Saint Florent in Corsica
FROM THE ARCHIVES
Originally published June 2010
Photo credit: Corsica Location
Our friend Jerome Antoni lives in Paris, but spends his summers at his family’s house in the Saint Florent region of Corsica. Nicknamed “St. Flo,” it’s located on the northwest coast of Corsica at the base of the Cap Corse peninsula.
It’s a small, medieval town full of old stone houses, cafes, wine bars and small shops. It’s easily walkable from end to end and is known for being less pretentious and more intimate than St Tropez with a friendly atmosphere and great beaches. The area is also known for it’s wines and is surrounded by vineyards and quiet mountain villages.
Check out Jerome’s tips for visiting the area below.
Bonus: the great Calvi on the Rocks music festival is happening a car ride away in Calvi, Corsica July 2-7 featuring LCD Soundsystem, A-Trak, Holy Ghost!, Tiga & Brodinski, Superpitcher and more.
RESTAURANTS
Ferme “Campo Di Monte” (Murato village): This is probably the best restaurant in the region. They serve a set menu of 7 courses of farm fresh and home grown Corsican cuisine that changes seasonally. You don’t order anything a la carte. It’s about 60 Euros per person, but it’s a lot of food and totally worth it. It’s difficult to get a table and reservations are required in the Summer (reserve one or two months ahead!) www.fermecampodimonte.com
La Crique: Located on the seaside behind the Genoese Tower in the city (it’s not easy to find), La Crique is a good spot for fresh, seasonal fish cooked over wood. Great sunsets too!
Le Petit Caporal: Overlooking the harbor, Le Petit Caporal serves good, inexpensive seafood, pasta, pizza and meat dishes. www.lepetitcaporal.com
Hotel La Roya: Situated on Roya Beach, this is probably the best hotel in Saint Florent and the restaurant is really good. They serve a lot of seafood dishes including lobster, scallops, tuna, fish soup and more depending on what’s available. www.hoteldelaroya.com
Auberge du pecheur/ Poissonnerie Saint Christophe: Owned by friends of my family, this is a fish market with a restaurant in the back garden serving fresh fish, lobsters, shrimp and more. Don’t forget to make a reservation as it’s always busy! www.aubergedupecheur.com
BEACHES
Photo credit: World’s Best Beaches
Lodo and Saleccia are two beautiful, secluded beaches that can be reached via ferry from Saint Florent Harbor. There are no amenities at either beach so you’ll need to bring everything you’ll need for the day. Saleccia is definitely the best beach, but to get there, you’ll need to take the ferry to Lodo Beach then walk 30-45 min. You can also take a long, bumpy SUV ride or rent a boat in the harbor, but you’ll need to get a license to take your boat there.
More info:
