Corsica
Corsica is an island in the Mediterranean Sea, just north of Sardinia. It officially belongs to France, even if it is considered autonomous and independent by lots of its inhabitants, which don't feel French at all.
Especially in the summer month you see hitchhikers in Corsica. As there are only 2 train lines and busses are slow and rare, hitching is a common way to get around. Protect yourself from the sun. Hitching in Corsica is very easy, and even the biggest "cities" are small enough to find your way out of easily.
The roads in Corsica are especially in the mountainous inner of the island small and bumpy. Drivers are forced to drive in second or third gear. The average driving speed (except for the national road on the east coast) is around 50km/h. On the national roads there are often traffic jams during summer holidays, especially near the main touristic hubs on the southern and eastern costs.
Ferries
The cities where ferries depart (or arrive) are only Ajaccio and Bastia for the mainland and Propriano and Bonifacio for Sardinia all the year long (meaning in winter, late autumn and early spring). From mid-April to mid-October you will find connection also from/to Porto-Vecchio, Calvi and L'Île Rousse and there will be also more ferries from the other ports. The ferries can't be hitchhiked (legally) since the truck ticket are not paid by vehicle but per person, the only way you'll have if you want to take it for free, will be illegally.. There is plenty of ferries every day (minimum 4 per day in winter, imagine in summer..) with a huge variety of vehicles, so if you are patient enough for sure you'll find the right one.
If you consider paying the ticket, keep in mind that French destinations are usually so much cheaper than Italian ones even if the trip is longer and the distance is bigger..crazyness of our times where a flight cost less than a train.
From the european mainland there are connections from/to Marseille, Nice, Toulon, in France to/from Ajaccio and Bastia and from/to Savona, Livorno, (La Spezia, Piombino only in summer) and Genova in Italy to/from Bastia. Connections to/from Sardegna are available all year long between Propriano and Porto Torres (twice a week in winter) and between Bonifacio and Santa Teresa di Gallura (twice a day in winter).
Sleeping
Wild camping is generally strictly forbidden in Corsica. As anywhere else, try not to get caught if you do it, and avoid to light a fire. Outside of the touristic season people seem not care too much about you since you don't bother their business, only thing they seem to care of after neighbours respectability..
The mountainous landscape and the often scrubby, spikey, low-growing brush environment make wild camping in Corsica quite difficult in several places. Finding a hidden, flat, comfortable spot can be tough, but more than possible if you look long enough. People in Corsica can be paranoid about wild camping because of their fear for wildfires, which make quite sense! In summer, if local people see you looking around for a campsite they start to question you, so try to keep a low profile. The official campgrounds are often expensive, 10–15€ per person per night. Many of them are loud, crowded, and not very clean. There are some smaller local campsites that will charge as little as 4€/person a night, but are not common.
Food
Everything is very expensive (especially for non locals...) in Corsica. Even in the supermarkets, the prices of local grown fruits and veggies can be expensive. Everything will be cheaper if you don't come during the summer holidays and in any case if you avoid touristic places (which are more or less everywhere).
If you do want to go for a drink, order a pastis, You can find this for as cheap as 1.4–2.5 euro and most of the time you get a big glass of water. It's cheaper than ordering a normal small water in a bar!!
Fishing is free for all on the coast except along natural reserves and inland waters.
Personal experiences
Fede found Corsican people often rude, aggressive, and really not welcoming at all. Coming from the warm and kind Sardegna it has been quite a shock for him. He received help only from foreigners living there and heard that among native Corsicans there is a great deal of racism (against Arabs and Africans labourers, as well as against French). Tourists are treated well, since they represent the main source of income, but without, he feels, sincere respect and kindness.
Cities
Regions of FranceRegions: Alsace • Aquitaine • Auvergne • Bourgogne • Bretagne • Centre • Champagne-Ardenne • Corsica • Franche-Comté • Île-de-France • Languedoc-Roussillon • Limousin • Lorraine • Midi-Pyrénées • Nord-Pas de Calais • Basse-Normandie • Haute-Normandie • Pays de la Loire • Picardie • Poitou-Charentes • Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur • Rhône-Alpes
Overseas regions: French Guiana • Guadeloupe • Martinique • Réunion
Overseas collectivities: Saint Pierre and Miquelon • New Caledonia • French Polynesia • Wallis and Futuna • Mayotte • Saint-Martin • Saint-Barthélemy
