Pointe de la Parata and Îles Sanguinaires

The Pointe de la Parata lies a good 12 km from Ajaccio, at the end of the D111 coastal road. A 16th-century Genoese tower stands on the headland, facing the Sanguinaires archipelago of four islands, the largest of which is Mezu Mare. The lighthouse there came into service in the mid-19th century (1844, or 1845 according to another source), was automated in the 1980s and inspired Alphonse Daudet to write one of his "Lettres de mon moulin". You can reach Mezu Mare only by boat; trips leave from Ajaccio and Porticcio. The lighthouse itself is not open to visitors. The area has held the “Grand Site de France” label since 2017, and the islands’ name recalls the reddish tint of the rock. Boat trips from the Tino-Rossi port take about three hours, including roughly one hour ashore.

The walk to the tip and back takes about 20 minutes, according to a travel report. The evening is the most atmospheric time, and some boat trips are timed for sunset. Parking may be charged; if you arrive after 9 a.m., it is better to stay in the large lower car park, as the upper one is usually full by then (as of October 2026). From April to October an electric shuttle runs to the tip for visitors with reduced mobility (as of October 2026).