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Calanques de Piana Corsica – Boat + Road + Hikes + Tips (with photos)

Last updated on August 21, 2018 By Claire, the Travel Planning Geek

Classified by the Unesco, the Calanques de Piana Corsica are one of the highlights of any road trip around the island. The steep red cliffs offer magnificent landscapes that you can enjoy by car, on foot or by boat. Below is my complete guide to help you plan your visit.

Pin Calanques de Piana Corsica Travel France
Quick Navigation
About the Calanques Corsica
Calanques de Piana Corsica - Video
How to visit the calanques
Calanques de Piana Boat Tour
Piana Calanques Road 
Walking - Castle of Piana (Chateau de Piana)
Calanches de Piana - Capo Rosso Hike
The Piana Village
Ficajola - Beach inside the Calanques of Piana 
Where to stay to explore the calanques of Piana

Navigate back to the complete ​Corsica Travel Guide

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About the Calanques Corsica

What are the Calanques de Piana?

About the Calanques de Piana Corsica

The Calanques (also called calanches de Piana) are creeks and high cliffs of an intense orange / red color. They are located in the Gulf of Porto.
They are a geological formation made of red porphyry which is a magmatic rock (the origin of Corsica is volcanic).
This hard rock has been sculpted by the wind and sea to create a natural work of art.

Why are they so fascinating?

About the Calanques de Piana Corsica 2

This is due to the color and the shapes.
The rocks has intense nuances of pink, orange and red. This intensifies at sunset when the light is hitting low.
Plus, since it is a hard rock, it stands straight with fractures. Erosion has created large shapes that can remind us of mystical animals.
This is quite mesmerizing to watch!


Calanques de Piana Corsica - Video

First of all, just in case you need convincing to visit this amazing Unesco site, here is my short video about exploring the Corsican Calanques.
And if you are already convinced, this will help you daydream even more about it LOL.

I hope you understand now why it is one of the best places to visit in Corsica, the jewel of Corsica Tourism!


How to visit the calanques

I am sharing many pictures of each way of admiring the calanques fr Corsica below in the article, but first I am explaining how you can organise your visit:

Calanques de Piana Map Corsica

Where are the Calanques de Piana Located?

  • On the Central West coast of Corsica
  • Southern part of the Gulf of Porto
  • The whole area is only accessible by smaller road so driving times are quite long
  • Road D81 goes through them
  • Ajaccio to Piana - 1h45 drive
  • Calvi to Piana - 2h15 drive
  • Bastia to Piana - 3h30 drive

How to get there?

The best way is to stop in the region on a road trip around Corsica. Exploring with your own car is really the best option.

However if you are only for a short time in Corsica and staying in Ajaccio, you can book a full day boat tour departing directly from the Ajaccio marina - Check out program

Back to driving.
You can find all the locations, planning tips and GPS coordinates in my 3 ebooks:

Corsica ebook cover small

7 Maps, 130 locations, 220+ photos
to facilitate planning
+ GPS coord.+ Tips to make the most of your time

Learn More

North Corsica ebook cover small

5 Maps, 85+ locations, 150+ photos
to facilitate planning
+ GPS coord.+ Tips to make the most of your time

Learn More

South Corsica ebook cover small

7 Maps, 85+ locations, 150+ photos
to facilitate planning
+ GPS coord.+ Tips to make the most of your time

Learn More

Best way to see the Calanques de Piana

You have 3 options to visit them:

  • Just drive the main road through the cliffs
  • Stop and complete one of the hikes to see the formations up-close
  • Take a 1h30 min boat tour from Porto Ota all the way to under the tower of Capo Rosso
How to visit the Calanques de Piana Corsica

I enjoyed all 3 and will introduce each with pictures further in the article, but the boat is how you actually realize how to landscape is shaped and how big the area is.
I think you should not miss the occasion to take such a boat tour. 
I opted for a large boat to feel comfortable moving around and taking pictures. It was fantastic! Book your seat here
And if you really really love rock formations I recommend you combine it with a Scandola Reserve tour - Book Scandola at the same time here

