Anchorage

Anse de Portigliolo

Shelter: NE, E, SE, S, SW
Seabed: sand
Anchoring: Allowed

Sandy bay on the west coast of Corsica, south of Ajaccio, at the mouth of the Taravo river between Capu di Muru and Porto Pollo.

Beach

Guide

Approach and anchoring

Approach from the west on transit between Ajaccio and the Gulf of Valinco. Sand bottom with good holding. Shelter from NE through S to SW winds, fully exposed to the west, and to be avoided in a westerly swell. Space is limited by local mooring buoys and yellow swimming buoys; anchor on the sand alongside them, north of the sailing school channel and within the 300 m zone. Watch for large stones in the north-east of the sand area that snag the chain, and note that not all pale patches are clean sand. Keep clear of the Taravo river mouth where depth shoals rapidly.

Ashore

A small floating pontoon at the beach takes the tender, and a cave sells Corsican produce alongside a grocery, a bistro and the restaurant Chez Mico set in a garden above the bay. The long sand beach of around 2 km is backed by the Taravo plain, with a view of the Sanguinaires islands at sunset. Village of Serra-di-Ferro 3 km inland with a few shops.

Story

The beach was used as a landing zone by Free French commandos operating from Algiers during the liberation of Corsica in September 1943.

Key facts

Type: Anchorage
Coordinates: 41.79881, 8.73950 (41°47.93'N 8°44.37'E)
Country: France
Shelter: Sheltered from north-east, east, south-east, south, south-west winds
Seabed: sand
Anchoring: Allowed
Services: Beach
Boaters' rating: 3.7/5
Updated: October 15, 2026