When planning a trip to Corsica du Sud, one thinks first of Porto-Vecchio. Approximately 25 minutes north, Sainte-Lucie-de-Porto-Vecchio and its seaside hamlet, Pinarello, offer another way of experiencing the east coast: quieter, more natural, without being far from everything. This is where the Villa Padulaccia Hotel is located.
Where is Sainte-Lucie-de-Porto-Vecchio located?
St. Lucia is not a commune: it is the main village on the coastal side of the commune of Zonza, whose historic village is located in the mountains, about fifty kilometers away by road. The postal code for the coastal side is 20144. The commune has 2,989 inhabitants (INSEE, reference population 2023), the vast majority of whom live on this coastal side, around St. Lucia and Pinarello.
On the map, the sector is located between Porto-Vecchio, about 16 km to the south, and Solenzara, about 27 km to the north.
Pinarello, its bay and its Genoese tower
Pinarello remained for a long time a small fishing port, before tourism transformed Corsica. On the island that forms the bay stands the Pinarellu tower, completed in the late 16th century (1591 according to the notice of the Historical Monuments). Listed as a historical monument in 1992, it has been part of the Coastal Conservation Centre since 1981. Together with the tower of Fautea, a little further north, it recalls the Genoese era, when this coast was a lookout post for the coast.
A detail that counts for enjoying the light: the coast faces east. One can see the sun and the moon rising over the sea, but not the sun setting there.
Beaches at your fingertips
From the hotel, the beach of Pinarello can be reached on foot, along the coast. Other beaches are a few minutes« drive away, such as Fautea in the north or Saint-Cyprien in the south, in the neighboring municipality of Lecci. At the end of the 2025 season, all the twelve coastal bathing sites controlled by the Regional Health Agency between Canella and Cala Rossa were classified as »excellent”.
A practical village
About 4 km from the hotel, the village of Sainte-Lucie offers everything you need for a relaxing stay: local shops, a bakery, a supermarket, a pharmacy, cafes and restaurants, in a quiet atmosphere. In season, the restaurants in Pinarello meet on foot by the beach.
Between the sea and the mountains
This is one of the advantages of this corner of Corsica: the mountains are never far away. In the past, the shepherds of Alta Rocca descended to this coastal plain in the winter, a piaghja, before returning in the summer. Today, this connection is traveled by car:
- the Cavu valley and its natural pools, about fifteen minutes away. Since August 27, 2026, a prefectural decree restricts access to it and prohibits hiking: please check with the tourist office before going there; ;
- the needles of Bavella and their col at an altitude of 1,218 m, a little more than an hour by Solenzara; ;
- Porto-Vecchio, about 25 minutes away, and Bonifacio, about an hour away.
Why stay there instead of Porto-Vecchio?
Because you enjoy the same landscapes with more space around you. In Sainte-Lucie-de-Porto-Vecchio, you sleep in peace, you reach the beach on foot, and Porto-Vecchio is still within reach for an evening or lunch. For a stay alternating sea, mountain and rest, it is an ideal starting point. Our article to come to Sainte-Lucie-de-Porto-Vecchio details the routes from the airports and ports.
Our address in Sainte-Lucie-de-Porto-Vecchio
Between the sea and the maquis, the’Hotel Villa Padulaccia, hotel & spa in Sainte-Lucie-de-Porto-Vecchio, welcomes its guests in three suites and three rooms, with a heated pool, a spa and a dedicated manager. Discover our suites and rooms, the activities and restaurants around the hotel, or Contact us to prepare your stay.
Sources: INSEE, Mérimée database of the Ministry of Culture, Coastal Conservation, Zonza local urban planning plan, Regional Health Agency (bathing water quality 2025), Prefecture of Corsica-du-Sud.
Frequently asked questions
No. It is the main village on the coastal side of the commune of Zonza (postal code 20144). Pinarello is the seaside hamlet.
Approximately 16 km, or 25 minutes by car, to the old town of Porto-Vecchio, without the summer traffic jams.
No: the coast faces east. One can see the sun and the moon rising over the sea, but not the sun setting there.
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