Timing to explore the region -  Where to stay

  • I recommend 2 to 4 days to explore the region. It is really worth it.
  • The easiest is to stay at Piana or Porto, but Cargèse is also a good option if you want to also enjoy nice beaches. The drive will be a little longer each day.
  • If you want to really enjoy the view Hotel Capo Rosso  is very well located within Piana - Check out pictures
  • Otherwise check out the accommodations in Piana and the accommodations in Porto ota
  • More suggestions at the end of my article

Calanques de Piana Boat Tour

Let's start with the fantastic tour that takes you on a boat from Porto Ota along the cliffs all the way to Capo Rosso

About the Boat

The tour departs from the marina at Porto Ota.
Several companies propose tours. But I opted for a larger hybrid boat (and paid entirely for my tour).
This is way more comfortable that the small speedboats and you can move around, front, back and top deck to take pictures. Plus there is a protected section if it rains.
You can book the same tour as mine here for just the Calanques or get combined tour with Piana and Scandola by booking here (suggested combination after clicking show availability)

Calanques de Piana Corsica Boat tour
Calanques de Piana Boat tour Corsica

My planning tips

  • Pick a tour late afternoon so that the colors are more intense, it is better for photography
  • Bring binoculars to see the details and spot the birdlife - see my buying guide
  • Go even if the weather is not good - the sea might be calmer and the clouds are better to see all the details in the cliffs
  • For this tour, both sides of the boat are good, but we spend more time on the way to Capo Rosso, so we saw more, sitting on the left side of the boat

About the views of the Calanques in photos

The boat first takes you out of Porto Ota. You can see the famous square tower, a rare occurence on the island.

Boat tour from Porto ota

And soon after you get up close and personal with the cliffs. Some sections have a mix of pink and grey rocks.

Calanques de Piana Corsica Boat tour

You can clearly see the strates in the rocks.
Inside the cracks grow many plants. One of them is the rare Dianthus gyspergerae.

Calanques de Piana Corsica Boat tour 2

The very straight and steep shapes of those cliffs is due to the fact that the granite rock is very hard. So erosion is not making it break so easily and it remains huge and sound.

Calanques de Piana Corsica Boat tour 3
Calanques de Piana Corsica Boat tour 4

The calanques are creating like a mini mountain range with a V shape. The highest point reaches 698m. So you can imagine how impressive these straight cliffs are as you approach the bottom of them with the boat.

Calanques de Piana Corsica Boat tour 5

Rare birds are enjoying this environment as much as we do. With saw large nests set up on top of peaks and spotted this one little bird on the picture below (which is why I am advising to bring binoculars...)

Calanques de Piana Corsica Boat tour 6

Sometimes a few seastacks appear near the cliffs. They are made of the same colorful rock.

Calanques de Piana Corsica Boat tour 7

The erosion by the sea has created some cavities and cracks. It makes the experience even more fun looking through them.

Calanques de Piana Corsica Boat tour 8
Calanques de Piana Corsica Boat tour 9

The boat goes all the way to the cliffs under Capo Rosso. This is the last summit on the picture below. It reaches 330m (1080ft) in elevation. It is the highest cliffs in Corsica.
At the top is the Tower of Turghju but because of the cloud we can't see it. There is a nice hike that gets you there (more info later in the article).

Calanques de Piana Corsica Boat tour 10

Definitively one of the best things to do in Corsica (see my list)


Piana Calanques Road 

The classic way to experience the Calanques is through the only road cut in the rock. Anyway if you are coming from Ajaccio to Porto Ota, you have no choice but to take that road (unless you detour via the mountains through Vico and Evisa).

About the Calanques Road

Calanques de Piana Road

Road D81 cut through the red cliffs. North of Piana the sinuous drive for 2 to 3 kilometers is quite impressive.
In some section it is not large enough to cross path with larger vehicles. This is why there are passing places regularly cut in the rock. Those are not parking spots! I have seen people leave their car unattended there and then  it blocks traffic.

