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Summer holidays - Corsica

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 goldmember 01 Mar 2016
Thinking of taking the little un and the wife someone different this September.

I've never been to Corsica and actually don't no anyone whom has being. I've always wanted to go it looks stunning!

Anyone been? whats it like for a family holiday?
In reply to goldmember:

> Thinking of taking the little un and the wife someone different this September.

> I've never been to Corsica and actually don't no anyone whom has being. I've always wanted to go it looks stunning!

> Anyone been? whats it like for a family holiday?

Watching thread with interest as our family choice is between Corsica and Tuscany, both different for us too.
 Brass Nipples 01 Mar 2016
In reply to goldmember:

Can't say for a family holiday but it's a great destination for walking.

Removed User 01 Mar 2016
In reply to goldmember:

Corsica has some great beaches as well as stunning mountain scenery. September will be a better month as the French will have ended their holidays and it should be a little bit cooler as Corsica can get really hot. If you plan to go walking, check the routes carefully as many involve scrambling. Lots of the walks follow streams and one of the delights in Corsica is having a dip in the mountain pools. Corsica does not come cheap but it is well equipped with camp sites on the coast and inland and the rock climbing is stunning. There are guides to both single and multi pitch routes but you will need to find some in the shade.
Enjoy!
 Chris Craggs Global Crag Moderator 01 Mar 2016
In reply to goldmember:

I have been on climbing trips there twice in the past 18 months, September 2014 and last May. Stunning place, amazingly undeveloped, great scenery and climbing, superb beaches.

Travelling most places is slow - very tortuous roads, so best pick and area and spend a while there.

Some thoughts from my blog:

http://chriscraggs.blogspot.fr/2014/09/corsica-tasty-treat.html

and

http://chriscraggs.blogspot.fr/2015/05/corsican-repreise.html

You should love it!

Chris
OP goldmember 01 Mar 2016
In reply to Chris Craggs:

Excellent folks, most hotels and owners direct kind of places are quite expensive, Where do you recommend to say, preferably near the coast? What the grub like for veggies?
 Chris Craggs Global Crag Moderator 01 Mar 2016
In reply to goldmember:

> Excellent folks, most hotels and owners direct kind of places are quite expensive, Where do you recommend to say, preferably near the coast? What the grub like for veggies?

We stayed at Residence Canela at Solenzana (small bungalows) - Camping Milella at Propriano (mobile homes) and Motel de Pins (holiday apts) at Calvi.

Haven't a clue about veggie options - they do good sausages and wild boar burgers though!

Chris
 skog 01 Mar 2016
In reply to goldmember:

> Thinking of taking the little un and the wife someone different this September.

How little, and how 'outdoorsey' is your wife?

> I've never been to Corsica and actually don't no anyone whom has being. I've always wanted to go it looks stunning!

It is - the sheer amount of amazing scenery is hard to believe.

> Anyone been? whats it like for a family holiday?

I've been twice for walking holidays: http://ootnaboot.scot/corse2002/corse2002.htm and http://ootnaboot.scot/corse2007/corse2007.htm

If you're going to get up in the hills lots, it'll be brilliant.

If you aren't, it could still be very good, but it'll be quite expensive for what you get.

> What the grub like for veggies?

Pretty reasonable when in the towns. It can be a bit limited in the huts, but I never went hungry.
Andywalters 02 Mar 2016
In reply to goldmember:

Went last summer and really enjoyed it.

We did a few stages of the GR20 and as already said it was pretty tough.

Ile Rousse was a particular favourite place on the beach with great restaurants bars hotels although we camped.

If you wanted a bit of walk I remember a great day from Vizzavona to a little farm shop selling the usual bread, meat and cheese called the Bergeries De Tolla. You pass waterfalls and loads if little pools you can swim in and it's not that hard going.

Calvi was the nicer of the 3 bigger towns.

We got everywhere on the train. They are really slow but punctual and comfortable.

We took the ferry across to Italy afterwards which could be a consideration.

