couvent de pozzo | Lust for Life by Olivia Lopez

When Parisian friends strike up conversations about their holiday trips to the island of Corsica, the conversations animate with awe and wonder about an île boasting with biodiversity, beaches spanning from white sand to black rock, and a nature preserve that you must see for yourself to believe. So after an extensive year of work travel and a reclusive month of June to complete a book deadline (more to be revealed soon!), I promised myself a summer get away to the island of Corsica. I started my research on BoutiqueHomes, my source for discovering unique and beautiful properties around the world, where I stumbled upon Couvent de Pozzo, a family-operated bed and breakfast housed in a former convent in the village of Pozzo.

The images of a lush green lawn, cliff-side pool and discreet location fit the bill for the bucolic getaway I had been yearning for, so Mathieu and I booked a ferry from Nice and set sail to Bastia. The taxi ride to the Couvent de Pozzo prefaced the astounding beauty of the property with a cinematic drive, curving through country roads into a forêt with a raw and unhindered landscape.

The Couvent has belonged to Emmanuelle’s family for 7 generations, and has been lovingly restored and conserved as a country home. Four years ago, Emmanuelle and her husband Loic retreated from city life in Paris to welcome guests at the couvent, opening doors to their family home as a bed and breakfast.

It seems that in hindsight Emmanuelle’s professional experience had primed her for the hospitality business, where her years in marketing and event management blended seamlessly into producing special experiences at the couvent.  The Couvent is ideal for private rentals, with five bedrooms that can host up to 10 adults as well as children,with large living spaces for dining and entertaining. The property, which sits on 6 hectars of land, looms over an oak forest framed by the Tyrrhenian sea.

A moment of calm in the coastal countryside. Views from the village of Brando, a largely untouched and preserved corner at the gate of Cap du Corse’s coast and countryside. You can’t help but feel a strong sense of the historical tapestry of Emmanuelle’s family heritage, with objects and furniture spanning over a course of different centuries decorated throughout the rooms.Each room has a unique identity with a different story to tell.

One striking feature of the couvent are the portal views. There is no shortage of window sills and balconies to soak in Cap du Corse’s beautiful landscape. Beauty in the balance of blues.Drafts of dramatic light at sunset.
Couvent de Pozzo’s remote nature involves a car to visit many of the beaches. Fortunately there are beautiful, less-trodden plages in the area that rivals the tourist-driven South.
Crystal clear blue waters in Saleccia.

A huge thank you to Emmanuelle and Loic for inviting us into your home, and sharing a profoundly personal experience in Cap du Corse. You can plan a trip to Couvent de Pozzo by visiting BoutiqueHomes.