An ideal relief for hiking
The very contrasted reliefs of Corsica lend themselves formidably well to pedestrian excursions. The landscapes are varied and the change of scenery is permanent. Most of the hiking trails in Corsica (and especially the GR20) require however a good training and an adapted equipment. It is recommended to undertake these excursions only between May and October. The climatic conditions in the Corsican mountains are indeed very harsh: at 2000 m, they are comparable to those in the Alps at 3000 m. At high altitudes, the snow usually lasts until the end of June. Moreover, even in the middle of summer, strong winds and fog can occur at any time. We can never advise you enough to consult the weather forecast before your departure and to report your hike, especially since after August 15 thunderstorms are almost systematic. The last Corsican risk is fire, which can spread very quickly in a dry environment.
Hikers prefer to follow marked paths. In Corsica, apart from the main routes (GR20, Mare a Mare, Mare è Monti), nothing is ever really safe: the maintenance of the paths, even if marked, is sometimes imperfect and the scrub can quickly become impenetrable. It is thus preferable to take information before leaving. Contact the tourist office or the information center of the local regional park, or the nearest village to your starting point. The locals usually know the two or three kilometers around their village well, but do not always know how the path ends: it is therefore ideal to get information at the starting village and at the finishing village.
The most popular routes are the "Mare e Monti", from which you can enjoy alternative panoramic views of the mountains and the sea, the "sentier de la transhumance", following the trail of the shepherds between Balagne and Niolu, and the "Mare a Mare", three itineraries, the most popular of which is the one that stretches from Porto-Vecchio to Propriano via Levie and Quenza, which is suitable for beginners and can be practiced year-round. Finally, the "country trails" have developed significantly in recent years. Most often marked out in orange, they do not present any particular difficulty for an occasional walker, they generally join two villages, and the time necessary to cover them varies from 3 to 5 hours. We recommend the Niolu trail, between Lake Nino and Monte Cinto, the Fium'Orbu, along which you will discover many perched villages, and the Alta Rocca, in the south of Corsica. In the north, the paths of Balagne connect almost all the villages.
Ride a donkey, a horse or a mountain bike through the maquis
Scents of the maquis, fauna of the mountains and foam of the sea: the horseback ride will make you discover the wonders of Corsica. Following the rivers, you will advance slowly in the mountains, crossing sheep and wild pigs. From steep paths to refreshing stops under the chestnut trees, you will reach the summits from where you will be able to admire the coasts and the magnificent beaches which will offer you superb gallops and refreshing swims with the horses. By bike, it is at each pass and at each turn that a new panorama is offered to the cyclist, making the landscapes and the vegetation vary. Be careful, Corsica is not a "flat country", all the circuits require a minimum of physical condition, small gear ratios advised!
Between swimming and diving, discovering aquatic Corsica
With its 1,000 km of coastline and its rivers, Corsica is of course a paradise for swimmers. The quality of the sea and river water is generally excellent, except around large cities. The temperature of the sea water allows bathing from mid-May to mid-October. These temperatures reach their maximum in August with an average of 29°C for the air and 25°C for the sea. The west coast is the most rugged with numerous creeks and the east coast offers the largest expanses of sand.
The seabed is beautiful: in clear and transparent water, you can see many fish of all kinds and colorful vegetation. Divers are unanimous: most of the most beautiful spots are located at the foot of the reserves, of which there are four in Corsica (the Cerbicale islands, the Lavezzi islands, the Finocchiarolo archipelago, Scandola) and the recently created Marine Park. The latter covers 40,000 hectares of land and 100,000 hectares of sea, in the south of the island. It is divided into several areas accessible or not to the public. With more than 90 clubs in Corsica, you will have no problem to practice this activity in complete safety.