Hope this is of some help.
 BnB 02 Mar 2016
In reply to goldmember:

We've been many, many times, as a family and as a couple and we're going again this summer. Don't go. There's nothing to see. Nothing at all there.
 Tom Valentine 02 Mar 2016
In reply to BnB:

Couldn't agree more. And if you do go, avoid the beer at all costs.
 Chris the Tall 02 Mar 2016
In reply to goldmember:

> What the grub like for veggies?

Like France, only more so ! Go self-catering cos there's always lots of great veg in the supermarket. We stayed near Propriano some years ago, which was pretty good, by the sea, and not too far from the mountains. Great snorkelling and windsurfing, though I did have a near miss with one of those planes that scoops up water for dousing forest fires

 fmck 02 Mar 2016
In reply to goldmember:

I climbed in the North and South first visit then a hillwalking trip second time. The climbing is stunning granite in the South and popular as well as easily accessible. The North is more mountainous and with not as good rock hence not popular. I would say although the rock isn't great in places some of the climbs are still a great mountain adventure.

The traverse of Tafunato is highly recommended. Its an incredible fin of rock with a huge hole through the centre. You escape off the end of it by one abb. Paglia Orba can be taken in beside it by a easy enough scramble or more longer mountain routes. The GR20 passes through here and there is a hut and camping there. The pools in the river on the way in will keep stopping you for wanting dip. Really beautiful.
Some climbs in the North are just about impossible to reach if not popular. The gorse type bush there had us beat approaching a buttress climb. It was very painfull!

Try taking in both ends if climbing they are two very different experiences but well worth it.
 deepsoup 02 Mar 2016
In reply to goldmember:
Here's a little sea paddling film, not really relevant to your question but it's lovely so what the hell:
vimeo.com/151675569

It's got me wondering, in a slightly pipe-dreamy kind of a way, about the logistics of combining a walk up the GR20 with a paddle back along the West coast over 2-3 weeks or so.
In reply to deepsoup:

If your wondering goes more than pipe-dreamy and you need another person to tag along, give me a shout!
Gone for good 02 Mar 2016
In reply to goldmember:

I went to Corsica in 2004 with the family and really enjoyed it. We flew to Figari airport in the South of the Island and stayed for a Week in Propriano which is on the South West coast. Its certainly a spectacular place. The weather was gorgeous the whole week as you would expect in late July. The food was magnificent, especially the local seafood although I did find it a little expensive.

And of course you have the magnificent GR20

http://www.le-gr20.com/fr/


 deepsoup 02 Mar 2016
In reply to Eeyore:
It's certainly not going to happen this year.
I'm quite new to the paddling thing, so the less day-dreamy plans for 2016 only go as far as some coaching, some moderately expensive gear shopping and gaining a bit of experience - the aquatic equivalent of some QMDs I suppose and hopefully a few 2-3 day Scottish mini-adventures. :O)

2017 maybe... ?
I have much to learn between now and then, so quite likely that aspirations will change.
In the unlikely event I did actually get my shit together and commit to doing it, that probably would involve looking online for a partner or two - UKRGB and here seem the most obvious places for that.
Rigid Raider 02 Mar 2016
In reply to goldmember:

We've had two holidays in Calvi. The airport is only 10 minutes fom the town, which is small enough to walk round easily. There are beaches and a nice port with some mahoosive yachts to ogle, three or four decent family-run restaurants, we stayed at Hotel Regina, which has a big underground car park and was OK, clean and well managed and with AC that just about worked. We hired a car at the airport, but as others have written the roads are so twisty that it takes hours to go anywhere. Take snorkelling kit and you can swim off the rocks around the citadel. The Foreign Legion hold exercises very publicly in the bay but they won't alow you to join even though the abseiling, climbing and door-kicking looks fun.
In reply to deepsoup:

UKRGB is certainly a good place - played a big part in me paddling down the river Affric as a side trip on a longer adventure. Also some good tips about how to get a dog happy in a canoe...

Some real adventurous cross Scotland journeys as well. So little time...

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