A crumbling watchtower guards the glittering waters of the bay. The scent of myrtle and thyme drifts among the olive trees. High above, the mountains, silent and impenetrable, frame the scene. It is indeed an ”Ile de beauté”. Corsica’s sublime landscape and white-sand beaches have the distinction in the Mediterranean of being mostly unspoilt by development.
There is a clutch of resorts, from the quiet and sophisticated Calvi and Porto Vecchio to the rather less attractive Porticcio. But you are never more than a few minutes’ drive from an idyllic sandy cove.
Prices here are high compared with the French mainland, and this helps reduce the numbers and the pressures on beaches. But the island nevertheless has plenty of devotees – French and Italian tourists decamp from the mainland in high season, and a much smaller number of British come here, many booking into private villas in the coastal hinterland.
Despite the cost and the island’s chic reputation, you shouldn’t expect the sophistication of the French and Italian Rivieras. The cuisine is hearty and rustic – flavoured with herbs from the maquis scrubland – and while the charcuterie and cheese are excellent, local wines and other fare are not in the same league.
The Corsicans’ fierce, independent spirit, undiminished by two centuries of French rule, is also distinctive. And while it can sometimes be hard to engage with the locals, the mountainous landscape, the attractive resorts, the historic fortified towns and the splendid coastline more than compensate for the lack of small-talk.
Hotel prices quoted are the lowest, per night, for a double room during the rest of the summer season (till October). Prices can triple in July and August. All hotels have a pool unless otherwise stated. There are also many self-catering properties, particularly in the Porto Vecchio and Calvi areas. If dialling numbers starting with 0495 from outside France, use the prefix 00 33.
The season extends from April to October. The island is most busy in July and August , when temperatures average 16-28 C, with medium-high humidity. Temperatures dip to 15-26 in September and 11-22 in October, with no humidity.
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