Sanguinaires islands and gulf

Bronze light washes over porphyry boulders, the air smells of strawberry tree after rain, and surf snaps below the 16th‑century Genoese tower at La Parata. Late in the day the Sanguinaires chain—Mezu Mare foremost—stands out in relief, while ribbons of posidonia appear between coves. The D111 winds 12 km from Place Foch along Ajaccio’s gulf past local favorites like Saint‑François and Marinella, then pushes to the point. One overlooked fact: captains used the islands’ alignment as a daymark long before General Alphonse Juin’s lighthouse (1870) on Mezu Mare.

From there, the logistics fade away: your driver meets you at the hotel, Mercedes at the door, and sets the pace to match light and wind. Departing Ajaccio with a private chauffeur, you pause where it counts—lookouts on the Sanguinaires road, the Parata footpath, a quick coffee by the old silver mine (Capo di Feno is 15 minutes if seas behave)—while they handle traffic, parking, and timing. You tour, taste a slice of finucciettu or grab a Géronimi gelato, shoot your frames, and arrive at the point about 30 minutes before sunset; the ride back to town takes roughly 25 minutes.