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Exploring Corsica without a car is possible (and it’s actually the best way to experience it)! How do you get there? From Saint-Raphaël, set sail for Corsica aboard a Sailcoop sailboat. Once on the island, the Corsican rail network takes over: the citadel of Calvi, swimming in Algajola, the old port of Bastia, hikes around Corte, the beaches of Ajaccio… All of this without ever getting in a car. A 100% low-carbon, end-to-end itinerary that’s 100% unforgettable.
High speed train
(≈ 4h45)
Sailing
(≈ 20h00)
Regional train
(≈ 00h24)
Regional train
(≈ 1h00)
Regional train
(≈ 1h10)
Regional train
(≈ 1h40)
Regional train
(≈ 2h00)
Regional train
(≈ 4h00)
Sailing
(≈ 20h00)
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Our ready-made itinerary to cross the Island of Beauty from Calvi to Ajaccio, entirely by public transport from Paris. Spoiler: it's one of the most beautiful low-carbon trips we know!
It all starts on the platforms of Paris. A TGV drops you off in Saint-Raphaël in just over 5 hours — with the French Riviera scrolling past the window as a bonus. It's the perfect jumping-off point to set sail for Corsica.
Here, we swap the rails for the waves. Sailcoop offers shared sailing crossings between Saint-Raphaël and Calvi: a sea experience as unique as it is unexpected. Corsica is worth the journey, and arriving by sea sets the tone for the whole trip immediately.
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Calvi hits you visually the moment you arrive: a citadel tumbling down to the sea, improbably blue-green waters, and mountains as a backdrop. Several options on the ground: a diving initiation in the bay, or a bike ride to the Bonifatu forest to hike among the pines and swim in the natural pools.
U Trinichellu, the little beach train, hugs the northern Corsican coastline between Calvi and Île-Rousse. A stop not to be missed: Algajola, a discreet seaside village with a long stretch of near-deserted fine sandy beach. Plan at least a few hours to enjoy the water before catching the train again.
The train heads back inland to Ponte Leccia, a railway junction where a connection takes you on to Bastia. There, the Old Port is made for wandering, the citadel offers a breathtaking view over the sea, and the centre's terrace restaurants are packed with Corsican charcuterie, cheeses and cap wines.
The train heads due south to Corte, a university town perched at altitude in the heart of Haute-Corse. It's the ideal base for tackling the hikes of the Regional Natural Park, with gorges, mountain lakes and trails for every level.
The final rail stretch crosses some of the island's wildest scenery: deep valleys, maquis scrubland, stone bridges. In Ajaccio, the pace shifts: a lively historic centre, beaches within walking distance, and for the adventurous, a boat trip to the Sanguinaires Islands at sunset.
Two options for getting back from Ajaccio: take the train back to Calvi and sail back to Saint-Raphaël with Sailcoop, or go for the direct ferry from Ajaccio. From Saint-Raphaël, a TGV brings you back to Paris and closes the loop on this trip — not a single drop of kerosene burned.
Between Calvi and Algajola, the journey is made aboard the “trinichellu,” the little train of the Balagne coast, which runs like a beach tram between Calvi, Algajola, and Île-Rousse. This seasonal service operated by the Corsican Railways takes about 20 to 24 minutes for the Calvi–Algajola leg, with several round trips daily in the summer and a modest fare—ideal for a comfortable, scenic coastal shuttle without using a car.
For the trinichellu between Calvi and Algajola, tickets can be reserved (or purchased) directly at the stations (particularly in Calvi and Île-Rousse) or from the conductor on board the train; online reservations are not required.
