Corsica

The view from the ferry approaching Ajaccio is majestic,  promising to make it worth our while to have woken in the middle of the night to catch an early morning ferry from Toulon in the south of France, to Corsica.

Located just 135 miles from mainland France, Corsica is the most mountainous island in the Mediterranean, and is often described as a “mountain in the sea”. The island is simply brimming with history;  from the many prehistoric sites including Filitosa, to the Genoese watchtowers that top most of the headlands, Corsica has been occupied and/or ruled by the Greeks, Vandals, Goths, Moors, Pisans, Etruscans and Carthaginians who influenced the island until the Roman occupations.  The Romans planted vines, exported olive oil, honey and cork.  The history is evidenced throughout the island from the cuisine, the architecture, agriculture and music.

On average, the ferry is a long journey of 10+ hours, and we drove off the boat in the afternoon and checked in to our hotel, overlooking the sea.  After a quick meander around the town, we stopped for some staples – wine, cheese and nibbles mainly, and headed back the balcony off our room – we were thirsty after the long day we had, and were delighted to be entertained by the amazing sunset over the sea.  Breathtaking! What a lovely welcome.

Ajaccio is a small town with a bustling marina and a nearby international airport.  Like all of Corsica, Ajaccio is all about Napolean; he was born here after all.  First, we needed to get Napolean out of the way, and headed to the Maison Bonaparte, the national museum bearing his name.  This is actually the house where he was born in 1769, and 45 minutes of history was enough for us for the day.  Lunch was calling.

There are about 20 beaches around Ajaccio ; all stunning, and where we were staying overlooked Plage Tortell, a long stretch of coastline snaking out of Ajaccio and ending at the Sanguinaires Islands, which together form the Sanguinaires archipelago.

Book an evening boat trip to experience the mind-blowing sunsets and an adventerous walk around the main island of Mezzomare.  The islands are a wildlife and seabird reserve so you won’t find any commercial activity here.  Wear sturdy shoes, bring a bottle of water, and note that if you are mobility impaired, you may want to stay on the boat.

One could spend their entire Holiday on Corsica just visiting gorgeous, often empty beaches. Follow the winding coast road outside of Ajaccio to the coastal area of Plage de Sevani and further along to Cala di Fica for miles of sandy beaches and crystal, clear water.  Pack a lunch and plenty of water for a day out.

The morning adventure was to find the “Tete de Mort”.  We had been told there is a walking path that winds up in the hills overlooking Ajaccio, with sweeping views over the harbour and out to sea. The trail picks up from the Bois des Anglais through the shrub, wild herbs and, cacti of the infamous Corsican maquis.   About a half hour or so in, you’ll come across a sinister-looking granite boulder, named the Tête de Mort (Head of Death).   According to local legend, this is the petrified head of Lucifer himself! The path then loops back to meet the sea at Parc Berthault, not far from Plage du Trottel; this walk took about 90 minutes.

At this point, let me say, there are not enough words in my vocabulary to describe the splendour of this island; the sea with 900 colour variations, from crystal blue to shades of turquoise and greens like glass, breathtaking beaches, majestic mountains, gorgeous villages and super friendly people.

However, we were not prepared for the jaw dropping beauty on the all-day boat excursion to the UNESCO protected Scandola Nature Reserve.  The boat stops in the small village of Girolata, for a couple of hours where one can get some lunch [in high season only, otherwise pack a lunch for the day long excursion], and stretch your legs.

This area is only accessible by boat, or long and winding hikes.  Pack some sturdy shoes, a bottle of water, and most importantly, make sure your phone is fully charged because you will be taking loads of pictures!

Corsica is a drivers paradise; sweeping mountain roads and extraordinary beauty are the foundations of a really good road trip, and we weren’t disappointed.   The Tour de Corse is a rally car racing event that was first held on the Island in 1956, there have been a few changes down the years, but the Tour de Corse is still a popular event on the rallying calendar.   When it first began the Tour de Corse was literally a race around the island, which must have been incredibly challenging for those competing, and also for those wishing to merely spectate. With the race spread over such a large distance it would have been very difficult to follow the action.   Today the Tour de Corse is held on asphalt roads in the mountains that surround Ajaccio and is known as the ‘Ten Thousand Turns Rally’ due to the steep descents/ascents of the mountain roads.  Due to Corsica’s long history in rally racing it is not unusual to see convoys of classic sports cars worming their way around the mountain roads as enthusiasts flock to the tiny mountain island.  Having driven around Corsica in our classic Audi, we can highly recommend Corsica to any car/motorbike enthusiast looking to explore some great roads, some even greater scenery, and some amazing mountain restaurants!

