The best beaches in L’Île-Rousse
In L’Île-Rousse, Napoléon beach runs along the town centre, facing the island of La Pietra. Bodri is 3 km to the west, on the road to Calvi, with a train stop; Lozari opens out 7 km to the east, on the road to Bastia. All three have lifeguards in summer, but not on the same dates or along their whole length.
The beaches on the map
The beaches one by one
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L’Île-Rousse Beach
Fine sand · About 6 min from Place Paoli, 8 from the station · Lifeguards: June to September, according to the tourist office
See the beach guide →The town-centre beach: about 400 m of fine sand below Place Paoli, six minutes away on foot, and eight from the station. Opposite, the red granite of La Pietra and its lighthouse. The water is shallow and clear; to the east, beyond a bar of rocks, Caruchettu shelves gently. The tourist office lists lifeguard cover from June to September. Come on foot or by train: according to the town hall, the town-centre car parks are paying from 1 April to 31 October 2026. Dogs are banned from the town’s beaches.
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Bodri and Ghjunchitu Beaches
Fine sand · About 10 min from the car park, 5 min from the train · Lifeguards: 1 July to 31 August 2026, 10.30am-6.30pm
See the beach guide →A cove with about 350 m of fine sand in the commune of Corbara, which you can reach without a car: the Balagne train stops at Botri, six minutes after L’Île-Rousse, five minutes’ walk from the sand. It is a request stop, so signal to the driver. By car, the municipal car park costs €3 per vehicle from 1 June to 30 September 2026. Swimming is supervised from 1 July to 31 August, with a small marked-out paddling area for children. Dogs are banned, even on a lead. To the west, Ghjunchitu, which is longer, has more room.
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Lozari Beach
Thick sand · About 3 to 5 min on foot from the car park
See the beach guide →The longest of the three: about 1.5 km of coarse, deep sand, from the mouth of the Regino to the cliffs of Punta d’Arcu. The open land behind the beach partly belongs to the Conservatoire du littoral: meadows, olive trees and coastal grassland. Allow a quarter of an hour’s drive from L’Île-Rousse on the T30, then three to five minutes on foot from the parking areas. The tourist office describes a gentle slope, popular with families, and a supervised area in summer at the Casa di Losari end, with no published dates. Dogs are allowed on a lead.
Where to stay near the L’Île-Rousse beaches
For Napoléon beach, the seafront area puts the sand right below where you stay, and the centre and Place Paoli area is a few minutes away. For Bodri, look along the Calvi road, beside the beaches served by the train. Lozari is closer to the Balagne villages, up in the hills. Our page on L’Île-Rousse describes each area and where to stay in it. To combine these beaches with Calvi, Corte or Cap Corse, see our guide to north Corsica.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best beach in L’Île-Rousse?
It depends on what you are looking for. L’Île-Rousse beach, known as Napoléon beach, is in town, facing La Pietra. Bodri beach can be reached by train and has a small paddling area for children. Lozari beach has the most space, with 1.5 km of sand in front of a Conservatoire du littoral site.
Are there private beaches in L’Île-Rousse?
On L’Île-Rousse beach, in front of the Marinella promenade, beach establishments hire out sunbeds and parasols on part of the sand. We did not find their terms online: ask on site.
Which beach is between Calvi and L’Île-Rousse?
Bodri beach, 3 km from L’Île-Rousse: the Botri stop on the Balagne train is 35 minutes from Calvi, and the sand is five minutes away on foot. By car, allow about half an hour from Calvi, outside summer and without stops.
Is Lozari beach dangerous?
No official text describes it as either safe or dangerous. The tourist office describes a gentle slope and a supervised area in summer at the Casa di Losari end, without dates: ask the commune of Belgodère for them. Elsewhere on Lozari beach, no lifeguard station is listed.