IN FOCUS CORSICA CORSICAN MAGIC


Corsica’s blend of French and Italian charms are worthy of closer attention on an island free of ‘mass market’ development, says Roger St. Pierre


FACTFILE 23


0845 330 2345 www.corsica.co.uk


Seven nights at Hotel Eucalyptus in the quaint south west Corsica fi shing village of Porto Pollo is from £905pp, with charter fl ights from Stansted, and including car hire and taxes. The same operator offers a range of self-catering villas, including the two-bedroom Casa Anna apartment in the historic old inland fortress town of Corte at £554 pp for a September 23 departure. This is based on four sharing and includes fl ights from Stansted or Manchester, transfers and taxes.


T


he fl ag that fl ies over its many ancient buildings is the French tricolore but Corsica – birthplace


of Napoleon and historic home to the Foreign Legion – is more Italian than French in ambiance and dialect. The island’s people remain


independent minded but the troubles that once kept visitors away from this hidden gem are long gone. Corsica is even more beautiful than Mallorca. What’s more it hasn’t suffered the mass market coastal resort over-development that affl icts parts of the Spanish island. It’s a relatively small island, set


just above Sardinia, but offers an outstanding diversity of scenery, from rugged high mountains to dense forests and haunting marshlands. Take a trip round the Cap Corse promontory in the north and the typography changes with every twist in the road, as one kind of rock succeeds another in a kaleidoscope of colour.


Above: A perfect summer sunset in Corsica


For sheer drama, three Callanche red rock formations of


the east coast provide a backdrop for the most romantic of sunsets


while history buffs will be drawn


to the steeply winding streets of Corte where the cobblestones traditionally rang to the tramp of legionnaires’ boots.


Beaches are magnifi cent and


uncrowded while there’s a big city bustle to Bastia and Ajaccio, the two major cities.


Houses clinging precariously to the


sheer cliffs of Bonifacio, delightful hideaway hamlets like Piedicroce, the smell of fresh roasted chestnuts, the tang of strong local wines and even stronger cheeses – Corsica has a special magic. It's closer to the UK than is any other Mediterranean island.


Corsica Top Tip


Drawing on Italian, Greek and Arabic as well as French infl uences, Corsica is renowned for its distinctive brand of


Corsica What’s New


The new Hotel Don Cesar fi ve-star property has just opened in Porto Vecchio and is shaping up to be a highly fashionable jet set magnet. Villas and apartments are increasingly


popular. New are such properties as the newly renovated Le Moulin de Borgalaccio, a former fl our mill and the 15th Century Tour de Calanca, at Oleto Plage – a tower that was built to defend the coast against marauding pirates.


cuisine. More than 40 country fairs run year- round at a number of different locations across the island, celebrating local ingredients and


culinary techniques. Villa operators Coastline Villas can


provide local chefs to their clients on a one-off or week-long basis at any of their 10 private villa properties. Prices start from £70 per meal (plus cost of ingredients) for two persons in September, rising to £160 for eight guests in July and August.


Coastline Villas 0844 557 1020 www.coastline.co.uk Les Arbusiers is a stone-built villa for up to nine on the maquis-covered slopes of Rondinara, overlooking the bay. The seven-night August price of £1,557 pp drops to £553 in September, including fl ights and car hire.


Who Flies There easyJet fl ies from London


Gatwick to both Ajaccio and Bastia and from Manchester to Bastia.


23


More information Atout France


(French Govt T.O.) 23


Lincoln House, High Holborn London WC2V 7JH 020 7061 6635 www.franceguide.com Time Zone: GMT+1 Visa: No visas for EU citizens Climate: Corsica enjoys a


Mediterranean climate, with long, hot summers. In winter it rarely snows except in the mountains.


Where To Book It Corsican Places


18 July/August 2012 • www.sellinglonghaul.com


thedeal seal


"A Med alternative: Highlight the cachet of a


Mediterranean island a world away from the high rises of some others”


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