Les Bergeries de Palombaggia

Rooms

The bedrooms are scattered about, a few in the main house, the rest in the garden. Most have the same simple elegance: white walls, high ceilings, terracotta floors, soft throws on super-comfy beds. You get sofas or comfy armchairs, flatscreen TVs, then waffled robes, fancy oils and tubs and showers in pretty bathrooms; there’s air-conditioning, too. Best of all is your private terrace. Glass doors open onto it and you’ll find loungers, wicker armchairs or perhaps a sofa, perfect for lazy afternoons. Most rooms have sea views.

Patio Rooms are the cheapest, but they're lovely; they’re not huge, and don’t have sea views, but they have large courtyards which act as a sitting room in the sun, so you get plenty of space. They're the closest rooms to the road, a small windy lane that serves the peninsula. We stayed in low season when the road was empty, but that’s probably not the case in summer. Not that you should worry unduly. These are great rooms.

The Sea View Rooms have lovely terraces, your privacy coming from walls of lush green foliage. The rooms themselves are nice and big with sofas or armchairs inside and relaxed wicker chairs on the terraces (the Deluxe rooms have sun loungers, too), all of which encourages you to put your feet up. We had one of these and loved it.

The Panoramic Rooms are in the main house. They have lovely shaded balconies made from rustic wood, which have the best views in the house. They are above the pool, so you may hear chatter from below.

Finally, the Junior Sea View Suites and Deluxe Sea View Suites, hidden away in peace, have large terraces gazing down to the water. Inside, driftwood furniture, doors onto a tiny courtyard, and beautiful bathrooms with a deep bath and walk-in shower.

Features include:

• Air conditioning
• Bathrobes
• Central heating
• Cots available
• Hairdryer
• In-room treatments available
• Minibar
• Safe box
• Toiletries
• TV
• WiFi

Eating

Breakfast (extra cost) is served on the main terrace from 7.30-10am. It’s a help-yourself affair, with lots to choose from: local cheeses and charcuterie, yoghurt, cereals, fresh fruits and bowls of bread, cakes and tarts, viennoiseries, plus eggs as you like them. A beautifully effective machine waits by a pile of oranges - toss in a couple and watch as they turn into juice in seconds.

A small but tasty lunch menu is available at La Terrasse, served at poolside tables with ocean views. Expect club sandwiches, seasonal salads, squid ink pasta and tempting desserts.

Dinner at La Table de Mina is more serious altogether - the food here is excellent. Some of the starters are sinful - the stuffed zucchini with sheep's cream and truffle sounds irresistible. You may find Corsican veal or grouper followed by peach melba or a chocolate and hazelnut flower. There's also a fabulous wine list featuring over 50 Corsican wines (plus several from further afield). Be aware that the restaurant is closed on Mondays and Thursdays.

As for local restaurants, if you want to splash out, head to Casa del Mar, where 2 Michelin stars wait; book very early in high season. At the other end of the scale you can head over to Costa Marina, a 5-minute drive from the hotel, for seafood and meat simply cooked; it’s a lovely spot with big views. Alternatively, head into Porto Vecchio and try Sous La Tonnelle for great Corsican food at decent prices. If you want to eat on the beach, head down to Tamaricciu, a very popular spot; the hotel will drop you off.

Features include:

• Bar
• Kids' meals
• Organic produce
• Restaurant
• Room service

Activities

• The swimming pool terrace is a great spot to do nothing at all. There are loungers in the sun, loungers in the shade, the bar is 10 paces away, and the views stretch for miles
  
• Head down to the beach and join in the fun. Because all beaches in France are public, not many of the restaurants have permission for sun beds. However, the hotel knows which ones do and will take you to them (small charge for sunbeds)
  
• The area is geared up for all sorts of watersports. You can kayak along the coast, kite surf, dive (the owner’s brother owns a dive company), learn to sail, waterski or roar about on a jet ski. Alternatively, just pick up some goggles and snorkel
  
• The hotel has its own motorboat, an 8m rib. You can hire it with or without a pilot (quite expensive but fun)
  
• Check out the island’s beautiful interior. You’re close to Les Aiguilles de Bavella, a range of spectacular mountains, their peaks sculpted dramatically by the wind. Take the road up to Zonza (Europe’s highest race course), then on to Quenza, where you can saddle up and ride in the mountains. There’s canyoning up here, too
  
• Visit Bonifacio, the vertigo-inducing clifftop town on the south coast. You can play golf on its cliffs… and lose your ball in the sea, no doubt. It’s well worth taking a boat trip as the view of the town from the water is staggering. There are sea caves to explore and the stunning Iles Lavezzi. Around them the odd atoll lies submerged underwater and you will not believe your eyes when you see people sitting in deckchairs seemingly afloat in the middle of the sea

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Boat trips
• Canyoning
• Golf
• Hiking
• Historical sites
• Horse riding
• Jet skiing
• Kayaking
• Kitesurfing
• Private guided tours
• Sailing
• Scuba diving
• Snorkelling
• Swimming

Kids

Children are welcome, but there isn't much here to entertain kids. Babies (3 years and under) stay for free if sharing their parents' bed. Babysitting can be arranged.

Best for:

Babies (0-1 years)

Family friendly accommodation:

The Deluxe Sea View Suite can fit an extra bed for a child, and some Deluxe Sea View Rooms can connect. All other rooms are for couples only.

Cots Available

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

Hotel Les Bergeries is set above Palombaggia beach, near the southeast corner of Corsica. It's 10km east of Porto Vecchio and 35km north of Bonifacio.

By Air: The nearest airport is Figari Sud Corse, a fairly small airport, 25km outside Porto Vecchio. More airlines fly into Bastia, (2.5 hours' drive away) and Ajaccio (3 hours). The hotel can arrange a taxi from the airport, but most guests hire a car.

By Boat: There are ferries from Marseille to Porto-Vecchio, or from Nice, Marseilles and Toulon to Ajaccio, Bastia, Calvi, Ile Rousse and Proporiano. Crossings takes 6-12 hours.

Detailed directions will be sent when you book through i-escape.