Porto-Vecchio, a city on Corsica's southern coast, draws thousands of visitors each year to its turquoise waters and secret coves reachable only by boat. Former merchant sailor Christian Vacca, who has worked as a tour guide since 2019, takes visitors out by boat to spots inaccessible by road. He said these were places he and others had loved since childhood. A short sail brings passengers to Porto Novo, a small beach reachable only by boat or after a 45-minute walk on foot.
Back on land, the old town rewards a slow walk. Medieval lanes recall the city's Genoese past. Porto-Vecchio counts around twelve thousand residents in winter and swells to one hundred thousand in summer, a population that depends on tourism but is determined to preserve its identity.
Faith and Local Produce in the Old Town
Abbé Thibault Lambert, known locally as Don Thibault and described as both a priest and a motorcyclist, guides visitors to a small brotherhood chapel near the parish church. He said the chapel is simple yet holds objects of deep importance to the community, including processional banners and relics of the cross of Christ. Their most recent public outing was at Easter, when around fifty members in robes sang through the streets. At the time of filming, during the Ascension weekend, blessings were being offered widely. Don Thibault noted that blessings are offered to everyone and everything, continuing through to June. Even the local convenience store received one.
Nearby, the grocery shop Orriu, run by Délia Andréani, stocks hams aged between 18 and 36 months and cheeses that change with the seasons, representing around one hundred producers. Andréani said her parents had originally sourced these small producers by travelling through villages to find the best cheese, charcuterie and honey. She added that she has now taken over the business and works with the children of those same producers.
Free-Range Pigs and Clifftop Cabins
Outside the city, the village of Figari is home to U Porcu Ranger, a farm run by Maxens Finidori where 200 pigs of the nostrale breed roam across more than 60 hectares of maquis scrubland. The animals are accustomed to visitors and enjoy being petted. One young visitor said the experience was not at all dangerous and that the pigs were endearing because they had been raised well.
Farm manager Caroline Finidori said more than 80 piglets were born this spring, with most arrivals concentrated in a three-week window in late March and early April, with a surge during the full moon. One visitor said the experience reframes the way you think about charcuterie.
For the night, travellers can climb to Coccon Village on the Ospedale mountain, where wooden cabins sit at the top of a cliff. Owner Jean-Michel Bordeaux, who built the access path and the accommodation, said staying there is a true night under the stars. Prices run from 250 euros per night in low season to between 280 and 380 euros for larger units. Bordeaux noted that the highest cabin requires his housekeeping staff to climb up via ferrata each morning.
Ancient Paths Through the Forest
The following day, nature guide Lisa Giovannoli leads walks through the Ospedale forest along what she described as old transhumance trails once used to move flocks of sheep up to higher ground. She offers commentary on each of the island's endemic species. One young local on the walk said it was rare to find such beautiful scenery so close to home and that residents were very lucky to live there. From the summit, views stretch across sea and mountain in every direction.
