Corsica can be attractive all year round. Temperatures of the air and sea make it a “warm” destination for almost 6 months of the year and a still very pleasant cool place in winter with coastal temperatures rarely falling under 10 degrees celsius. However, the island has
much more to offer than plain sun worshipping and a lot of people specifically book their holidays in Corsica off the peak season to experience Corsica’s many other assets.
Sun and fun worshippers of July-August – If you are looking for a “sea, sex and sun” experience, July and August, period of the french summer holidays, is the right time for you. The crowded beaches, parties, clubs, village balls and numerous festivals are here to entertain the masses. Watersports, sailing, diving and a whole raft of fun summer activities are also available in most coastal cities and will keep you busy all day. Although inland villages are also getting much busier during this period, you will still find relief there from the heat and the crowd if it becomes too much for you. Be warned: because of the French holidays, it is essential to book early and, even if you do, prices of accomodations and travel will often be much higher during this most sought after period.
Beach for yourself and blooming nature, April-June & September -For a more mellow experience but if you are still keen on making the best of beaches and work on your tan, then April-June and September are the months to choose. Have the beach for yourself, enjoy more affordable rates for hotels and rentals as well as air temperatures that remain in the 25 over average. The other big extra over the summer period will be corsican nature in full bloom: bouganvillea with blasting colours, green pastures, rich scent of the maquis… It is also a good period for hiking as temperatures in the middle of the day get more pleasant and you do not have to wait for early morning or late evening to start your sightseeing. Some of the corsican popular food will also be more readily available (and of better quality) than during summer: fresh brocciu in June (last month of the season going from November to June) and, with a little luck, boar and other game meat with the opening of the hunting season mid-August.
Dare the rest of the year, late autumn to Winter – Corsica also offers fabulous
activities during winter and Autumn that will give you a totally different travel experience. Hunting (hunting season runs from mid august to end of January),
skiing, mountain climbing, hiking, enjoying a sunny outdoor Christmas on the coast or jumping over the villages bonfires. The best corsican food can also be enjoyed at that time: brocciu, boar, grilled pigeon, figatellu, flavourful corsican mandarins and clementines. Winter and Autumn corsica might require a little more effort in your travel research to organise your trip and organise activities. However you will also find people much more open to talk, share and give you access to the secrets of their island at a time when only few tourists are around. An ever increasing number of tour operators are now offering opportunities to come all year round and a few low costs airlines have also started extending their summer schedule to all-year weekly flights.
So don’t be shy and give it a try!
