Scandola, Corsica

Scandola is an island, located on the French island Corsica, within Corsica Regional Park. The park and reserve has been recognized by the United Nations as a Natural World Heritage Site, and was inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1983.

The reserve has two sectors, the Elpa Nera inlet and the peninsula of Scandola. The jagged and sheer cliffs contain many grottos and are flanked by numerous stacks and almost inaccessible islets and coves, such as Tuara. The coastline is also noted for its red cliffs, some 900 metres high, sand beaches, and headlands.

Scandola is home to migrant birds such as the peregrine falcon, osprey and Eleonora falcon, with Cory's shearwater and Audouin's gull occurring in the littoral zone. The clear waters with their islets and inaccessible caves, host a rich marine life including coral, 450 seaweeds and red algae, which are not recorded anywhere else in France.

Things to See & Do

* Islets and caves
* Rock formations
* Marine life
* Bird watching
* Hidden coves and beaches

General Information

Cruise Season – Feb to Dec
Currency – Euro (€)
Language – French
Land Area – 9.19 km²
Population - 6,000 approx. (Calvi)
Electricity – 2 round pins European style
Time - GMT/UTC + one hour
International Country Telephone Code – + 33

Port Location – The port is located in the downtown area of Calvi.

Travel Links – Scandola is accessible by boat from Calvi (4 hrs).

It is possible to fly directly to Calvi from the UK using Air France. You can fly from Manchester, Birmingham, Gatwick, Heathrow and Edinburgh.

It is also possible to fly into Bastia and then make your way to Calvi; this is often necessary as there are rarely many flights directly into Calvi. During the summer a bus runs daily from Bastia to Calvi, which takes around 2 hours.

Several ferry routes are served from Calvi port, including Nice, France and Savona.