Désert des Agriates (France)

Though it is indeed composed of dunes in places, the Désert des Agriates does not look how we normally imagine a desert to look. In fact the etymology of its name actually makes reference to the fertile character of the area. The desert's vegetation consists of the usual plants and shrubs that populate Mediterranean 'maquis' shrubland together with large numbers of maritime pines left over from former plantations.

The area is nowadays protected and the village of Casta is the desert's only populated settlement. The Désert des Agriates still remains completely wild and untamed today, and this was something I really enjoyed about it. The 22 miles of virgin beaches and the complete absence of tarmaced roads rapidly led me to forget all about civilisation, and it was a wonderful experience to be able to fully immerse myself in this wild region.

The coastal path here (known as the 'sentier des douaniers' in French) is highly recommended. Walking it will give you some opportunity to explore the inland part of the desert, with its sheer abundance of wonderful little areas and sites, completely at your leisure. It is a good idea to combine a tour of the Désert des Agriates with a tour of Cap Corse as it is very easy to get to the one from the other.