When to come · 5 min read
September and October in the Nebbio: the two finest months
The sea is still 22 degrees, the harvest is starting, the beaches empty out and the tables free up. What stays open, what closes, and why this is the best time to come.
Matthias Lavaux · Updated
If someone asked me when to come, I would say September, then October, then May. Not July, not August. Here is why.
The water is still warm
In the gulf of Saint-Florent the sea stays around 21 to 22 degrees in early October. It has stored the whole summer’s heat and gives it back slowly. You swim without thinking about it until mid-October, often later.
The harvest
In Patrimonio the harvest usually starts in late August and runs through September. The cellars are working flat out, which is the best moment to understand what you are drinking. Come early in the morning: in the afternoon everyone is out in the vines.
The beaches empty out
From the first week of September the gulf changes. You can find a parking space in Saint-Florent, tables are booked the day before rather than the week before, and Saleccia becomes what it really is: a kilometre of white sand for almost nobody.
What closes, and when
La Table de La Roya closes in mid-October. Libertalia stops at the end of September. Le Vieux Moulin in Centuri runs until 1 November. The Le Popeye shuttle to Saleccia and Lotu cuts its crossings from late September, so check the timetable before you set off. The cellars stay open, if you call.
And the house
The pool is heated and open from early April to the end of October. It is heated precisely for these two months: when the sea starts to cool at the end of the day, the pool water does not move. The oaks keep the terrace cool in summer, and in September they finally let the evening sun through.
The minimum stay drops from seven nights to four from 27 September. A week in September comes to about €2,615 booked direct for six adults, cleaning included, against €4,980 in high season. It is the same house, with warmer water and nobody on the beaches.
The questions I get asked about this
Is it still warm in Corsica in September?
Yes. The days stay hot and dry, with mild evenings. The water in the gulf of Saint-Florent runs around 24 degrees in September and 21 to 22 degrees in early October.
Is it cheaper to come to Corsica in September?
Considerably. At Baraccò Argia a week in late September comes to about €2,615 booked direct for six adults, cleaning included, against €4,980 in high summer. The minimum stay also drops from seven nights to four from 27 September.
Can you still swim in the sea in October?
In early October, yes, the water is around 21 to 22 degrees in the gulf. Later in the month it depends on the wind. The heated pool at the house stays open until the end of October.
Are the restaurants open in September and October?
In September, nearly all of them. In October the list shrinks: La Table de La Roya closes in mid-October, Le Vieux Moulin in Centuri runs until 1 November. Call before you drive out.
When is the harvest in Patrimonio?
Usually from late August to the end of September, depending on the year and the cuvée. It is the best time to visit the cellars, preferably in the morning.
