From early spring to late autumn, we are everywhere accompanied by the intoxicating smell of maquis, a typical Corsican undergrowth consisting of many Mediterranean herbs. In the language, culture, dishes, French and Italian inspiration flow, and yet, throughout the island's varied and rich history, the people have preserved their unique and special nature.
Their pride and upright posture became proverbial. Corsica lies in the Tyrrhenian Sea and only 14 kilometers separates it from Italian Sardinia. The mountainous French island is a single natural park (two-thirds of Corsica lies in the natural regional park area) and can boast of as many as 20,000 people. The highest of them is Monte Cinto with a respectable 2710 meters above sea level. The landscape is all criss-crossed with beautiful trails, and the most famous is the so-called GR20, a 200-kilometer long trail that is considered the most beautiful and spectacular European hiking trail. If we go into the mountainous interior of the island, we will be amazed by the picturesque beauty that inspired the romantics of the 19th century: Gustave Flaubert, Alexandre Dumas, Guy de Maupassant. A stop in the ancient town of Corte, the university center of Corsica, is a must. Let's walk through the stone streets of the old town and visit the museum of Corsican ethnological heritage, the Muzée de la Corse. On the west coast of the island, the beauty of Corsican nature is shown to us in the most beautiful light. The Gulf of Porto is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the dramatic red cliffs of Calances de Piana and the Scandola Nature Reserve make an unforgettable impression on every visitor. Experts describe the route along the west coast as one of the most beautiful routes in Europe. The capital of Corsica, Ajaccio, is a modern city with galleries and trendy bars. Corsica's most famous son, Napoleon Bonaparte, was born here in 1769, and his house is the city's greatest landmark. In Ajaccio, we will also visit the Musée Fesch, where we will admire the paintings of Italian artists collected by Napoleon's uncle, Cardinal Joseph Fesch. The collection, which also includes works by Titian and Boticelli, is one of the richest collections of Italian art in France. On the way to the southern part of the island, we stop in Filitosa and Pallagio. Mysterious prehistoric stones, called menhirs, have stood in these places for more than 4,500 years. The southern part of Corsica is famous for its beautiful beaches, and Tamariccio, the round Rondinara and Palombaggia next to the town of Porto-Vecchio are famous as the most beautiful. Just to the south, on top of vertical white limestone cliffs that bubble up from the sea, lies the town of Bonifacio, one of the most beautiful of the Mediterranean. Let's walk along the famous steps that lead from the sea to the city and visit one of the nearby water caves.
For under the teeth
Corsica, especially the region Castagniccia, is known for its chestnuts and wild boar meat. Chestnut is called Corsican bread and it is so popular that almost everything is made from it: from cakes, flour, jams to beer. You can't go without wild boar meat, especially smoked meat, called charcuterie, in Corsica. Let's try lonza, a thinly sliced smoked wild boar steak, or figatella, a liver sausage enriched with figs. Every food also goes with a special wine. The selection is rich and the locals say that their wine is the result of l'humeur de la nature - nature's will. They have an extremely respectful attitude towards their unpolluted environment. The pearl among their wines is definitely the Muscat du Cap Corse, produced by only four winemakers in the far north of Corsica. It is such a rare wine that we have to earn it... We will also be delighted by the rich selection of Corsican goat and sheep cheeses. The crown of them all is brocciu, a soft white cheese that forms the basis of many Corsican dishes. It can only be obtained from January to June. Of course, there is no Corsican food without dessert. The famous fiadone is a cake made from brocciu cheese. If you want to experience traditional Corsican cuisine, look for a ferme-auberge. These are homesteads with farm tourism, in which they serve only dishes from local produce, made according to ancient recipes. They can be found all over the Corsican countryside, but the best is Ferme Auberge de Campo di Monte in the northeast of the island. For those who want refined seafood flavors, the Grand hotel de la cala rossa in Porto Vecchio offers excellent seafood prepared by Michelin star Georges Billon. The restaurant is one of the most popular spots for foodies. Hotel Marina di cavu near Bonifacio has a restaurant that has earned bona table classification in Alain Ducasse's world-famous Chateaux et hotels de France.
