Propriano has a harbour, beaches a few minutes away and the whole Gulf of Valinco around it. All that's left is to choose where to stay: in town or above it, in a room or in a whole house. The right choice depends on what you are coming for. We'll help you decide, then show you what Casa Mare e Macchia, the guest house on the Route de la Corniche at the entrance to Propriano, has to offer.
Propriano in a nutshell: the harbour, the centre, the Gulf of Valinco
Photo: Agence Guddelmoni
Propriano lies at the head of the Gulf of Valinco. According to the Sartenais Valinco Taravo tourist office, the gulf's coastline runs from Cupabia beach in the north to the Campomoro headland in the south. In between: sandy beaches, hilltop villages, and the maquis climbing towards the mountains.
The town lives around its harbour. It is a commercial port run by the CCI de Corse (Corsica's chamber of commerce): Corsica Linea links it to Marseille three times a week all year round, with two extra calls in July. Fishing boats sit alongside the yachts, and the quays come alive after dark. You go down there for dinner, for a drink, or to board a boat for the coves in the south of the gulf.
Propriano is also the end point of the Mare a Mare Sud, the hiking route that comes from Porto-Vecchio across the Alta Rocca. If you finish the trail on foot, this is where you'll put down your pack.
Hotel, B&B or villa: what's the difference
Each option meets a different need. Four questions are enough to decide.
Who welcomes you?
At a hotel, a team and a reception desk. In a B&B, the owners welcome a few travellers themselves, in their own home: they know the coves, the places to eat, the roads, and they tell you about them. In a villa, you have the keys, and the organising is down to you.
How much space do you want?
A room is enough if there are two of you and you spend your days out. You then share the pool and the communal areas with the other guests. A villa gives you the living room, the kitchen and the terrace, all to yourselves: it's the right fit for four, or when you want time with no one else around.
Where do you want to dine?
Some like to go down into town every evening. Others prefer to dine where they sleep, without getting back in the car after a day on the road. Check whether there is somewhere to eat on site, and which evenings it is open.
What's included in the price?
Compare like with like: breakfast, housekeeping, parking, pool, beach towels. What's included varies from one place to the next. A low rate that leaves everything as an extra can end up costing more.
Staying above the gulf: the Casa Mare e Macchia guest house
Andrée and Alessandro built this contemporary house above the Gulf of Valinco to open it to a few guests. Andrée is a qualified architect (DPLG). Chef Alessandro Palmieri runs the table on the ground floor, L'Atelier des Sens.
The house has two 30 m² suites, each for two people. They are named after the two pugs of the house, Luna and Nina. Both have a queen bed, a walk-in shower, a dressing room and air conditioning. The heated saltwater infinity pool is open all year. Private parking and Wi-Fi are included, as are daily housekeeping and beach towels. Breakfast is optional: €25 per person, a buffet chosen à la carte, served from 8am to 10.30am in the garden or in the large open kitchen.
We reply in French, English or Italian. The house welcomes children from the age of 12. Pets are not allowed.
Luna, level with the pool
Luna is on the first floor, level with the infinity pool. It has its own private sun loungers: a few steps down and you're in the pool, coffee at the water's edge. It's the suite for slow mornings. One more detail: check-out here is before 11am, instead of 10am for the rest of the house.
Nina, the top-floor terrace
Nina takes up the top floor. Its large private terrace, with its outdoor lounge, looks out to the sea on one side and the mountains on the other. In the evening, that's where you have your aperitif, facing the gulf. The pool and its sun loungers are still yours to use.
The whole villa, for four
You can also rent the whole villa: the two suites, the living room, the fitted kitchen, the large terrace, the garden and the infinity pool, for four guests at most, with two bathrooms. The two options share the same house: booking a suite blocks the villa, and the other way round.
With the villa, meals are not included: you have your own kitchen. On request, we prepare a picnic basket for a day in a cove. By reservation, the chef comes up to cook for you, at lunch or dinner. Cleaning is €50 per visit. On Airbnb, the villa has a rating of 5.0/5 from ten reviews and the “Guest Favourite” badge.
The villa is magnificent, the fittings top quality, the atmosphere luxurious, the setting intimate. The view is quite incredible.Laurence · Airbnb
By the harbour or above the town?
Staying on the harbour means having the quays on your doorstep, with their evening bustle. Staying above it means trading a few minutes' drive for the view and the quiet.
The house is on the Route de la Corniche, at the entrance to Propriano, above the gulf. You come in on the Ajaccio road, then climb. The centre and the harbour are three minutes away. Three of the town's beaches are a few minutes away: Mancinu, on the same road as the house; Puraja, a step from the centre, known for its sunsets; Arena Bianca, a little further towards Capu Lauroso. The nearest beach to the house is Baracci, a broad ribbon of sand facing west. The thermal baths of the Bains de Baracci are five minutes away.
A very beautiful house just before Propriano, magnificent view over the bay and the mountains.Claudia · Booking
We've covered the beaches of Propriano and the gulf in a separate article.
When to come?
The house's pool is heated and open all year. Nearby, several sites keep their own calendar:
- the prehistoric site of Filitosa is open from 1 April to 2 November;
- the Genoese tower at Campomoro can be visited from April to early October, with dates that change from one year to the next;
- the Bains de Baracci close for a technical break between November and March;
- the coves and the Bavella pass remain accessible, but in July and August, allow more time on the road.
The chef's table also changes its evenings with the season: this autumn, it is open on Mondays, Tuesdays and Saturdays. For your dates, the booking calendar is always up to date. Stays are two nights minimum, to be booked by the day before arrival at the latest. To plan your days, our guide to the area gives the driving times from the house.
Frequently asked questions
To explore the area, yes. All the times we give you are driving times from the house: three minutes to the centre and the harbour, a quarter of an hour to Sartène, twenty-five minutes to Campomoro or Filitosa, fifty-five minutes to the Bavella pass. The coves between Campomoro and Senetosa, on the other hand, are reached by sea or on foot.
Figari airport is about 55 km away, Ajaccio airport about 65 km. Allow an hour's drive in both cases. You can also arrive by ferry from Marseille, right into Propriano harbour. It's all set out in our article on getting to Propriano.
Yes, at L'Atelier des Sens, the chef's table on the ground floor. One single long table for 2 to 12 guests, at 8pm, by reservation. This autumn: on Mondays and Tuesdays, the five-course discovery menu at €55; on Saturdays, the seven-course Atelier des Sens menu at €95. The table is open to everyone, whether you are staying at the house or not.
Yes, from the age of 12. Each suite sleeps two, the villa four.
Book direct
The best price, no commission, access to every service in the house, and direct contact with Andrée and Alessandro.
