| |
Roll over map with mouse to locate region
|
Corse is the fourth largest island in the Mediterranean and is located
in the Ligurian Sea south of France and west of Italy. It has a
rugged mountainous interior and a spectacular coastline. Corse has
had many foreign rulers over the centuries and has never been truly
independent. As a result there is a strong separatist movement in
Corsica which the French have tried to appease with some special
rules aimed at giving the Corsicans more autonomy. The Corsican
language which owes more to Italian than French is still widely
spoken by locals. The most famous Corsican ever was Napoleon
Bonaparte who was born in Ajaccio in 1769 of an aristocratic
family. The economy relies mainly on agriculture, including viticulture,
and tourism. The climate is characterized by hot dry summers and
cool wet winters. The summer months are extremely busy with elevated
prices. It is often best to visit during the shoulder periods of
May and September. Ferries run daily to Corsica from Marseille,
Toulon and Nice and there are good air connections between Corsica
and Marseille. A car is really essential to explore the island as
trains and buses are few and far between.
Ajaccio | Corse-du-Sud | Corse | 20000
Ajaccio is the second largest city in Corsica located on the west
coast of the island. It was the birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte.
Its economy is reliant upon tourism and receives direct flights
from Marseille, London and Paris.
Bastia | Haute Corse | Corse | 20200
Bastia is the main port and commercial centre of the Mediterranean
island of Corsica and has a population or around 40,000. It relies
heavily on tourism and agriculture as there is little in the way
of industry on the island. Corsica has always agitated for independence
from France and has gained some autonomy, but this has not translated
into economic benefit.
Getting there
By air via Ajaccio,
Bastia, Calvi
By ferry from Marseille, Toulon, Nice
|
