefer ?
Cala Lazarina is very beautiful, but very busy with both swimmers and boats, as is the popular beach of Achiarina. Achiarina beach, near the memorial. A little further on, you'll find a few quieter spots for picnics and siestas, but access to the water is via a few pebbles not appreciated by delicate feet. La Chiesa beach, the most popular, as it's sheltered from the wind and not frequented by boats, which don't venture near the rocks. Our favorite is the beach just behind it: quiet, with little wind, nestled in the rocks, where you can swim in water as clear as a giant aquarium and enjoy moments of great pleasure.
Where to sleep?
There's justone hotel in the archipelago: L'Hôtel des Pêcheurs on Cavallo Island. The setting is heavenly, the decor refined and the staff attentive. At your disposal: a French and Italian restaurant, a garden with a thousand and one flowers, a spa, a swimming pool and a tennis court. But apart from that, there's no luxury boutique or trendy bar, just a mini-market and that's it. The island is resolutely reserved for lovers of nature and tranquillity. You can enjoy golf, diving, yoga, boat trips or rent an electric cart.
If you don't want to sleep on the island, Bonifacio and Porto-Vecchio offer a range of accommodation options. !
Couples particularly appreciate the location of this establishment. They give it a rating of 9.9 for a stay for two. Surprise your partner with a honeymoon or romantic weekend on the Lavezzi Islands!
Reread Alphonse Daudet
who recounts the sinking of La Sémillante in 1855. The ship, carrying French military personnel to the Crimea, broke up on the rocks of the Lavezzi during a storm of rare violence and rudder damage. There were no survivors among the 773 men on board, and 560 remains lie in the island's two cemeteries. It is said that the cries of the seagulls are those of their souls, still unable to find peace...
