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Voykit pocket guide · France
Nonza
Half a day: walk the Genoese tower, see the black sand beach from above, eat a Corsican meal, then move on. One night only if you want a quiet dinner (check).
Nonza is a clifftop village on Cap Corse with a Genoese tower, a small church and a view over the Agriates desert. Swimming is prohibited at the beach below due to strong currents and waves. Most travellers stop for 2–3 hours on a Cap Corse drive; overnight is optional for the peace.
- Country
- France
- Best months
- May–Jun, Sep
- Avoid
- Jul–Aug (crowded road, heat)
- Stay
- 0 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- EUR
- Money
- Currency is the euro (EUR, €). Contactless cards work in most shops, cafés and restaurants.
- Daily spend
- Budget €30–50 excl. bed · Mid €50–80 excl. bed · High €80+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Orange, SFR, Bouygues Télécom and Free sell prepaid SIMs in their shops and at tabacs; ID is required to register.
- Emergency
- Police 17 · Fire and ambulance 18 · European emergency 112
- Plugs
- Types C, E · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round two-pin plugs; type E sockets have an earth pin sticking out, so Schuko (type F) plugs need a C/E hybrid or an adapter.
- Tipping
- Café or bar: Leave small change, €0.20–1.; Restaurant: Service is included; leave 5–10% in cash for good service.; Taxi: Round up to the next euro or two.; Hotel porter or housekeeping: €1–2 per bag or per night.; Tour guide: €5–10 per person for a half day, more for private guides.
- Water
- Tap water is safe everywhere unless signed otherwise. Restaurants must serve a free carafe of tap water on request.
- Toilets
- Paris has free automatic public toilets (sanisettes); elsewhere use cafés (buy a coffee), museums and stations, where some charge €0.50–1.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee at a café | €2–3 |
| Corsican meal (plat du jour + drink) | €18–28 |
| Cap Corse wine (bottle) | €10–15 |
| Birra Corsa (pint) | €5–7 |
| Parking (village entrance) | free |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- BIA · Bastia Poretta Airport
- About 45 min drive via D80 and D81
- CLY · Calvi Sainte-Catherine Airport
- check
Typical fares
- Bastia → Nonza by car
- about 30 min, no toll
- Calvi → Nonza by car
- about 1 h, no toll
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
On foot. The village is tiny; park at the entrance and walk to the tower, church and restaurants.
See and do
Known for
- Genoese tower and citadel view
- Black sand beach (no swimming)
- Cap Corse wine and charcuterie
- Quiet village atmosphere
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Bastia | Drive D80/D81, about 30 min (check) | 30 min (check) |
| Saint-Florent | Drive D81, about 20 min (check) | 20 min (check) |
| Calvi | Drive D81, about 1 h (check) | 1 h (check) |
Sleep
- Village centre (near the tower)
- Two B&Bs; quiet at night, parking on the edge of the village.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Bonjourbohn-zhoor |
| Thank you | Mercimair-see |
| How much? | Combien ?kom-byahn |
| The bill, please | L'addition, s'il vous plaîtla-dee-syon, seel voo pleh |
| Where is the toilet? | Où sont les toilettes ?oo son lay twah-let |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Say 'bonjour madame/monsieur' on entering any shop, bus or office; avoid: Asking a question before saying bonjour — it is read as rude
- Cheek kisses (la bise): Follow the other person's lead; one to four kisses depending on region; avoid: Initiating la bise with strangers or in business
- Addressing people: Use 'vous' and titles until invited otherwise; avoid: First names and 'tu' with older people or staff
- Restaurants: Wait to be seated in restaurants; call the waiter 'monsieur' or 'madame'; avoid: 'Garçon', snapping fingers, asking for the bill before you are finished
- Conversation: Debate is a pleasure; food, politics and philosophy are fair game; avoid: Asking about salary or religion; loud voices on trains
- Dinner at a home: Bring flowers (not chrysanthemums), chocolates or a good bottle; arrive 10–15 minutes late; avoid: Cutting the tip off a cheese wedge or asking for ketchup
- Dress: Smart-casual in cities; covered shoulders in churches; avoid: Beachwear in town centres
Scams and watch-outs
- Swimming is prohibited at Nonza beach due to strong currents and waves.
- The village sits high above the shoreline; the walk down to the beach is steep and not maintained (check).
- Road D81 along Cap Corse is narrow and busy in summer; allow extra time (check).
Very safe. The only hazard is the steep path to the beach and the narrow road on Cap Corse.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Nonza yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Genoese tower and citadel view
- Black sand beach (no swimming)
- Cap Corse wine and charcuterie
- Quiet village atmosphere
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Nonza official website: www.nonza.fr/
- Wikivoyage: Nonza, revision 5003093 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5003093
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/nonza). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.