A guide by VANYA
They're fiercely proud of their culture, these Corsicans, and they're starting to learn the finer points of marketing and branding. The island is big and it's fertile so all manner of goods are produced there. Take your pick of Corsican wine, whisky, foie gras, marmalade, spirits, cheese, meats - you name it. All with 'Produit de Corse' in big, bold letters. It's a feast for the taste buds. Save some room in your baggage to take it all home.
If you're in Calvi or Ile Rousse on the west coast you can't miss the rickety old train running between the two towns.
You don't see trains like this very often anymore. Noisy as hell, sweltering hot in the summer but the views are stunning as you rattle along the coast with all doors and windows open.
It's basically a Beach Transporter. Helping you get out of the two towns to find lesser populated beaches along the coast.
8 euros for the return trip. Cheaper if you hop off at a beach. Pay at the station or on the train. Calvi to Ile Rousse takes about 45 minutes.
A stunning white sandy beach with clear water in the Désert des Agriates, 15km from St Florent at the bottom of the Cap Corse peninsula.
It's only accessible by foot, 4WD or boat from St Florent. You can walk it in about four hours but make sure you take food and drink as you're a long way from the nearest shop!
You can walk onto Plage du Loto as well, which is equally as spectacular.
In the Golfe de Porto near the amazing Calanches rock formations - wide, open, golden sandy beach, with beautiful views over the mountains. Like most beaches in Corsica, you'll have it almost entirely to yourself if you go out of peak season.
This was where the film The Longest Day was shot. It's the best beach on the island, a gently curving kilometre of white sand and turquoise sea backed by the wild Désert des Agriates.
It's inaccessible by road; take a boat from St Florent to the Plage de Loto, then it's an hour's walk from there, but worth the effort.
A hotel which has a lovely ambience and is extremely good value for money. We have been to Calvi on and off for about 10 years and stayed there whenever there were vacancies. You breakfast on a patio with views of the magnificent nearby mountains, citadelle and harbour (only slightly impeded now by a DIY emporium across the road). As far as we know, the same management and staff team is still there as was when we first went - not effusive with welcome but very efficient, typical of France in our experience - (although Corsicans like to think of themselves as a race apart, to us they seem as French as Parisiens!).
Route de Pietramaggiore
Calvi 20260
About 1 km, (easy walk), from where the ferry boats dock, a bit nearer the town centre.
This very friendly family hotel has superb views across the valley of the town of Sartene, snow-capped peaks beyond, as well as the bay at Propriano eight kilometres up the road. Comes with swimmming pool and tennis court. Fifteen minute walk from town. Very affordable.
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