Below a hilltop village in Cap Corse, a spectacular beach unfurls a long ribbon of black sand facing a turquoise sea. With its striking contrasts and wild atmosphere, Nonza beach is one of the most astonishing landscapes on the Isle of Beauty.
Located in northern Corsica, Nonza beach stretches out below the village of the same name, famous for its Paoline tower overlooking the sea. Its dark sand often intrigues visitors.
It actually comes from former mining residue linked to the operation of a quarry in Canari, the waste from which was gradually dispersed by the sea along this stretch of coastline.
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A spectacular black-sand beach below a hilltop village
From the winding road that crosses Cap Corse, the view appears all at once: an immense dark beach edged by a clear sea, dominated by steep cliffs and the village of Nonza clinging to the mountainside.
The best viewpoint remains the Paoline tower, built in the 18th century. From up there, the eye takes in the entire bay: the contrast between the black sand and the crystal-clear water creates an almost unreal landscape, particularly spectacular when the sun lights up the coast.
A landscape shaped by an industrial past
While the beach may seem almost exotic today, its origins lie in an industrial story. In the 20th century, a major asbestos mine operated in Canari, a few kilometres further north.
The waste from this activity was discharged into the sea. Over time, the currents carried these dark fragments, which gradually accumulated along the shore, forming this remarkable black-sand beach that stands in sharp contrast to the Mediterranean landscapes usually seen here.
A wild and almost unreal beach in Corsica
Despite its growing reputation, Nonza beach has retained a wild atmosphere. Vast and often swept by the wind, it remains largely untouched and has a real end-of-the-world feel.
Swimming there, weather permitting, takes place against the backdrop of a crystal-clear sea whose turquoise hues heighten the site’s singular beauty even further.
Between the cliffs, the hilltop village and this dark beach stretching as far as the eye can see, Nonza offers one of the most astonishing panoramas in Corsica.
