Le Grain de Sable

The Grain de Sable is Bonifacio's other landmark: a lump of the cliff that broke away and stayed standing, planted in shallow water a few metres out from the rock wall. It is a strange, top-heavy shape — wider above than below — and it gives you scale for the cliff behind it in a way nothing else does.

Two ways to shoot it. The path that drops from the haute ville towards Sutta Rocca puts you above and slightly behind it, so the stack reads against the striped cliff face and the water goes turquoise in the shallows around its base. Or take it from the water: the hour-long boat trips out of the marina pass right beside it on their way to the caves, and from sea level it towers.

Light: the cliff faces south and west here, so the afternoon lights both the rock and the stack. Around midday the water directly below is at its clearest and most saturated, which is the one argument for shooting here in the middle of the day.

The descent is rough underfoot and exposed — no barrier in places, loose stone, and a real drop. It is not a walk for a long dress or for anyone unsure on their feet, and it should not be attempted in wet weather. The boats stop running in strong wind, so keep a land plan.