In fresh water or at the sea, a wide range of water sports
If sailing is practiced almost everywhere in Corsica, surfing and kitesurfing enthusiasts need to be well informed in order to find the right spots, notwithstanding the local surfers' concern to preserve their secret playgrounds. So, surfing friends, keep the secret and the cleanliness of these magical places and remember that there are no great spots. Here are some recommendations. In Balagne we recommend the beach of Algajola, located between Ile Rousse and Calvi. In the same area, there is the amphibious center of Calvi and the beach of Santa-Restituta. For the more adventurous, there is also the "danger of Algajola", a rocky slab located 500 meters off the coast of the Algajola Navy. To the north, we recommend Pietranera (at the northern exit of Bastia). The Cap Corse has a multitude of spots, the most famous of which are Farinole and Ghjottani, 15 km away in the direction of Cap Corse. On the eastern coast, all the spots are located between Porto-Vecchio and Solenzara. In Pinarello, there is a sublime left that runs to the right of the beach. In the south, we recommend Porticcio, the beach of Agosta and the beach of Ruppione. In Ajaccio there are also beautiful spots, most of them on the left side of the road to the Sanguinaires islands (the CRS, the cemetery and the Capo di Feno). The Ajaccians go down to Bonifacio all year round, especially for the famous beach of Ventilègne. In Propriano, the Capolauroso, the Robinson and the Ras l'bol.
On the fresh water side, kayaking, mini-raft and inflatable kayaks are available in spring on all the rivers of Corsica, as long as the water levels allow it. For rafting, you will have to go on the Tavignano, halfway between Corte and Aléria and on the Golo. For canyoning, more than 70 sites are known in Corsica and there are many professionals to practice this "reference" sport safely. A large part of the sites are grouped in Alta-Rocca and in the center of Corsica.
Fishing, the king of leisure
Corsica offers a multitude of wild rocky coasts and beaches that make it a very fishy region, with about 400 species of fish (including 31 kinds of sharks) listed. Fishing is therefore the local king leisure activity. If there are many places not to be missed, good "addresses" are passed on by word of mouth among true fishing enthusiasts. This being the case, the ports have always been favorite places for a large number of fishermen who can find lodging and food there. There are wolffish, mullet, and many small fish such as smelt and atherin, as well as gobies. Crabs and shrimp are also found here, especially when the harbor benefits from tetrapod riprap. Although there are many marinas along the Corsican coastline, only fifteen ports have a harbour master's office. Access to the harbors is often regulated, so it is advisable to get information before going fishing, especially during the summer when work is intense.
As well as sea fishing, river fishing is also present and practiced in Corsica. The most sought-after fish are trout and eel, which are the delights of refined tables. Among the most popular fishing techniques, we find the one called "toc": with a short rod, a hook and small weights, the technique consists in going up the river so that the fish do not smell you. Fly fishing is also very successful.
Fly over the Isle of Beauty to better admire it
Go to one of the many airfields of Corsica to admire from the sky in a small plane, a microlight or a helicopter, its magnificent landscapes. Planes are available for those who already have their pilot's license in their pocket, for the others many airfields offer flights allowing you to discover Corsica from an original point of view. The duration of the flights can be adapted to your needs and they are conducted by an experienced instructor by appointment, in the best conditions of safety and comfort of flight. Discovering Corsica from the air means being able to admire the sea and mountains, beaches and hiking trails in the blink of an eye. In the morning, the vision of the nuances of color of the sea bed is superb thanks to an optimal luminosity. At the end of the day, the colors of the setting sun ignite the horizon and contribute to magnify the flight. In summer, the hot afternoon hours are avoided in order to guarantee good aerological conditions.
After the effort the comfort: the local thermal springs
Corsica is undoubtedly one of the great French provinces of thermalism. The uneven relief of the island presents numerous faults and a quantity of remarkable rocks, which explains its thermal wealth. The number of springs on the island is exceptional: 39, to which are added secondary springs. These waters, cold or hot, with very varied physical and chemical characteristics, have many recognized therapeutic properties. In Corsica, we find sodium sulfuric waters, calcium sulfuric waters (rare in France and in Europe), ferruginous waters (Orezza, for example, is the most powerful ferruginous water in France) and weakly mineralized and radioactive waters. The only thermal spring approved by the Social Security in activity is captured by the thermal baths of Pietrapola-les-Bains, located in Isolaccio-di-Fiumorbo in the Haute-Corse, but which are unfortunately closed for renovation. The other must-see thermal baths are Orezza, Baracci and Caldane in Valinco in the town of Olmeto. More confidential are the baths of Guitera in the Taravo region, which are not equipped but which offer a simple open air pool, a magical experience for nature lovers.