For spendthrifts
What we can buy in Corsica and nowhere else is definitely their food: chestnut honey, jams, syrups and liqueurs made from fragrant myrtle, which the Corsicans are so proud of... Let's pay attention to the red mark on the products, Le Label Rouge, which guarantees the highest quality. AOC is a label for high-quality products with controlled origin, used for wines, brocciu and honey. Let's not shop in shopping centers, rather visit boutique shops with products with controlled organic production. Organic products, both food and care products, have recently experienced incredible popularity. The La Roulotte shop in Bastia and Ajaccio is one of the best. Oshadi in Saint Florent is also a popular bioshop. We will find products of local crafts, especially ceramics and products made of olive or chestnut wood and Corsican knives everywhere on the island. You can also buy them in the cute Art'Isula boutique in Ajaccio. Jacky Quilichini is a renowned Corsican ceramic maker. His products, especially the characteristic blue ware, can be admired and bought in the village of Pigna in the northwest of the island. Nightlife Corsicans are reserved and their most popular form of nightlife is bars and cafes. In recent years, Corsica has been flooded with loud discotheques that line up near the most famous beaches. The trendiest place on the west coast is Saint Florent. Of course, the village also has its own nightclub, La Conca d'oro. There we will also be able to meet one of the currently most famous Corsican women, the model Laetitia Casta. Five kilometers from the city of Bastia, near the village of Oletta, there is a modern disco with an outdoor and indoor dance floor in an old sheep farm. It offers an unforgettable mix of crazy musical rhythms and the intoxicating smell of maquis from the surrounding fields.
Stay
The offer is extremely diverse and rich. If we plan to travel to the island in spring or autumn, we must know that many lodgings are not open, especially the campsites do not open before the end of May. When choosing a place to stay, let's find out when they open in the spring and when they close in the fall. For those who want to experience the true nature of Corsica, the Perriers offer rooms with breakfast in the Domaine de Croccano villa overlooking the sea and the hills near the town of Sartène, between Ajaccio and Bonifacio. The house is open all year round, and among connoisseurs they are known as the best organizers of trips around the area, on horseback or on foot. For fans of ultra-modern architecture, the small hotel Casa del mar is a treat. Architect Jean-Francois Bodin designed it as the complete opposite of rustic, yet in perfect harmony with the surrounding nature. It is surrounded by tastefully designed gardens and each room has a terrace and panoramic views of Porto Vecchio. The excellent restaurant can boast a Michelin star.
What's happening
Corsica is a land of traditional food fairs, local crafts and music festivals, which are organized in large numbers all over the island all year round. Let's find out from local tourist organizations where there is a fair in the area and let's go and enjoy among the locals and their products. In March, in Sainte Lucie, near the town of Sartène, there is a new olive oil festival, and in April, you can eat your fill of chestnuts at a chestnut picnic in the village of Merendella in the Castagnaccia region. In May, we visit the Brocciu cheese fair in Piana near Porto. Music festivals are the heart of Corsican cultural events. The most important is the Jazz Festival in the city of Calvi, from June 2 to 9, which attracts musicians from all over the world every year.
Information:
CORTE MUSEUM, Musée de la Corse, Citadelle, Corte. The entrance fee is 5.30 euros. www.musee-corse.com
NAPOLEON'S HOUSE, Maison Bonaparte, Rue Saint-Charles, Ajaccio
FESCH MUSEUM, Musée Fesch, 50 rue du Cardinal Fesch, Ajaccio. The entrance fee is 3.40 euros.
FILITOSA, Station prehistorique de Filitosa, Petreto Bicchisano. It is closed from November to February.
For under the teeth
MUSCAT DU CAP CORSE: Domaine de Gioielli, Macinaggio Clois Nicrosi, Rogliano Domaine de Pietri, Morsiglia Domaine Pieretti, Luri
FERME AUBERGE DE CAMPO DI MONTE, Pauline Julliard, Murato. A beautiful homestead from the 17th century lies 15 kilometers northeast of Saint Florent. Please reserve a table in advance, because the homestead is constantly occupied due to its popularity among the locals.
HOTEL RESTAURANT MARINA DI CAVU, Route de Calalonga, Bonifacio www.marinadicavu.com
GRAND HOTEL CALA ROSSA, Porto-Vecchio
For spendthrifts
LA ROULOTTE, Lieu-dit Canale, RN 193, Furiani, Bastia
LA ROULOTTE, Immeuble le Bonifacio, Residence Golfes, Ajaccio. Products from all parts of the island are regularly delivered to the shops.
OSHADI, Quai de l'Aliso, Saint Florent www.oshadimassages.com
ART'ISULA, 57 rue Fesch, Ajaccio
CERAMICA DI PIGNA, Jacques Quilichini, Pigna http://monsite.wanadoo.fr/ceramicadipigna/
Nightlife
LA CONCA D'ORO, Route d'Oletta, Saint-Florent
OLETTA www.oletta.corse.fr
Stay
CASA DEL MAR, Route de Palombaggia BP 93, Porto-Vecchio www.casadelmar.fr
CASA DEL MAR, Route de Palombaggia BP93, Porto-Vecchio www.casadelmar.fr
CLAUDINE AND CHRISTIAN PERRIER, Route de Granace
www.corsenature.com
What's happening
NEW OLIVE OIL FAIR - A festi di l'Oliu Novu Sainte Lucie di Tallano. There is also a museum in this lovely hilltop village in the south
oil industry.
CHESTNUT FAIR – Merendella, Castagnaccia
BROCCIU CHEESE FAIR – Festa di a Brocciu, Piana
JAZZ FESTIVAL, Calvi www.calvi-jazz-festival.com
