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The tourist wealth of this veritable miniature continent lies undeniably in its natural heritage.
In this sense, Corsica differs from the idea one has of the Mediterranean islands.
In fact, no other island is as green as Corsica: from its Laricio pine forests and emerald-green mountain lakes, to its fragrant maquis (scrub), cooling high mountain pastures and wine-growing lands.
If Corsica is an “emerald isle”, it owes it to its unique topography in the Mediterranean: this “mountain in the sea” is well deserving of its nickname, with 120 peaks above an altitude of 2 000 m, which remain snow-capped until the spring.
The 25 watercourses that flow through it make the island the best irrigated in the Mediterranean Basin. To top it all, Corsica offers the luxury of 1 000 km of the richest, most varied coastline.
With a "Parc Naturel Régional" (Regional Natural Park) that covers two-thirds of its surface area, Corsica is a well-preserved island divided between nature reserves and listed sites.
The island offers visitors all the very best of nature: rich fauna, the heady scents of its diverse flora, including numbers of endemic species, as well as the captivating colours of its sites.
To maintain this balance, the "Parc Naturel Régional de Corse" (Corsican Regional Natural Park), which stretches over 3 500 km² of both land and sea, is a permanent site for preservation activities carried out by its officers.
Five Réserves Naturelles (Nature Reserves) and one Parc Marin International (International Marine Park) have been created for the protection of unique and fragile flora and fauna.
Another mission entrusted to the officers of the Corsican Regional Natural Park is to maintain the footpaths, which offer visitors an incomparable view of Corsican nature.
Paths such as Da Mare a Mare (‘from sea to sea’, i.e. from west to east), Tra Mare e Monti (‘across sea and mountain: from north to south) and the famous GR20 (one of the most difficult and spectacular walks in Europe) are unforgettable ways to discover Corsican nature.
The mountain island
Corsica is “a mountain in the sea”, where the Dantesque landscapes of mountain peaks and lakes alternate with vast, peaceful plateaux.
With 120 summits above 2 000 m, snow-capped in winter, Corsica is the most mountainous, greenest and coolest island in the Mediterranean.
The mountain is Corsica’s heart, the guardian of her traditions and identity, and the natural setting for villages of sturdily built stone cottages.
The mountain of Corsica is therefore a favourite destination for those seeking encounters and discoveries, as well as enthusiasts of horse-riding, walking, mountain-biking, paragliding, climbing and even skiing, since the island also offers a number of sites for the practice of snow sports... with views of the sea!
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The many faces of the sea
With its more than 1 000 km of coastline that are home to crystal-clear waters, vast fine sandy beaches, small deserted creeks and granite cliffs inhabited by sea birds, Corsica offers a variety of marine landscapes that is unique in the Mediterranean. Even in the height of summer, it is not hard to find a quite little creek in which to dive, fish or simply swim.
With water temperatures suitable for bathing between May (19°C) and October (20°C), and reaching 24°C in July and August, Corsica is the dream setting for practising all kinds of water sports: sea kayaking, funboarding, competitive and liveaboard sailing, water skiing, diving, surfing and jet skiing.
Heritage, culture and traditions
Corsica’s uniqueness, all that makes it an island that is one of a kind in the Mediterranean, also has to do with its heritage, a true reflection of its complex history.
This history is apparent in the anthropomorphic menhirs of Filitosa and the Castelli of Alta Rocca, and in the Genoese citadels on the coast, the churches of Castagniccia with their rich Baroque décors and also in the island’s ancient remains.
Corsica’s living culture, perpetuated by centuries of customs and traditions, finds its full expression in music, speech and craftwork. This means that the countless cultural events and rural fairs that take place become the showcase for a culture, way of life and traditional crafts that all but died out with the society of which they formed a part.
In the wake of an assertion of identity, a movement for cultural reappropriation, Riacquistu succeeded in championing the traditions of a society and, above all, its primary means of expression: language.
Gastronomy
Rich in heritage, Corsica is equally rich in living traditions, in which gastronomy plays a central role. Prisuttu (cured ham), Figatellu (liver sausage), Lonzu (dried fillet), Coppa (dried sirloin) and Salame (salami) are just a few examples of the many pork specialities found on the island.
Chestnut-flour pulenta will accompany your "civet de sanglier" (jugged boar), and there will be no shortage of incomparably flavoursome goat’s and sheep’s cheeses to follow.
Beside the sea, especially in spring and summer, the fish and seafood will delight your taste buds, and you will be able to choose from eight locally produced wines to accompany your meals.
Get to know producers, the land and the way of life along the Routes des Sens Authentiques (Authentic Routes of the Senses), paths which you are free to take across each local area, in search of traditional know-how.
Finally, throughout the year, discover and taste the flavours of Corsica in the festive atmosphere of its rural fairs, veritable rendezvous of producers, artisans, gourmets and the curious; fairs for cheese, wine, chestnuts, honey and almonds, to name but a few, will give you reason enough to take a voyage of discover of all the island’s regions and what is unique to each one.
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