Lavezzi Islands (Îles Lavezzi)

The Lavezzi Islands are a small granite archipelago in the Strait of Bonifacio, within the Bouches de Bonifacio nature reserve at the southern tip of Corsica. The islands are low, uninhabited and covered in rounded pink and grey granite boulders sculpted by wind and sea, with sparse scrub rather than trees. Lavezzu, the largest island, has a beach of pale sand with turquoise shallows, and the water is clear enough that snorkelling over rock and seagrass beds is among the main activities. A cemetery on the island holds the graves of victims of the 1855 wreck of the frigate La Sémillante, which sank in the strait with the loss of more than 700 lives, and a stone memorial marks the site. The reserve protects seabirds, marine life and fragile vegetation, so visitors follow marked paths and may not take stones, shells or plants. Access is only by licensed boat from the marina at Bonifacio, with operators running half-day trips that last three to five hours and typically depart in the morning and early afternoon between April and October. Tickets run about €18 to €25 per adult. Landings are short, usually one to two hours on the island, long enough for a walk, a swim and photographs of the boulders and sea. There are no shops, cafés or shade structures, so water, food and sun protection must be carried. July and August are very busy, and boats can feel crowded, although the sea is usually calm. May, June and September give clearer water and smaller groups. Rough weather and strong winds in the strait can cancel departures, so the trip is best planned with flexibility.