Casa di Legna

Wood Takes the Lead

Its ingenious, vertically-louvered, accordion wood window treatments sliding open to reveal full frontal Mediterranean views that keep the sea center-stage even when shut, this reimagined coastal villa casts wood as its design lead, distinguishing it from most Corsican getaways. The creative collaboration of architect Gilles Terrazzoni and interior designer/owner Angélique Buisson, the notable natural villa reigns over the rugged Corsican coastline with outdoor areas built organically around boulders and fragrant Mediterranean landscaping.

Lauded by Elle Décoration, this wood-over-stone seafront escape is a textural triumph perched over Corsica’s azure Santa Giulia Bay with a wood decked infinity pool mimicking the Mediterranean in its forefront. A celebration of the island’s natural materials, the designer villa, a thoughtful remodel of a 1960s era brutalist-inspired space, immerses residents in a textural interplay of wood, stone, linen and clay. Owner/designer Buisson, whose connection to the Island dates from childhood, designed the centenary oak library separating the villa's entry from the open plan living area. Signed pieces fill the rooms, including a living room ensemble by the collective Kar Studios, an organic, gouged wood dining table and benches by Denis Milovanov (Galerie Armel Soyer) and clay bead lamps by the South African designers of Mud Studio. 

Bedrooms have from shaded wood terraces and private baths of Moroccan zelig tiles outfitted with Japanese “Ofuro” tubs in cedar by Maomi. An alfresco dining pergola is made private by billowing, coconut fiber drapery signed La Scourtenerie that melds unobtrusively with the rustic, Mediterranean garden elements, and an outdoor lounge under the trees features teak furnishings plumped with pillows by Libeco and Misia and lit by recycled paper suspension lamps inspired by fishermen’s nets created by Best Before. Artworks include Christian Caulas sculptures, paintings by Aleksandar Bezinovic, and the ceramic works of Catherine Dix.

AROUND

Set above the Bay of San Guilia with direct beach and Mediterranean Sea access, the villa occupies coastline in Southern Corsica near the town of Porto Vecchio. A petanque court and sun-drenched wood pool deck make staying at home easy, and yoga, massage, child care, an in-home chef, and boat rental are available by reservation. Snorkeling equipment makes the quick trip to the beach a leading activity and the lagoon-like Plage Santa Giulia presents shallow, crystalline waters ideal for swimming and splashing, plus waterfront cafes and a popular fishing pier. The white sand Palombaggia beach of Porto Vecchio hugs a coastal inlet and is regarded as one of the prettiest on the Isle of Beauty. Actually a string of multiple beaches covering a sandy 15 kilometer stretch, with sparkling coves divided by massive terracotta-toned rock outcroppings and seaside maquis shrubs, Palombaggia offers views on the protected isles of Cerbiales framed by postcard perfect umbrella pines that reflect in the vivid turquoise waters. 

Nearby Porto Vecchio is the only major town on Corsica’s southeast coastline, a dramatic, ancient, hilltop community built around an imposing, 16th century citadel and its sturdy ramparts. The Genoese citadel and the labyrinthine Old Town radiating outward from it overlook a more modern, yacht filled marina, one of Europe’s most distinguished harbors. Abuzz with artisanal food purveyors, handicraft boutiques, and specialty shops, Porto Vecchio is known for its busy café, restaurant and tavern scenes both within the Old Town and along its gleaming marina. Ancient stone buildings built barely arm’s length apart create a maze in the picturesque town center, punctuated by the Place de la Republique with its sentinel church tower. Head north out of Porto Vecchio to the headland known as Cala Rossa or drive south to experience Rondinara, a natural, horseshoe-shaped bay flanked by pines and protected by a neighboring nature reserve.

LOCATION

Nearest airport: Figari Sud, 30 minutes; Bastia, 2 hours, Ajaccio, 2 hours

BEST TIME TO VISIT: April to October