So as you know, this past weekend, I took a trip to Corsica:

claire-in-corsica

It’s a stunningly beautiful place, I highly recommend going!

If you find yourself in the area, a few tips:

Where to stay: My friend and I roomed at Hotel Posta Vecchia (8 Rue Posta Vecchia, +33 (0) 4 95 32 32 38) in one of Corsica’s main cities, Bastia. Rooms range from 70 Euros per night for a standard room in low season to 120 Euros during the summer. Ask to stay on the top floor for great views. Pros: Great bathrooms. Cons: Weak Wifi. Posta Vecchia was adequate, but I wasn’t in love. Shop around.

Where to eat: Corsica is known for its fresh seafood, and I enjoyed delicious mussels, shrimp, and scallops! For true Corsican fare, visit Osterio U Tianu (4 Rue Rigo; 04 95 31 36 67) for a yummy prix fixe dinner of 5 courses plus wine and an aperatif for 23 Euros (around $30). The food was amazing and the service, simply lovely.

Leisure: When it’s warm enough, bring your bathing suit to enjoy one of Corsica’s many beaches. If it’s a bit chilly, rent a car and take a day trip–Corsica has beautiful mountains and ocean views.  A friend and I visited the northern towns of Calvi, St. Florent, and Ile Rousse and ate at a must see restaurant called L’Auberge du Chat Qui Peche (04 95 37 81 52).

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Language and Culture: Few people speak English, so bring your French phrase book! Know how to order food and ask a few simple questions in French. I didn’t see that many people of color, so expect stares. Just smile–people are very friendly.

Style Notes: Pack comfy shoes to walk around the cobblestone roads of Bastia. I brought my Tory Burch flats, but recommend bringing a cute pair of sneakers for a bit of cushion. Temps are high during the day and dip at night, so layer accordingly. A few J.Crew cashmere sweaters and a denim jacket should do the trick.

Bisous!

5 thoughts on “Claire’s Life: Corsica”

  1. When I went to Corsica, I found that the people harbored some racist sentiments. We not only got some not-so-friendly stares, but actually got called some very unfriendly names. I actually went with a Korean-American friend, and we both felt incredibly out of place. That said, being able to speak French well was a huge plus. A friendly woman there explained to us that they don’t want a bunch of immigrants like parts of Italy and France. That said, it is surely a beautiful place and we managed to enjoy ourselves despite the lack of diversity.

  2. Les Corses sont racistes. People in Corses are racists. It does not matter if you speak french or not.

  3. Sounds wonderful! I will have to add to my list of places to visit. As for the above comments, racism exists everywhere. Or sometimes what we may think is racism could just be a misunderstanding of the personality of certain cultures. I felt like that for a quick moment when I went to Greece last year, but realized that it wasn’t all about race!

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