Getting to Pietrosella and settling in
Pietrosella is twenty minutes from Ajaccio airport and less than thirty-five minutes from the port. It is one of the rare places in Corsica where you can land at midday and swim at one. Here is how to organise the journey, and what changes from one month to the next.
By air
Ajaccio Napoléon-Bonaparte airport is about twenty minutes away by road. It receives direct flights all year from Paris, Marseille, Nice and Lyon, and from many European cities in season.
It is the simplest option for a week: you take off in the morning, have lunch in Corsica, and swim in the afternoon. Booking early means choosing your time and your fare.
By sea
The port of Ajaccio is less than thirty-five minutes away. Crossings leave from Marseille, Toulon and Nice. A night in a cabin has its price, but you arrive with your own car, your bikes, your board and as much luggage as you like.
It is the right choice for a stay of two weeks or more, as a family, or if you are travelling with an animal.
A car, to have the whole region to yourself
With a car, the eight beaches of the south shore, the inland villages, Ajaccio and Filitosa are all within a morning's reach. That is what turns a week at the beach into a real Corsican stay. Each of our stays has its own private parking space, which settles the question on your return.
One exception, all the same: from A Marina, as from A Terrazza and U Giardinu, Ruppione beach is a two-minute walk. A couple coming to unwind can quite happily leave the car parked five days out of seven.
If you hire on arrival, book at the same time as your tickets: that is how you get the vehicle you want, at the best price, five minutes from the baggage belt.
Shopping and shops
The first shops are a quarter of an hour on foot or two minutes by car. Porticcio, ten minutes away, brings together the supermarkets, pharmacies, banks and most of the south shore's restaurants.
A useful habit: do the big shop on the way from the airport. You arrive with a full fridge, and the first evening is spent on the terrace rather than in the car.
When to come
May and June. The maquis is in flower, the beaches are empty, and the days stretch to fifteen hours of light. The villa's heated pool has been open since March. It is our favourite time.
July and August. Corsica at full strength, turquoise water and endless evenings. Being a two-minute walk from Ruppione means choosing your swimming hour rather than putting up with it.
September. Probably the best month. The sea keeps the warmth of summer, the light softens, prices come down, and the trails are a pleasure in broad daylight.
October and November. Mildness and low light, the season of walks, villages and chestnuts. And the villa's heated pool, open until the end of November, for a swim every morning facing the gulf.
What to bring
Household linen is provided in all four of our stays, with sheets and towels made up on arrival. There is no need to fill a suitcase with linen.
Do think of water shoes for exploring the rocky coves, a pair of closed shoes for the trails, and good sun cream: Corsican light is generous. A parasol bought in Porticcio on the first day will follow you all week.
With children
A cot is available on request, free of charge, in our stays. Mare e Sole beach, with its sandbanks where you keep your footing a long way out, is the most reassuring nearby. Ruppione is supervised in high season.
For the youngest, two details matter more than the rest: the villa's pool has a safety alarm, and A Terrazza is entirely on one level, which simplifies life with a pushchair.
With an animal
Animals are welcome in our stays, with a supplement. If you are travelling with a dog, the crossing by sea from Marseille, Toulon or Nice is often simpler than flying, and you arrive with your own car.
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take from Ajaccio airport to Pietrosella?
About twenty minutes by car, along the south shore road.
Can we come without a car?
Yes, if your plans revolve around the beach and doing nothing. From the Castello Rosso area, Ruppione is a two-minute walk and the first shops a quarter of an hour away. Many of our couples leave the car parked for half of their stay. To explore the villages and the southern beaches, it comes into its own again.
When is the best time to come?
September for the sea and the calm, May and June for the maquis in flower and the empty beaches.
When is the pool open?
The infinity pool at Villa Accelasca is heated and open from March to the end of November. A Marina, A Terrazza and U Giardinu each have a heated outdoor pool.
How do we book at the best price?
Directly on this site. For the same dates, that is ten to twenty per cent less than on the platforms, with no service fee.
Booking direct
Our four stays in southern Corsica are booked directly on this site, with no intermediary. For the same dates, that is ten to twenty per cent less than on the platforms, with no service fee, and free cancellation up to twenty-eight days before arrival.
- Villa Accelasca — nine guests, four bedrooms, four bathrooms, heated infinity pool.
- A Marina — one-bedroom with open sea view, four guests, beach two minutes away.
- A Terrazza — one-bedroom on a single level, terrace and lounge balcony over the gulf.
- U Giardinu — one-bedroom with sleeping nook and enclosed garden with barbecue, five guests.
A question before booking? Write to us, you deal directly with the owner.