Where is Corsica?

Corsica is in the Tyrrhenian Sea in the western Mediterranean, 160 kms south-west of the French Riviera and 82 kms west of the coast of Tuscany, on the same latitude as Rome. Put crudely, Corsica is in the armpit of Italy. It lies 14 kms to the north of Sardinia.

Maps

There are many different kinds of map available. If you want to start basic, the Corsican Tourism Agency produces a mini-map that folds to credit card size. Or you can download a Map of Corsica right here from Corsica Isula!

However here are a few maps that are easily obtained. You can see details and order them direct by clicking on their titles. The basic standby is of course the good old yellow Michelin - it's regularly updated, of course; it's cheap and available in newsagents all over Corsica.

The AA have issued a road map of Corsica.

An alternative is the IGN map of Corsica, which is more detailed. The IGN maps 73 (north) and 74 (south) are at 1cm = 1km and then it's the Top 100 series (1cm = 1km) & Top 25 series (1cm = 250m), which is probably as detailed as you'll ever need. These are available at newsagents and supermarkets in Corsica.

There are alternatives you might want to try. One is the Corsica Insight Travel Map, which is laminated. Another is the new Rough Guides map Corsica: this one is made of rip-proof, waterproof Polyart paper, durable enough to survive a dip in the sea. Yet another is the Corsica B &B Road Map, which has relief and street plans for the major towns.

Of course there are rudimentary maps in the Guidebooks listed below. The gazetteers or lists of place names in the latter are very handy when planning or touring.

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The Geography of Corsica.

Corsica is mountainous and its highest point is Monte Cintu at 2710 m. It has twenty other mountains of over two thousand metres and the average altitude is 560m. Corsica has the highest mountains and the most rivers of any Mediterranean island. The mountains run roughly north west to south east. The east was traditionally known as 'over here' or the 'land of the commons' and the west as 'over there' or 'the land of the lords'. It is no wonder that the island is often known as the mountain in the sea.

Corsica is about 180 kms by 80 kms. The coast is 1000 kilometres (300 are beach) long and has amazing cliffs, long sandy beaches and many hidden coves. It is almost certainly the least 'spoiled' coastline of France. By comparison with the built up coasts of mainland France, Corsica's are relatively unspoiled and jealously guarded. Over a fifth now belong to the Conservatoire du Littoral. The French Coast Law (loi littoral) has come too late to save the Riviera, but is stoutly defended in Corsica, though there have been some infringements. The law is designed to permit free access to the sea for all. The coast is defined by all land that is touched by the sea, including in storms. Free access over land should be available within 500 metres of any point and there should be free longitudinal access by foot round the entire coast. The law also protects 'sensitive areas' such as dunes, lagoons, wetlands, woody coastal zones or those which are habitats of protected species. It also has an objective of organised urbanisation, such that the principles of the law are respected.

Over 80% of the land is 'natural' - forest, maquis and rock. Less than 15% is agricultural and less than 2% is 'artificial' - urban, built or roads. The extensive forest areas and little exploited and over 70 per cent are in private hands. Land transport is counted in time, rather than distance. Only Ajaccio and Bastia have populations of much more than 10 thousand and 80% of the population lives in these two towns.

chi ha da viaggià, guardi u tempu - those who need to travel watch the time

The weather is Mediterranean - surprise, surprise. But winters can be cold and there's generally snow on the highest peaks until June when the ambient temperature is in the mid-20s. The average temperatures are: January to March - 14; April - June - 21; July to September - 27; and October to December - 18. There's an annual average of 7½ hours of sun a day. If you want more detailed Corsican weather information and a forecast for Corsica go to the page on Corsica's Climate & Weather.