With spectacular mountain landscapes, beautiful rugged coast, forests, maquis and striking river gorges, Corsica is a walker's paradise. This guidebook details five of the islands's most popular shorter treks: the 2-day coastal Sentier du Douanier (Customs Officer's Path) around Cap Corse; two coast-to-coast routes through the central mountains, the 11-day Mare a Mare Nord and the 5-day Mare a Mare Sud; and two 'coast and mountains' routes, the 10-day Mare e Monti and the 5-day Mare e Monti Sud. (Corsica's famous 190km GR20 trail is described in a separate Cicerone guide.) The routes can be linked to create longer excursions and accommodation is provided by a mixture of walkers' hostels, B&Bs and hotels; camping is also an option.
The guide presents each of the waymarked trails in daily stages averaging around 12-13km per day, with route description, mapping and notes on accommodation options. There is advice on how to get to Corsica, when to go and what to take, plus accommodation listings, useful contacts and a French/Corsican-English glossary. The guide also offers a wealth of information about the island's rich plant and wildlife.
Considerably easier than the challenging GR20, these trails offer a more accessible option for trekkers wishing to experience the 'real' Corsica, away from the bustling coastal resorts. You'll find enchanting scenery - towering forests, gushing cascades, turquoise coves, aromatic maquis, rugged mountains and quiet villages nestling on hillsides of chestnut woods - not to mention a favourable climate and delicious local cuisine. Don't be surprised if you fall under the island's spell!
CONTENTS
Map key
Overview map
Route summary table
Introduction
The treks
Corsica
Plant life
Wildlife
When to go
Getting to Corsica
Local transport
Accommodation
Food and drink
What to take
Waymarking and maps
Emergencies
Using this guide
The treks
Trek 1 Sentier du Douanier: Cap Corse
Trek 2 Mare e Monti: Calenzana to Cargèse
Trek 3 Mare a Mare Nord: Cargèse to Moriani Plage
Trek 4 Mare a Mare Sud: Porto-Vecchio to Burgu
Trek 5 Mare e Monti Sud: Burgu to Porticcio
Appendix A Useful contacts
Appendix B Accommodation
Appendix C Glossary of French and Corsican terms
Appendix D Further reading
Waymarking and maps
Most paths on Corsica have clear waymarking, using a regular succession of short painted stripes on trees or prominent rocks, often accompanied by arrows and signposts and the name of a landmark ahead. The long-distance treks described in this guide all have orange waymarks.
Bornes de sécurité poles are common in southern Corsica; marker pole for the Sentier du Douanier (Trek 1, Stage 1); the Mare e Monti and the GR20 part ways (Trek 2, Stage 1)
The Facebook page of the Parc Naturel Régional de Corse provides regular updates about path and bridge maintenance (www.facebook.com/ParcNaturelRegionalCorse).
A detailed contour map is an essential aid to any walk undertaken on Corsica. The relevant sheets from the blue ‘Top 25’ 1:25,000 series published by France’s Institut Géographique National (IGN) are listed at trek headings throughout this guide. This series is on sale all over Corsica in newsagents and even supermarkets, not to mention in outdoor and map shops overseas.
At a stretch, the green IGN 1:100,000 series could accompany a long-distance route and be used for identifying distant ranges and landmarks, including villages, although these maps won’t be much help for navigating.
Place names
Place names on the island come in both French and Corsican, and there can be disparities between maps and signposts. Small villages and hamlets are important landmarks on the long-distance trails; however, few have identifying signs and there isn’t often anyone to ask. One unfailingly reliable system for finding out where you are is to locate the local cenotaph, as each village sent its sons to the conflicts France was engaged in, and the village name is always shown on these monuments.
Dos and don’ts
Don’t underestimate Corsica. The terrain is rugged, and walking on the island does not mean a stroll along the beach. Find time to get in decent shape before setting out on your holiday. You will appreciate the wonderful scenery better if you’re not overly tired and will react better should an emergency arise.
Don’t overload your rucksack. An excessive load can also put you off balance on exposed ridges or during steep descents. Be honest – are you really going to read that novel? Are those extra clothes really essential? (Corsica is a relaxed holiday destination and the need for ‘dressing up’ is rare.) Weigh your full rucksack on the bathroom scales before leaving home (without forgetting to allow for food and water for a day) – if it exceeds 8–10kg, think again.
Don’t set out late, even on a short stage. Always have extra time up your sleeve to allow for detours, wrong turns and time out.
Be flexible when planning your trek. Instead of rushing straight through, allow for rest days and breaks for detours to places of interest.
Carry plenty of drinking water, although you’ll nearly always get a refill in the villages as most have a public drinking fountain or tap. Natural watercourses abound; however, so does grazing livestock, so drinking from streams is not advisable unless you are equipped with a sterilising kit.
Keep to marked paths and avoid trespassing on private property.
Always close stock gates securely.
Be considerate when making a toilet stop and keep away from watercourses. Derelict buildings or rock overhangs are also out – remember that they could serve as emergency shelter for someone! If you must use paper or tissues, carry it away; the small lightweight bags used by dog owners are perfect. There is no excuse for leaving unsightly toilet paper anywhere.
Likewise take all rubbish away with you. Even organic waste such as apple cores is best not left lying around as it can upset the diet of animals and birds and spoil things for other visitors.
Don’t forget adequate protection from the sun, which can be fierce when you’re trekking all day.
Don’t underestimate sunstroke.
Don’t rely on your mobile phone, as often there is no signal.
Please don’t pick any fruit or flowers.
Never walk too far without checking for waymarking or signposts, as you may take a wrong turn onto one of the many livestock trails.
Do make an effort to learn French – it will undoubtedly be to your advantage. Most Corsicans are already fluent in two languages and shouldn’t be expected to speak English as well. Appendix C provides a glossary of expressions that may prove useful (mainly French but also some Corsican), including terms commonly found on maps and signs.
Check weather forecasts (météo in French) before setting out and be prepared to adjust your plans accordingly: see www.meteo.fr and choose ‘Corse’ from the ‘Région’ menu.
Should you experience one of the island’s infamous violent summer storms complete with torrential rain, thunder and lightning, keep well away from trees, rock overhangs, caves and metal fixtures, curl up on the ground and get rid of metallic objects.
Take fire warnings seriously and be prepared to modify your walk route accordingly. There is always a risk of forest fires from mid June to mid September, and paths may be closed. Don’t put your life and that of rescuers at risk. Moreover, remember that lighting a fire out in the open is strictly forbidden throughout summer, although a total fire ban may be in force for a longer period. Warnings are posted on www.haute-corse.fr. If you are unlucky and are caught out by a fire, take cover in a watercourse or on a safe high point where rescuers can easily spot you.
Last but not at all least, behave as a responsible walker and leave nothing behind you but footprints.
