Lion de Roccapina

Sartène

Between Sartène and Bonifacio, above the beach of Roccapina, an enormous rock of pink granite draws a lying lion, turned towards the sea: the lion of Roccapina. Wind, spray and rain have shaped it, more than thirty metres high according to a recent article in Journée mondiale; the Corsica tourist office also sees in it a man's face and an elephant's head. The visit-corsica sheet tells that, according to the legend, a Saracen lord, in despair over an impossible love, was petrified in this form. A local guide, Antoine Santoni, cited in the other article, reports that his grandfather described it as a magical guardian protecting the coast from invaders; this is a personal testimony and not an established tradition. The lion overlooks the gulf where stands a Genoese tower of the 16th century, now in ruins, built against Barbary raids. The beach, about 400 m between two rocky points, is said to have served as a refuge for fishermen and shepherds in the Middle Ages. Human presence there is said to be more than 8,000 years old, according to the same source, which is not scientific. The legend of the Saracen was found only in the tourist sheet.

Getting there: Free. Route territoriale 40 between Sartène and Bonifacio, car park then 15 min of path to the beach (sometimes steep); about 45 min to the Genoese tower. Coordinates: Wikidata (precision about 10 m), not verified on the ground.

Opening times and access details are given as a guide only: check before you set out.

Ambient sound