An hours drive out of Ajaccio, is the charming village of Cargese, clinging to the hillside and overlooking the sea.  A stroll through the town and a leisurely lunch can be followed by any number of walks from the area; from a short walk up in the hills for splendid views, to all-day full-on hikes.   There are miles and miles of beach [this is an island, after all] and from Cargese you can follow the coastal route and explore the nooks, mountains and villages dotted all around.

After Porto, we headed inland and up past the city of Calvi, as we were on the hunt for a restaurant we were told we must visit, called The Aghjalle.   It turns out, the place is a rural, family owned farm with a superb restaurant where the ingredients are sourced either from the farm, or from other local suppliers.  They added rooms about 20 years ago, each with it’s own character and charm.  This is a working farm, and the staff were happy to show us about.  Also, the location is brilliant for discovering Calvi, the nearby beaches and countryside.  There are also some excellent hiking trails in the area.  And.. we were pleasantly surprised to discover, a winery nearby.

Corsican wine was always known traditionally to be of good quality and value for money. As was evidenced in antiquity where both the Tuscan and Genoan rulers of Corsica would import it to their palaces to the extent that the island’s winemakers became very wealthy and powerful. Due to it’s close proximity to, and the subsequent Italian rule, the grape varieties common to Corsica are quite Italian in the style of wine they produce. Traditionally white wines were from the Vermentino grape, reds and rosé wines were from the indigenous Sciacarello grape and Neilluccio.

Neilluccio was introduced from Italy as early as the 13th century and is thought to have been a clone of Sangiovese. These three grape varieties are still the main varieties on the island, but have been joined by Grenache, Cinsault and Carignan in recent times.
It is very fair to say that Corsican wines are still of a very good quality and are also very reasonably priced! Corsica also produces it’s own cork. The cork forests can be found in the southern regions of the island, to the south of Ajaccio in and around Filitosa.

The Cap Corse, at the very top of the island, is a wild adventure of quintessential villages, beautiful walks and hikes, boat trips and other water activities, miles of beaches, horse riding and Parc de Saleccia Botanical Gardens.

Port of Centuri is one of those postcard picture perfect villages; located on the western tip of the Cap, it is definitely a working port town.  Take a stroll along the port and discover some of the best seafood ever; this is the rock lobster fishing capital of France and every restaurant and café highlights this on the menu.   Finish your lunch with the islands signature dessert, fiadone a delightful flan-like cheesecake without a base, using a Corsican cheese made from Ewe’s milk.

If you fancy an amazing panoramic view, then head over to Mattei Mill viewpoint.  It is a 15 minute drive on the D80, and literally a 5 minute walk from the carpark.  The Mattei Mill is a white and red mill, built to take advantage of the wind at Cap Corse, it offers one of the most splendid views of the landscape that plunges into the sea.

Walks and hikes criss cross Corsica and one of the most popular is called the customs officers’ path [“Chemin des douaniers” in French ].  It is a fairly easy walk along the coast with views of wild scrub and beaches, namely the renowned Cala Geneovese .   You can go all the way around the 18km between Macinaggio and Port Centuri, or only a small part and come back.  Either way, it’s well worth the effort.   Combine your hike with a boat excursion;  a breathtaking adventure exploring miles of sandy beaches, quiet inlets, with mountain goats starring at you from rocky cliffs, San Pauluu offers a shuttle service so you can experience part of the 18k walk and return by boat.  This was an excellent choice.

Down at the bottom of the Cap, on the east side lies Marana Beach in Borg,  one of the wildest beaches in the area.  Located in a protected natural site, this large sandy beach is dotted with small dunes, scattered amongst the trails that wind down to the sea.   This isn’t just another fabulous beach area, this one can be explored on horseback!   It had been decades since either of us had been on a horse, and luckily, we were given a couple of trail mares who offered the odd canter, but were much happier stopping along the trail and snacking on the foliage!  One guy in our group was a real horseman and had his horse galloping and dancing!  So no matter your level of horsemanship, this outfit has the perfect horse and guide for you.

We stumbled onto a piece of history on a winding road east of San Pellegrino, The Convent of Orezza.  Built in 1485 by the Fransiscan Brotherhood, the Convent is steeped in Corsican history, from the French Revolution to the second world war, when it was mainly destroyed by the German army in 1943.  It’s worth a half hour stop to wander about and stretch your legs.

When we were kids, we used to swim in the rivers and lakes in our area.  Nowadays, this is called “wild” swimming, and the horseman at our horse riding excursion told us about wild swimming at a waterfall, less than an hour away by car.  This was early October, and not exactly wild swimming weather [at least not for us!], but we did want to check it out.   Cascade Bucatoghju, south of Moriani Plage is located off the R10;  across from a camping site, take the Route de Vangali, and follow it for a couple of miles, passing the stadium and you will come across a sign for car parking.  There are some nice walking paths in the area, and the cascade itself falls into a deep, large pool with plenty of space for swimming.  Nearby, is the Cascade De L’Ucelluline, just off the D330.  Lookout for the signs marking the way.  There are some terrific hiking trails here, offering more extraordinary panoramic views.  The pool where the cascade falls isn’t as large as Cascade Bucatoghju, however it is another beauty spot and we could only imagine how delightful either place would be in the heat of the summer.

