Corsica with the motorhome & children
- lillyontour.de
- 5 days ago
- 6 min read
A worthwhile island trip for the whole family with ferry, sea & great swimming pools
Take two campervans, four adults, three children and the beautiful island of Corsica! The perfect mix for a short but sweet summer adventure in a camper van. #vanlife #corsica
5 spots in 14 days - our round trip to Corsica at a glance
The first and most important tip right from the start: If you want to pre-book campsites in Corsica, you're in a bad position. The Corsicans are very relaxed here and you can't reserve 90% of the pitches in advance - just call in advance or drop by directly - that's the motto on Corsica. And to my surprise, it worked really well. We were always lucky with all the spots. Even at the popular swimming pools such as the Sarazena river. So just go with the flow, there's nothing else to do in Corsica.
Our tour took us from Bastia via Calvi towards Abbartello, Porto-Vecchio, past the Solenzara river and back to Bastia. We covered around 1,500 km on the island. With our entire tour including a detour to Porto Venere in Italy, back over the Swiss San Bernadino Pass (highly recommended!) and a stop at Europapark Russ, we ended up with a good 3,000 km on the clock.
We stopped at a total of 5 spots. With the hot temperatures in August (constantly between 30-40 degrees), we didn't want to keep packing up and driving on. That would have been too exhausting for everyone. We also tried to find spots with a pool for the kids - which turned out to be easy and sensible. This meant we could prepare breakfast while the children were already happily splashing around. All the spots are listed individually below, including my own subjective assessment. Due to the limited time of two weeks, we skipped many coastal areas and towns.
Swimming in the river in Corsica - swimming pools as a highlight
In Corsica, swimming pools in freshwater rivers make a great change from the salty sea. These natural bathing spots are deep enough for swimming and rock jumping, and there are many of them on the island - ideal for a short detour or a longer stay - a visit is definitely worthwhile!
We were on the Solenzara river at the U Rosumarinu campsite (https://urosumarinu.fr). A dream for us adults and the children: you can jump from rocks up to 6 meters into the water or walk over the rocks, past other bathing spots. At 38 degrees, a wonderful refreshment away from the often hot, shady coastal areas.
An overview of the most beautiful swimming pools can be found here: https://www.korsika.com/die-schoensten-fluesse-haute-corse
Via ferrata de la Buccarona & Via ferrata de la Punta on Corsica
If you like climbing or via ferrata, you will also get your money's worth on the Solenzara river.The entrance to the Via Ferrata de Solenzara / Buccarona is located directly above the campsite. This medium-difficulty via ferrata (category C) is part of the Forest Adventure Park and offers spectacular passages with ladders, nets and several rope slides on its approx. 3-4 hour route. A difficult section (category D+) can be skipped - this requires experience and a lot of arm and hand strength.
The necessary equipment can be hired on site for a fair EUR 20 per person. Conclusion: An absolute must for all via ferrata fans!
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By ferry and motorhome to Corsica - from Livorno to Bastia with Corsica Ferries - tickets, costs, check-in & crossing
There are several ferry routes to Corsica; we opted for Livorno as it was the shortest for us. We booked our ticket for two adults, one child and a camper (length 6.3 m, height 1.9 m, width 2 m) six months in advance online at https://www.corsica-ferries.de and paid EUR 379 for a return trip in the August high season - a fair price, in our opinion. Please note: specify the exact length of the camper (including bikes), otherwise you will have to pay a lot more, the staff are very precise here.
Departure was at 7:30 am, check-in ended at 6:30 am, the port area opened at 5:00 am. In order to be on time, we spent the night like many others, somewhat adventurously, directly in front of the entrance to the ferry area, as the parking space fills up quickly. Of course, it's not particularly nice, especially in hot temperatures, but you can put up with it for one night. Check-in is quick and uncomplicated, and when parking on the ferry, experienced staff make sure that every inch of the ferry is used.
The trip takes about 4 hours - alternating between below deck and above in the sun, it goes by quickly even with kids. There is an air-conditioned play area for the little ones, which is of course correspondingly loud.
Our tip: grab a couch by the window at the very front of the bow. It is quieter here and children can lie stretched out; the hollow between the couch and the window can be converted into a small bed with a sleeping mat. Don't forget card games, drawing materials and snacks - the board restaurant often has long queues and is not cheap. For anyone with a sensitive stomach: don't forget travel pills, also available for children in the pharmacy.
Our conclusion - Corsica by motorhome - absolutely!
A trip to Corsica by motorhome is absolutely worth it! Getting there is a bit of an adventure and really great fun. On the island, you feel like you're driving after a postcard - the coastal roads and the landscape are breathtakingly beautiful. We were particularly impressed by the town of Calvi, but the harbor towns of Bastia and Porto-Vecchio are also worth at least a day trip. It's worth taking a SUP with you, even if the sea isn't always inviting. We left our bikes at home because of the heat - certainly a good idea in cooler months. Our tip: Be sure to spend a few days at the swimming pools - it's a great way to slow down.
We will definitely be back to experience the rest of the island.
Our campsites in Corsica
The “Park4Night” app also works great in Corsica and offers lots of tips for spontaneous pitches. We often used Google Maps to find campsites. For route suggestions, I love the “CamperGuide” series from Marco Polo - with great recommendations for restaurants, sights and campsites.
Camping Olzo - Northeast
A simple but beautiful site with a small pool under shady pine trees. The sanitary facilities were clean and the staff very friendly. There is no direct access to the sea. But within walking distance (approx. 5-10 minutes) you can at least enjoy a beautiful sunset on a somewhat barren beach. We only spent one night here on our way to Calvi. At EUR 45 for a campervan with 3 people, it's not quite cheap, but it corresponds to the average price in Corsica (as of August 2024).
Cost: 45 euros / night (high season: August)
Our recommendation: 3/5 stars
Camping Vellavista - Southwest
Cost: 64 euros / night (high season: August)
Our recommendation: 4/5 stars
Camping Ras l´bol - Southwest
Cost: 42.50 euros / night (high season: August)
Our recommendation: 4/5 stars
Plage de Palombaggia – Southeast
As it is considered one of the most beautiful beaches in France, we naturally didn't want to miss out on the spectacle. There is a large but very basic pitch right next to the beach for EUR 10 per night (without electricity or sanitary facilities), but with three outdoor showers. The staff are super friendly and you can choose your own pitch. The beach and the sea itself are also really beautiful. However, due to the proximity to Porto-Vecchio and the high season in August, it was incredibly crowded, both in the water and on land. Unfortunately, this diluted the Caribbean feeling somewhat. But for the kids, the turquoise blue, clear water at bathtub temperature was a dream.
Cost: 10 euros / night (high season: August)
Our recommendation: 3/5 stars
Camping U Rosumarinu – Southeast
We found one of the most relaxed campsites on our tour here on the banks of the Solenzara, in the Bavella mountains. Although this 2-star campsite is simply equipped, it has everything you need for a few days in the forests of Corsica. There are a total of 50 mostly shady pitches, which are laid out in terraces. The on-site restaurant offers good food at fair prices and is also popular with locals. The highlight here are the great swimming pools that invite you to swim and snorkel as well as the access to the via ferrata de la Buccarona.
Cost: 33.50 euros / night (high season: August)
Our recommendation: 5/5 stars
Camping San Damiano – Northeast
Cost: 45 euros / night (high season: August)
Our recommendation: 4/5 stars
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