Tips to visit the Calanques by road

Calanques de Piana Road 4
Calanques de Piana Road 5
  • Best to go really early to avoid having any traffic and to have time to enjoy the drive
  • The best colors are late afternoon / Sunset, but the road is still quite busy because everyone has the same idea (especially with the Summer crowds)
  • Towards the end of the road is the panorama café of Les Roches Bleus. It is a great place to stop (if the carpark is not full...)
  • I recommend to drive it in Both direction to see different views. On the way North you will better see the cuts and cliffs. On the way South you can better see how the Calanques spread below the road 

Pictures of the Piana Calanques Road

It is really difficult to find words to describe the area and the views. So better to show you in pictures:

Calanques de Piana Road 2
Calanques de Piana Road 3
Calanques de Piana Road 6

And sometimes you can see the gulf of Porto with the Scandola Reserve in the background:

Calanques de Piana Road  - gulf of Porto

It is great by any weather. Even in the fog! 

Calanques de Piana Corsica in the fog

The little building in the picture below is the café les Roches Bleues with a panorama terrace:

Calanques Piana café les roches bleues

Walking - Castle of Piana (Chateau de Piana)

About the Castle of Piana Walk + Tips

The most famous walk in the are is ' château de Piana' (Castle of Piana) or the walk 'tête du chien' (Dog's head). It starts in a lower section near the calanques with 3 carparks. The "Château" is not a castle, don't expect much. It just refers to a square rock... But it offers beautiful views!
Officially the tour is rated as Easy and last 1h. Well nobody who did it at the same time as us agreed with that assessment.
I would plan 1h30 and consider it a moderate hike, especially after rain. The narrow rocky path can get quite slippery!

Carpark calanques Piana

Tête de Chien carpark

Beginning castle walk Piana

Beginning castle walk Piana

My recommendations are:

  • Do this walk early or late in Summer. It gets busy and the carparks fill up quickly - Plus the path is not large and having to cross path with people every 30 seconds is annoying
  • Wear proper hiking shoes and bring water
  • If you don't feel like doing the whole path, you can walk the first section under the trees to the very impressive rock I call the 'Eagle' (see further below). This is easy and takes only 10min.

The walk in pictures

The walk starts in the forest of Piana where you can find some large boulders. There is even one that looks like a hand.
I really enjoyed seeing such a different aspect of the area. The place looks almost mystical.
The forest is mostly composed of maritime pines which can live up to 150 years and reach 20 to 30m in height.

Chateau de Piana Walk 1
Chateau de Piana Walk 2

My favorite rock formation in the calanques is what I call the 'Eagle' because I first thought about this animal when seeing it. But now that I look at it more and I am not sure why... But it is fun to have everyone imagine their own animals or fantasy creatures in those rocks.
See the size of my dad next to the rock. It is a really tall cut out!

Chateau de Piana Walk 3
Chateau de Piana Walk 4

A little after you can see the valley between the peaks.

Chateau de Piana Walk 7

The path is simple at the beginning but then it goes down steep with a big rocks making the path: 

Chateau de Piana Walk 5
Chateau de Piana Walk 6

I had a sprain at my ankle so it was really too difficult for me to keep going. But my brother did the whole hike and took a picture of the view at the end for me:

Chateau de Piana Walk 8

More hikes around Piana - Map

As I said this is the main hike in the area. But ere are a few more around. The map is visible at the Tête de Chien carpark. The light green line is the path I just shared with you, the one that gets closer to the water.

Hiking map Piana

Calanches de Piana - Capo Rosso Hike

Another very famous hike in the area is Capo Rosso.

About the Capo Rosso hike

It is a longer hike of moderate level. It takes 4 hours return to complete (even though it is indicated 3hours - everybody should be ironmen to stick with their timing!).

Calanques Corsica - Capo Rosso hike carpark
Calanques Corsica - Capo Rosso hike carpark starting point

The path allows you to get all the way to the tower of Capo Rosso (built in 1608) which you can see on the picture below (on the highest point).
You can see the landscape in that same picture which shows you that the path is rarely flat. It keeps going up and down.

And the last part to get up to the tower at 330m is rocky, slippery and a little difficult.

