Page 286 - Lonely Planet France’s Best Trips (Travel Guide)

Eating & Sleeping

The Domaine also offers picnic facilities and
Ajaccio 1 horse-riding excursions for guests. From
Sartène’s town square, follow the green signs
5 Le 20123 Traditional Corsican €€ 3.5km towards Granace.
(%04 95 21 50 05; www.20123.fr; 2 rue du Roi
de Rome; menu €35; h7-11pm Tue-Sun) This
fabulous, one-of-a-kind eatery started life in the Bonifacio 4
village of Pila Canale (postcode 20123, get it?), Corsican €
and when the owner upped sticks to Ajaccio, he 5 Kissing Pigs
decided to take the old village with him – water (%04 95 73 56 09; 15 quai Banda del Ferro;
pump, washing line, life-sized dolls in traditional mains €11-23, menus €20-22; hnoon-2.30pm
dress, central square and all. It may sound & 7-10.30pm Tue-Sun) Soothingly positioned by
tacky, but you won’t find many more character- the harbour, this widely acclaimed restaurant
filled places in Corsica. Everyone feasts on the and wine bar serves savoury fare in a seductively
same four-course menu, built solely from local cosy interior, complete with wooden fixtures
produce and traditional recipes, and, amazingly, and swinging sausages. It’s famed for its cheese
unchanged for 25 years. and charcuterie platters; for the indecisive, the
combination moitié-moitié (half-half) is perfect.
4 Hôtel Marengo Hotel € The Corsican wine list is another hit.
(%04 95 21 43 66; www.hotel-marengo.com; 2 Hotel €€
rue Marengo; d €78-98; hApr-Oct; aW) For 4 Hôtel Le Colomba
something near to the sand, try this charmingly (%04 95 73 73 44; www.hotel-bonifacio-corse.
eccentric small hotel. Rooms have a balcony, fr; 4-6 rue Simon Varsi; d €112-167; aW)
there’s a quiet flower-filled courtyard and Occupying a tastefully renovated 14th-century
reception is an agreeable clutter of tasteful building, this hotel enjoys a prime location on a
prints and personal objects. Find it down a cul- picturesque (steep) street, bang in the heart of
de-sac off bd Madame Mère. the old town. Rooms are simple and smallish,
but fresh and individually decorated with
4 Hôtel San Carlu Citadelle Hotel €€ amenities including wrought-iron bedsteads,
(%04 95 21 13 84; www.hotel-sancarlu.com; 8 bd country fabrics, carved bedheads and/or
Danièle Casanova; d €85-157, f €158-248; aW) checkerboard tiles. Other pluses include
PROVENCE & SOUTHEAST FRANCE 25 SOUTHERN SEDUCTION EN CORSE
Located smack opposite the citadel, this cream- friendly staff and breakfast served in a medieval
coloured town house with oyster-grey shutters vaulted cellar.
is a solid bet. Rooms are clean and modern and
views get better with every floor. Traffic noise
could be an issue for light sleepers. The family Plage de Palombaggia 5
room sleeps up to five comfortably.
5 Tamaricciu Mediterranean €€
(%04 95 70 49 89; www.tamaricciu.com; plage
Sartène 3 de Palombaggia; mains €16-32; h12.30-6pm
May–mid-Jun & Sep–mid-Oct, to 10.30pm mid-
4 Domaine de Croccano B&B €€ Jun–Aug) Among the various beach restaurants
(%04 95 77 11 37; www.corsenature.com; rte scattered along the Palombaggia sands south
de Granace/D148, km 3; d €92-120, q €142-180; of Porto-Vecchio, Tamaricciu has that hip
hJan-Nov; aW) This charming stone St-Tropez-chic touch. With its wooden decking
farmhouse, set among 10 hectares of rolling terrace and first-class views of the turquoise
maquis, makes a blissful getaway for those surf, dining really does not get better than this.
seeking end-of-the-road tranquillity. The rooms Cuisine is Mediterranean, with lots of grilled fish
are very old-fashioned but the welcome couldn’t and meat and pasta, all beautifully presented.
be warmer, and the pastoral views are stunning.

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