Ile-Rousse is a traditional little port with a bustling heart where sea-faring folk, trades people and tourists seem to mix in a harmonious throng. It is not particularly picturesque but, nevertheless, the ambience seems to please most. The principal difficulty used to be trying to find a distinctive, pristine hotel which gave easy access both to the town centre and to the beach.
So please welcome the Escale Côté Sud which has squeezed itself cleverly between a pedestrianised street (choc-a-bloc with cafés and restaurants) and a little road leading to the beach, about a minute's walk away. Inside, it's all uncompromisingly trendy. Bedrooms are ultra-chic plus there's a swish cocktail bar and a romantic terrace facing the sea.
All this comes with a good degree of flexibility. If you don't feel like casing the myriad of eateries in town, you can always dine well at the Escale restaurant. And if you feel like getting away from it all, just hop on the quaint Calvi to Ponte-Leccia tramway which skirts the coast, dropping punters off for the day on one of the many quieter beaches.