Calanques Corsica - Capo Rosso hike carpark

For that view from Capo Rosso Tower

But the end view is worth the effort. On clear days, you can see the steep cliffs and the chains of mountains that make Corsica so famous!

Calanques Corsica - Capo Rosso hike carpark view

The Piana Village

You can also stop at the Piana village to explore is charming streets with old houses. It has the red rocks of the Calanques in the background and is facing the Gulf of Porto and the Scandola reserve.
I must admit it is not the most charming villages I have seen in Corsica but its location makes it really special.

village of Piana Corsica

Its baroque church as a square belle tower and inside you can see some typical Corsican frescoes.

village of Piana Corsica 2

Ficajola - Beach inside the Calanques of Piana 

Inside the calanques, you can only find one beach. It is called Ficajola. 
It is a very small creek with not much sand but quite unique with the high pink cliffs around.
To get there, you have to take the road towards Arone and make a right turn into a narrow sinuous road for 4 kilometers hoping not to cross path with anyone.
And then you must walk for 10 to 15min to get to the beach.

Despite the difficult access, it is very crowded in Summer....

Ficajola Beach Piana Corsica

Where to stay to explore the calanques of Piana

3 main options to stay in the region

Staying in Piana

Piana hotel

Pros:

  • Perfect location for everything about the Calanques and to access Arone beach
  • Several accommodations with great views of the rocks and gulf.

Cons:

  • Small village - not much to do otherwise
  • Systematic difficult return to hotel with winding roads

Accommodation Suggestions:

  • Hotel Capo Rosso with a swimming pool and views you will never forget - Check out photos and availability
  • The historical Hotel Les Roches Rouges (from 1912) - a large building facing the ocean. Fantastic views all around and delicious food  - Check out photos and availability
  • or check out all accommodations in Piana

Staying in Porto Ota

Porto Ota hotel

Pros:

  • Perfect location for the boat trip and to explore around: North to Scandola, South to Piana and inland towards Evisa!
  • Lots of restaurants to enjoy

Cons:

  • Because it is down at sea level, the views are limited
  • Touristic only, no charm

Accommodation Suggestions:

  • Capu Seninu apartments and their balconies with views (and private parking) - Check out photos and availability
  • La Calypso, right by the water with view of the marina - Check out photos and availability
  • or check out all accommodations in Porto Ota
Porto ota corsica

Staying in Cargèse

Pros:

  • Close to several nice sandy beaches such as Stagnoli
  • Quieter, more relax beach holiday ambience

Cons:

  • 25min extra drive to reach Piana
  • Nice water views but no sunset over the calanques from the room

Accommodation Suggestions:

  • check out all accommodations in Cargèse
Cargese Corsica

Planning a road trip in Corsica?
Check out my ebooks with maps and all the best locations to facilitate the planning of your trip!

Corsica ebook cover small

7 Maps, 130 locations, 220+ photos
to facilitate planning
+ GPS coord.+ Tips to make the most of your time

Learn More

North Corsica ebook cover small

5 Maps, 85+ locations, 150+ photos
to facilitate planning
+ GPS coord.+ Tips to make the most of your time

Learn More

South Corsica ebook cover small

7 Maps, 85+ locations, 150+ photos
to facilitate planning
+ GPS coord.+ Tips to make the most of your time

Learn More


Want to see more of CORSICA?

PREVIOUS: 

THINGS TO DO IN GULF OF PORTO CORSICA

NEXT: 

SCANDOLA NATURE RESERVE BOAT TRIP

Tourism Corsica Travel Guide

How are you going to explore them?

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Comments

  1. Tudor says

    August 25, 2018 at 11:52 PM

    Amazingly useful website, thank you so much for sharing all of this info with us!

    Reply
  2. Ranj says

    July 9, 2019 at 8:03 PM

    Super useful website! Thank you so much for doing this and sharing it with all.
    Couldn’t have done our 2 week Road trip without it!

    Reply
    • Claire, the Travel Planning Geek says

      July 9, 2019 at 9:37 PM

      Hi Ranj
      Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment.
      I am glad it was useful.
      Happy travels!

      Reply

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