Hello travelers,
We are travelling from Canada to France with our 15yo son in July and have decided to spend 7 full days in Corsica, flying into Ajaccio. We will rent a car. We like sandy beaches, snorkeling, fishing, good food, nature, animals and to immerse into local culture. Please share tips on accommodation (it doesn't have to be a typical hotel room) and activities. Thank you in advance
Posted by
Atlanta, Georgia
95 posts
It’s been a while since we’ve been to Corsica, but we loved it! I think the challenge you may face at this point may be finding affordable accommodation. Many Europeans have already booked their summer vacations. That being said, I’ll tell you about our trip a bit. We stayed in a villa that I found on VRBO that overlooked Palombaggia beach. (Sorry, I’ve looked for it and can’t find it.) The view was spectacular, we spent lots of time on the deck/terrace by our own infinity pool, staring out at the sailboats moored out in the bay below us. Porto Vecchio was a short drive away for conveniences like grocery stores and ATM’s. One day, we drove down to Bonafacio and took a spectacular boat ride to get a good view of the dramatic coastline. Another day, we drove a loop into the interior of the island, very different scenery: mountainous, forested. However, the only “wildlife” we saw all week were domesticated pigs that the farmers would let roam wherever they wanted, including the roads and roadsides. I don’t know about snorkeling, but I’m sure you could find some trips out of Bonafacio. We had excellent food the entire trip, a blend of French and Italian cuisine. Perhaps there are others that can speak to culture on the island, but it impressed us as a tourist-based economy that didn’t focus too much on their native culture. That was okay with us. We just wanted a quiet family week in a beautiful setting. After leaving Corsica, we headed to a week in northern Italy, where we couldn’t help but immerse ourselves in the local culture. I hope my ramblings have been of some help. Have a great trip!
Posted by
Atlanta, Georgia
95 posts
One more thing…especially being from Canada, you’ll want accommodations to have air conditioning. Corsica gets quite hot in the summer. Oh, and Corsican peaches, when in season, are the best.
Posted by
Paris
6867 posts
You'll have more lodging options if your 7 full days are Sat-Sat or Sun-Sun, i.e. calendar week rentals. Most rentals work this way in peak season, and the ones that agree to rent on a daily, not weekly basis tend to be more expensive.
Posted by
Atlanta, Georgia
95 posts
I’m pretty sure this is the place we rented: https://abnb.me/oaq6VKwkbzb Unfortunately, it looks like your desired dates are already booked.
Posted by
France Southwest
1784 posts
It's better to move away from cities and tourist places to meet real Corsicans. There is a strong notion of Corsican identity with a specific language and culture.
There was also a Corsican nationalist movement (FNLC) which, in the 70s / 80s, dynamited tourist facilities or villas built by "foreigners" (foreigners being anything that is not Corsican).
This habit has been coming back for 2 or 3 years, last year some villas inhabited by "continentals" were blown up
There is also sometime a tendency in Corsica to be wary of what comes from the outside world (even French people from mainland France). On the other hand, they are very welcoming if they see that you respect their island and their culture.
And of course Corsica is a superb region, one of the most beautiful in France.