The Réserve Naturel de Scandola takes up the promontory west of Girolata, its name derived from the wooden tiles ( scandules ) that cover many of the island's mountain houses. But the area's roof-like rock formations are only part of its amazing geological repertoire: its stacked slabs, towering pinnacles and gnarled claw-like outcrops were formed by Monte Cinto's volcanic eruptions 250 million years ago, and subsequent erosion has fashioned shadowy caves, grottoes and gashes in the rock. Scandola's colours are as remarkable as the shapes, the hues varying from the charcoal grey of granite to the incandescent rusty purple of porphyry.

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The headland and its surrounding water were declared a nature reserve in 1975 and now support significant colonies of seabirds, dolphins and seals, as well as 450 types of seaweed and some remarkable fish such as the grouper, a species more commonly found in the Caribbean. In addition, nests belonging to a rare kind of giant gull are visible on the cliffs, and you might see the odd osprey - there used to be only seven pairs here, but careful conservation has increased this number to 24.

Scandola is off-limits to hikers and can be viewed only by boat , which means taking one of the daily excursions from Calvi and Porto. These leave from Calvi at 9.15am and 2pm, and from Porto at 9.30am and 2.30pm (April-Oct), the first two stopping for two hours at Girolata and returning in the late afternoon. The later boat from Porto stops for only 45 minutes, but is a fascinating journey and well worth the €38, although it's a good idea to take a picnic, as the restaurants in Girolata are very pricey.a

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