Pinarello Beach (Sainte-Lucie-de-Porto-Vecchio): tips and photos

Why go to Pinarello

Pinarello lies at the head of a gulf that opens to the east, about fifteen kilometres north of Porto-Vecchio, in the commune of Zonza. About 2 km of sand run from one end of the gulf to the other: first along a pine wood, then in front of a small seaside village. Opposite, at the mouth of the gulf, an island carries a square Genoese tower.

Everything is easy here: you park close to the sand, the water stays shallow for a long way out, and the village has its restaurants and cafés. It is a good choice for a family day out, less than half an hour from Porto-Vecchio. In summer, the gulf also fills with boats at anchor.

Type of beach: sand, water and swimming

The sand is white and fine (Agence du tourisme de la Corse), on a fairly narrow strip backed by the pine wood to the south and by houses to the north. The southern part faces east-north-east: the sun rises over the sea, and the pines at the back of the beach give shade.

The water is clear, calm and shallow for a long way out: the tourist board and the Porto-Vecchio tourist office both point this out for young children. According to recent averages (2023-2025) from the Open-Meteo Marine dataset, the sea offshore is around 19 °C in May, 23 °C in June, 27 °C in July and August, 25 °C in September, and still 22 °C in October.

Neither the commune nor the tourist office lists a lifeguard station at Pinarello for 2026. Check with the town hall in Zonza, and swim at your own risk.

The parts of the beach

At the southern end, the longest part, about 1.3 km, follows the pine wood. The car parks line the road, a few minutes from the sand. The beach ends against the rocks of Capu di Fora, facing the island; beyond the point, small coves of sand and rock follow one another.

In the centre, the village clusters around the chapel of Saint-Joseph and a small harbour: pontoons, a slipway, and restaurants and cafés along the beach. This is where the amenities are.

At the northern end, Pinareddu beach, about 600 m long, runs past the houses to the rocks that separate it from Vardiola.

The island, the tower and the ponds

Pinarellu island, at the southern entrance to the gulf, carries a square tower completed in 1591 to keep watch over the coast. It has been listed as a historic monument since 1992 (Mérimée database). Information about access to the island is contradictory: we cannot promise that you will be able to go up, but the tower can be seen from the whole beach.

The island belongs to the Conservatoire du littoral (the public body that protects the French coastline), which also protects land south of the gulf, and together with the islet of Roscana it forms a Natura 2000 site. Behind the southern part of the beach, the pine wood hides the Padulatu and Padulu Tortu ponds, as well as another pond further north, crossed by a wooden footbridge. The dune and the ponds are protected as the Natura 2000 site Pinarellu : dunes et étangs de Padulatu et Padulatu Tortu; the northern part, by the village, is not included. Stay on the paths and take your rubbish away with you.

When to go

June and September give you a warm sea and plenty of room, on the sand and in the car parks. In July and August, the tourist office advises arriving early to find a parking space; late afternoon is quieter. The gulf opens to the east: in an easterly wind, the sea gets up and the water turns cloudy. Check the marine forecast the day before.