Cargèse is a small west-coast village north of Ajaccio, perched above the Gulf of Sagone. It would be pleasant enough for its sea views and beaches, but what makes it stand out is its Greek-Corsican story: descendants of Greek settlers from the Mani peninsula eventually made their home here, leaving the village with two churches facing each other across a little valley.
That pair of churches gives Cargèse more identity than many pretty Corsican coastal stops. One follows the Latin rite, the other the Greek Byzantine rite, and both look out toward the same blue gulf. The village is small, so the pleasure is in the contrast: a short walk through lanes, a look inside the churches if they are open, then down toward the harbour or out along the coast.
Cargèse is not a major base for all of Corsica, but it clears the spare-day test from Ajaccio or the Porto road. The Omigna peninsula walk adds a rougher edge: open headland, sea wind, and a Genoese tower at the end.