Plage de Mare e Sole

Plage de Mare e Sole, also called Plage d'Argent, is a beach of very fine, pale sand on the Bay of Verghia, on the southern shore of the Gulf of Ajaccio in Corse-du-Sud. It is shared between the communes of Pietrosella and Coti-Chiavari, about 30 minutes by road from Ajaccio, and suits families and snorkellers who want calm water on the quieter side of the gulf.

Silver sand, gentle slope and posidonia

The second name, Silver Beach, comes from the bright, powder-fine sand. The bay is sheltered, and the sandy seabed slopes gently, so the water is calm and easy to walk into. Rocks at each end and posidonia meadows offshore draw fish, which makes the beach a good snorkelling spot; bring a mask and stay close to the rocks. The beach is described as unsupervised, so swim with a companion and watch children closely.

Cows in the pines

Free-roaming cows are a familiar sight here. They wander through the pine wood behind the beach and now and then onto the sand, as they do in many rural parts of Corsica. Keep food packed away and give them room.

A 15-minute trail to the 1608 Genoese tower

North of the beach, the Isolella peninsula is topped by a Genoese tower, the Torra di l'Isuledda, built around 1608 and restored in 1970. A family-friendly trail of about 15 minutes leads up to it, and from the top you look across the gulf to Ajaccio and the Sanguinaires islands. In summer a night market runs on Wednesdays at the Espace Isolella, and the Pietrosella tourist office is at the Isolella roundabout.

Sunbed hire and gaps in published facilities

Beach restaurants rent sunbeds and parasols in season. Information on public showers and toilets differs between sources, so bring what you need. A Corsican beach guide notes no facilities adapted for wheelchair users. Sources also disagree on dogs, so check the signs at the entrance before bringing one in summer.