Lavezzi Islands

The Lavezzi are low granite islands in the strait between Corsica and Sardinia, weathered into rounded boulders and slabs with clear shallow water between them; the whole group is a nature reserve, part of a marine park shared with Italy, where anchoring, fishing and camping are controlled. Two cemeteries on the main island hold victims of the frigate Semillante, which struck the rocks in a storm in February 1855 while carrying troops to the Crimea and was lost with all aboard, around seven hundred and seventy-three people. The water is exceptionally clear and snorkelling over the granite is the usual reason to come.

History

On 15 February 1855 the French frigate Sémillante was wrecked on the archipelago, and two memorial cemeteries on the island of Lavezzu hold the remains of its victims. In 1952 the islands were the setting for Brigitte Bardot's film Manina, la fille sans voiles (Wikipedia, Lavezzi archipelago).

What you'll find

• The granite boulders - rounded rock slabs and clear shallow water.
• The Semillante cemeteries - graves of those lost in the 1855 wreck.
• The snorkelling - clear water over rock and seagrass in the reserve.
• The strait - Sardinia visible across the water.

When to go

May to June and September; boats run roughly April to October and cancel in wind, which is frequent in the strait. Visitor numbers are capped in summer.

Good to know

There is no shade, no fresh water and no facilities on the islands; everything must be carried. Boats are cancelled often for wind. Reserve rules prohibit taking anything, including stones.

Nearby

Bonifacio is the departure point; Sardinia lies across the strait.

Key facts