The Lion of Roccapina
A granite rock shaped like a lion lying down, above a white-sand beach on the road from Sartène to Bonifacio.
On the road from Sartène to Bonifacio, a bend reveals the bay of Roccapina: a white-sand beach, clear water and, above it, a pink granite rock shaped like a lion lying down and facing the sea. Erosion alone carved it. On the neighbouring ridge, a 17th-century Genoese tower guards the entrance to the bay.
Photo : Myrabella, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The history and legend of the Lion of Roccapina
According to a legend told by the Agence du tourisme de la Corse, a lord whom the Barbary corsairs nicknamed ‘the lion’ was turned to stone after calling on death in front of a young woman who had rejected him.
Photo : Cqui, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The coast, on the other hand, really is dangerous: the Monachi reefs offshore have caused several shipwrecks.
Photo : Myrabella, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The Roccapina tower, begun in 1609 according to the French Ministry of Culture’s heritage record and Wikipedia, was one of the Genoese watchtowers along the coast. It has been listed as a historic monument since 1994.
Why go
For the photo, first of all, from the viewpoint: it is one of the best-known views in southern Corsica, and it only takes a stop of a few minutes. Late-afternoon light shows the lion’s outline best. If you have time, go down to the beach: it is less crowded than those around Porto-Vecchio and makes a good place for a swim, except in August.
Updated 30 October 2026
How to get there
The viewpoint
It is beside the RT40 between Sartène and Bonifacio: about 25 minutes from Sartène and 30 minutes from Bonifacio, outside summer and without stops (OSRM calculation). Park in the lay-by at the roadside, never on the bends.
The beach
A track leads down to the beach from the turning off the RT40 near an inn, according to the Agence du tourisme de la Corse (Corsica’s tourist board). It is narrow and bumpy: drive at walking pace, or go down on foot.
Rules and protection
The tower
The 17th-century Roccapina tower has been listed as a historic monument since 1994. Do not climb on its ruins or on the lion’s ‘crown’: the rocks are unstable.
The site
Do not camp, light fires or drive off the tracks: the coastline is fragile and the fire risk is high in summer. The use of fire is regulated by the Corse-du-Sud prefecture.
Safety and precautions
Swimming
The beach has no lifeguards. In a westerly wind the swell rolls into the bay, so stay close to the shore.
Heat
There is no shade on the beach or on the path to the tower. Take water and a hat in summer.
Stopping on the RT40
Traffic is fast on this stretch of road. Take care when crossing from the lay-by.