Driving along the windy, mountainous roads, you’ll come across some of the most splendid landscapes, with glimpses of villas tucked away behind tall hedges, dripping bouganvilla and stately trees.  What isn’t hidden are some of the most elaborate mausoleums I’ve ever seen; these family estates are built on what must be the most expensive real estate on the island; it seems that the very best locations are actually reserved for the dead!

A few people had told us there were some superb restaurants around Sartene and Propriano and since that area was more or less on our way back to Ajaccio, we stopped into Sartene , yet another charming town in an endless parade of medival villages, Sartene is actually a fortified town.  Sections of the ramparts and the watchtower still exist, and the cobbled, winding streets are home to picturesque squares, ancient dwellings clinging to the hills, friendly shops boasting local produce, magnificent architecture and a wine estate.

20 minutes away by car, the neighboring port town of Propriano doesn’t have the old world charm that it’s collagues share, but if you’re after a superb lunch and a walk about afterwards, you’ve come to the right place.  Like most of Corsica, the beaches surrounding the area are amazing, and you’ll be  spoilt for choice;  as well as the Lido in the town there are several other beaches nearby, both close to Propriano and elsewhere around the Golfe de Valinco. As well as the beaches within the immediate vicinity of Propriano such as Portigliolo, two particular favourites include: Campomoro to the south-west of Propriano, and Porto-Pollo to the north-west of Propriano

For us, the real delight was to discover this area is the gateway to the prehistoric capital of  Corsica.  8000 years of history surrounded by cork oak forests, Filitosa is a large architectural complex corresponding to the Early Neolithic Age.  It includes three monumental complxes called “Torre”, which are cicular monuments, of between 6-8 metres in heightand lie on a platform.  There are sixteen menhir [upright standing statues], thirty-two menhir fragments, a village and objects in a small museum such as fragments of ceramics and weapons.  Archeologists don’t know what the menhir represents; were the first Neolithic monoliths phallic symbols erected by peasants in the hope of fertilising the soil?  Perhaps they represented warrior lords, alive or dead. Was this a symbol of their faith?  Part of a death ritual?  We don’t know, and we don’t know what happened to the civilisation.

We do know that Filitosa did not have a brutal end; lifestyle research indicates it slumbered for two thousand years and then disappeared.  Menhirs are widespread worldwide and can be found in Europe and as far afield as Africa and Asia; and of course, Stonehenge in the UK is probably the most famous  site.  The museums of Levie and Sartene display rich collections of ornaments and ceramics, whilst the Levie museum houses the skeleton of the oldest representative of the Corsican population, the “Lady of Bonifacio”, dating from 6610 BC.  Somebody needs to put this old girl in a mausoleum; she deserves it!

Making  our way back to Ajaiico for the overnight ferry back to Toulon, we were already making plans for our next visit to Corsica.

Accomodation:    [some of these hotels have terrific restaurants]

Hotel les Mouettes                                Ajaccio                4*         €€€           From €160 +   [no restaurant onsite]

Les Calanques                                        Ajaccio                3*            €€            Self Catering aparthotel

Casadelmar                                            Porto Vecchio    5*   €€€€€

Domaine Deperetti Della Rocca       Figari                   4*      €€€€            Rooms and Self-catering cottages

Domaine Saparale                                Sartene                                                 Self catering cottages from 1640 € per week for 2

Castellu di Baricci                                  Sartene                                                 Self catering cottages from €220 per night for 2 in shoulder season

La Villa                                                      Calvi                    5*                                From 320€ per night for 2 in shoulder season

Hotel la Signoria                                    Calvi                    5*                                Villas, Apartment, Rooms from 350€ per night for two in shoulder season

Hotel Solemar                                        Bonafacio          3*              €€            [no restaurant onsite]

RESTAURANTS:

Le Ecrin                                                    Ajaccio                                                      Dinner Only

Le Cabanon Bleu                                   Ajaccio                                                      Lunch and Dinner    [open seasonally]

Le Weekend                                            Ajaccio                                                     Lunch and Dinner [open seasonally]

Auberge de la Restonica                     Corte                                                         Open mid-day – 7 pm  [open seasonally]

Auberge de Pecheur                            Saint Florent                                          Monday – Sunday, dinner only  [open seasonally]

Restaurant Le Voilier                             Bonafacio                                               Lunch and Dinner   [open seasonally]