French head, Italian heart.
Emotions play a fundamental role in the choice of my trips. They guide me like a compass in making some important decisions. They make me look far beyond traditional tourist destinations. They accompany me throughout the journey, step after step, meeting after meeting. But, above all, they push me to transform even a simple vacation into an extraordinary adventure.
This year the emotions took me back in time, to an island that I have always loved not only for its unspoiled nature, but above all for its dual Italian-French culture.
I remember clearly the first time I arrived on a motorbike in Corsica with a dear friend of mine. Many years have passed since that incredible journey, but I can still remember that unmistakable scent of the wild smells of the maquis that penetrated right under the visor of my helmet. Kilometers and kilometers, made of exciting curves, breathtaking views, laughter at sunrise and sunset, wonderful rocky and Caribbean beaches.
This is why I decided to return to Corsica. Not to relive that experience, but to make a completely different one.
Yes of CORSE.
Discovering the wild side of Corsica.
I never like to return to the same places when I travel, but if there is one where I would definitely return, perhaps for a professional photographic tour, this is without a doubt at the Scandola Nature Reserve.
A unique place, which I crossed and discovered through all my senses: immerging myself in its emerald green waters, touching the sky from its high peaks, enjoying its poetic beauty, admiring its incredible red rock sculptures and listening to the exciting stories of those who have lived in this wonderful corner of paradise.
Like Frederic, the young owner of the Bella Vista Hotel, who told me:
The second name for Corsica is the island of beauty. It is a tourism very close to nature, we have natural pools, the sea, the mountains, the woods … underwater we see what we see outside.
To see the full interview (in French) that I uploaded on YouTube, click here.
A natural open-air museum.
The Scandola Reserve is a magical place that gave me the same powerful emotions of Uluru in Australia. In this spectacular uncontaminated place all the strength, grandeur and beauty of Nature is manifested.
The reserve is an ancient crater that collapsed into the sea where you can admire unique geological formations, typical of volcanic systems. A real open-air geological museum, with red volcanic rocks from the ancient caldera that rise out of the blue sea like gigantic natural works of art, creating a breathtaking scenery.
This protected marine area, a UNESCO heritage site, can only be visited by sea and is respected like a true sacred place: you can’t stop, you can’t fish or swim in it.
It looks like Atlantis re-emerged from the waters with red cliffs almost 1 km high that touch the sky, the emerged part of an important volcanic complex of almost 700 km². Just think that there are 900 hectares on the mainland and 1000 hectares in the sea! An incredible experience, as a “visionary traveler”, which deeply struck me and stunned me for its poignant beauty. Those masterpieces of nature will remain engraved in my mind forever.
The perfect island for all sea lovers.
I’m not the classic beach type, I don’t like spending hours and hours under the sun, but there is one thing I absolutely adore and it is the sea in all its enchanting shades. This is why I chose Corsica: to refresh my ideas after a somewhat complex year and to regenerate myself before diving into new commitments and exciting projects.
Who said that to find heavenly beaches, dream bays, transparent seabeds, instagrammable sunsets, you have to go to the other side of the world? In just under three hours of ferry, from Livorno to Bastia, I promise that all your wishes will come true!
What makes the Corsican sea special, in fact, is its extraordinary coastal biodiversity: you go from the rocky sea of the Northwest with its colored pebbles and its blue and emerald green water to the white sand of the South with its crystalline and “Caribbean” sea, just a few km away from each other.
The beach I liked the most is by far Bussaghia, near Porto Ota, between Scandola and the Calanche di Piana: a pebble beach (see video), a very transparent sea that changes from blue to red at sunset, with very few people.
As a swimmer I love beaches where the sea immediately becomes deep, but for those who want to sink their feet in Caribbean waters without sharks on the horizon, walk for miles in a giant natural pool where you can relax, chat and take selfies, in the South I recommend the famous Palombaggia and Rondinara beaches, although my favorite is Le Petit Sperone near Bonifacio where there is the perfect mix between Caribbean beach and rock.
A simple, genuine cuisine with character.
Corsican cuisine encompasses all the most authentic flavors of an island that is not only sea, but above all mountains. You will never run the risk of always eating the same things for a whole week, but you can taste many different specialties, accompanied by excellent white and red wines: Cheeses, chestnuts, fish, seafood, and a lot of meat, because the corsicans before being fishermen, are shepherds.
During my food and wine journey I had the pleasure of meeting and interviewing the owner of the “Le Maquis” restaurant in Porto Ota, Andrée, a strong, simple and authentic woman like the dishes in her kitchen:
Let’s start with lamb but there is also wild boar, fish, sea bream, mostelle and barracuda, cured meats, cheese platter … then there are some very interesting wines with Nelluccio grapes, but also Vermentino since we are very close to Sardinia.
The thing that surprised me is the very frequent use of local wild herbs, such as oregano, marjoram, mint and verbena. A cooking that stands out for its colors and smells.
To see her full interview (in French), click here.
The pride of being Corsican.
Passionate, independent, strong, courageous, free, honest, tenacious, decisive, but also united, welcoming, generous and supportive. There are many attributes often associated with the Corsican people, but the most characteristic is their pride. They are proud of their Island. Proud of its history. Proud of its Tradition.
A pride that goes far beyond the simple concept of pride and that binds every member of this community. I saw this feeling shining in the eyes of Andrée, the owner of the Maquis and in Frederic’s smiling face when he explained to me what it meant for him to be Corsican:
Corsica is more than an island, it is a state of mind, we have this respect for Corsica, we have this love for Corsica in us, we might have a closed spirit at times but always a very big heart, we can seem a little gruffy at first, but then we like people. There are 3 words that best describe Corsica: Resistance, Freedom and Solidarity.
You will find the full interview by clicking here
This weekend we take a tour in Corsica.
Corsica has nothing to envy to the most beautiful holiday resorts in Italy and in the world: crystal clear sea, excellent local food and wine, breathtaking mountains and lakes, history and culture. And lots and lots of greenery around us.
If you have not yet booked your holidays or are already on vacation, I recommend that you think about it because in addition to being a very beautiful and interesting island, it is also accessible and welcoming!
To find out about my trip to Corsica follow me on my Instagram and Facebook channels.
Ready to sail for a new FRAday?
Yes of CORSE!
