Entre Mer et Montagnes

Between Land and Sea: A Mediterranean Mountain Getaway in Wild, Rugged Corsica

You get both stunning mountain vistas and a rustic Mediterranean fix at this villa built into the wild Corsican landscape near the Mediterranean coastal city of Calvi. The outpost is tucked into a fragrant, maquis-clad, boulder-pocked slope with a small, scenic pond on site, and it seems secluded despite the fact that it’s a 15-minute drive to the beach.

A square dipping pool of 3m x 3m punctuates its deliciously wild, panoramic lot, and the home’s outdoor landscape is zigzagged with footpaths and dramatic terraces for lounging and dining at both ground level and on varied height rooftops.

This elemental retreat’s interior offers a smooth, simple haven. Clean lines create a blank canvas for three serene double bedrooms and two bathrooms with walk-in showers. There’s also an easygoing, open-plan and open-to-the outdoors living, kitchen and dining area with jagged mountain silhouettes as the backdrop. The villa’s crisp styling features low-key adornments like pampas grass, straw pendant lamps, skin and Moroccan rugs, and beds laid with earth-toned linens in natural fibers.

The home's many terraces were designed for true integration into Corsica’s wild natural beauty. Stone walled decks stretch out for yoga and sunbathing, built-in sofas top rock walls, and several outdoor living and dining terraces join panoramic rooftop patios, all encircled by Corsica’s wild inland peaks.

Please note: Due to its unsecured pair of roof terraces, the house is not suitable for children under 10 years of age. Pets are allowed. Photo shoots accepted.

Around

Secluded in the trees, shrubs and dramatic rocks of the mountains outside of Moncale, this home is set at the end of a path, some three kilometers from the nearest village, and secluded within fragrant shrubs, native cacti and twisting trees. The beaches of Calvi and the turquoise Mediterranean are reachable in a quick 15-minute drive, and a freshwater swimming hole is steps from the home, with water gently cascading down dinosaur-sized boulders.

The village of Moncale is built into a mountain with breathtaking views and a lost-in-time atmosphere at the crossroads of two mountain streams. Olive trees and Corsica’s legendary maquis cover the hillsides here, and the land produces olive oil, honey, and hearty mountain cheese. Red tile roofs top the triple and quadruple story townhouse-styled buildings, and typical of traditional Corsican villages, there’s a central church, fountain and even an ancient wash house. Corsica’s rugged GR 20 hiking trail that crosses the island passes near the property, and is regarded by hikers as one of the world’s top treks for its spectacular mountain-to-sea scenery. Rushing rivers are only about 15 minutes by car.

Calvi, with its white-sand beaches is only 15 minutes from the house. The cobbled town has rose-tinted and classically pastel-shade homes topped by red tile roofs, and dozens of outdoor cafes and along its pretty alleyways. The Calvi marina is home to gleaming yachts and pretty sailboats, and the Quai Landry is lined with bars and restaurants in view of the water under soaring palms. The town’s famed Citadel tops a hill over the water, too, a medieval ruin with big views of the Mediterranean coastline. Beyond Calvi’s pretty, coved beaches, the Scandola Nature Reserve is not to be missed. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage Site accessible only by boat, a place of steep red cliffs and sharp volcanic rock, and a beautiful shoreline of grottos, coves and talc and stony beaches.

Location

Moncale, Corsica, France. Nearest airport: Calvi (15 minutes)

Best time to visit

May to October