The simple life or bright lights? Everything to hand, yet treasures to seek out? Even the hardest-to-please would find the Gulf of Valinco a perfect holiday location with its wonderful sandy beaches.

Propriano, at its head, is one of the longest-established island resorts, throbbing from morning till the sun sizzles into the bay. Water sports, ice-cream bars, pizzerias, restaurants, shops and discos – it’s all happening around a fishing harbour that’s been extended without sacrificing its original self.

Then, within half-an-hour’s drive, are different worlds. South, on the coast, lies Campo Moro – a crescent of gently shelving white sand, a scattering of fishermen’s cottages and a few café-bars and restaurants. Heaven for children. Heaven for anyone. There’s a scuba-diving school – and plenty to see in the clear emerald waters. There are also horses to ride, rock pools to fish in and breezy walks to the watchtower up on the headland.

To the north, nestling in the soft folds of the lush Taravo Valley, stand the enigmatic menhirs of Filitosa, one of the most important prehistoric sites in Europe, and one of the most beautiful. Inland lie the picturesque mountain villages of the Alta Rocca region and the dramatic peaks of Bavella – perfect for a day’s outing or serious walking. And to the east, a snaking third-gear climb into the mountains is a step into the Middle Ages – to Sartène, ancient capital of southern Corsica, teetering on its ridge. Here, in mysterious stepped alleyways, the cult of the vendetta is still remembered and the Cattenacciu, a re-enactment of the Cruxifixion, takes place at Easter. Old men in black hats sit in a square which offers an opera box view from here to the sea. It’s somewhere cool to linger, perhaps enjoy a plate of local charcuterie, an omelette flavoured with melting cubes of brocciu cheese and a glass of excellent Sartenais wine.