Lecci,
the north of the gulf.
A commune of two thousand people, ten kilometres of coast, three bays — and far fewer people than fifteen minutes down the road.
Lecci is not a district of Porto-Vecchio. It is a commune in its own right, further north, higher up and markedly quieter.
The village
Set back from the RT 10 trunk road, about twelve kilometres north of Porto-Vecchio and three kilometres south of Sainte-Lucie. The name comes from the Corsican liccia, the holm oak.
The coast
Some ten kilometres of shoreline, about five of them beach. Three sites define the commune: Saint-Cyprien, Cala Rossa and the bay of U Benedettu.
The vineyard
The Torraccia estate, around forty hectares farmed organically, produces under the Corse Porto-Vecchio appellation. It is the landmark by which the villa is located.
The density
Roughly two thousand year-round residents, in scattered settlement. A rural commune outside any urban unit — something you feel above all in July and August.
The commune
- Postcode 20137
- INSEE code 2A139
- ≈ 2,000 residents
- Sartène arrondissement
The three bays
- Saint-Cyprien
- Cala Rossa
- U Benedettu
- ≈ 5 km of beach
From the villa
- Saint-Cyprien 10 min
- Porto-Vecchio 15 min
- Palombaggia 20 min
- Figari 35 min
Nearby
- Torraccia estate
- Municipal mooring zones
- Shops in Sainte-Lucie
- Market in Porto-Vecchio
Why Lecci rather than Porto-Vecchio
Porto-Vecchio is a town: traffic, parking, terraces full from June to September. Lecci is close enough to dine there and far enough not to live through its season.
Three bays, three uses
Saint-Cyprien for length and wind, Cala Rossa for flat water, U Benedettu for the shore of the gulf. No two are alike, and all three are in the commune.
What changes in August
The coast fills, coastal roads slow, beach car parks are taken before ten. Inland, up on the heights, nothing moves.
Saint-Cyprien
The commune's main beach, ten minutes away. Shallow entry, island and Genoese tower opposite.
Cala Rossa
The calmest water in the area, on the northern shore. Read this before going: access is unusual.
Pinarellu
Twenty minutes north, a long sweep of pale sand backed by pines, and a square tower.
Palombaggia
The best-known beach in southern Corsica, twenty minutes south. Red rock and umbrella pines.
Figari airport
Thirty-five minutes. Year-round routes, seasonal routes and how transfers are arranged.
Lecci, in practice
Where exactly is Lecci?
Lecci is a coastal commune in southern Corsica, postcode 20137, about 12 kilometres north of Porto-Vecchio and three kilometres south of Sainte-Lucie-de-Porto-Vecchio. It borders the gulf of Saint-Cyprien and the northern shore of the gulf of Porto-Vecchio. Villa Terra stands on the heights, near the Torraccia estate.
How many people live in Lecci?
About 2,000 year-round (2022 INSEE municipal population), in scattered settlement. It is a rural commune outside any urban unit, within the catchment area of Porto-Vecchio. The seasonal population bears no relation to that figure.
Which beaches are in the commune of Lecci?
Three main sites: the beach of Saint-Cyprien, the bay of Cala Rossa and the bay of U Benedettu. The commune has some ten kilometres of coast, about five of them beach. Palombaggia and Santa Giulia, often mentioned alongside Lecci, in fact belong to the commune of Porto-Vecchio.
Is it better to stay in Lecci or in Porto-Vecchio?
It depends what you are after. Porto-Vecchio has the shops, restaurants and nightlife — and also the traffic and the summer crush. Lecci is fifteen minutes away by car, with the same access to the sea and no comparison in terms of quiet. For a private villa stay, the difference comes down to noise and parking.
How do you get to Lecci?
Via Figari–Sud-Corse airport (FSC), about 35 minutes by road, which serves Marseille, Nice and Paris-Orly year-round and around thirty French and European destinations in season. Ajaccio airport is about two hours away. By sea, the port of Porto-Vecchio is some twenty minutes away.
Can you moor a boat at Lecci?
There is no marina and no harbour in the commune. Lecci manages organised, buoyed mooring zones — Saint-Cyprien, Cala Rossa, Golfo di Sogno and U Benedettu among them — under conditions set by the town hall. The nearest marina is at Porto-Vecchio.
Come to Lecci,
sleep on the heights.
Tell us your dates and the number of guests — we will confirm availability.