Mini Guide to Camping in Corsica

Campsites in Corsica are usually open from June through September although some are open from April to October. As of this writing there are about 240 campsites located throughout the island. I suggest you avoid the months of July and August, of the two August is the worst (hot and crowded).

Campsite vs. Hotel

Many campsites have laundry facilities, restaurants, pizzerias, bars and even Wi-Fi connections, common amenities you may not find in a 2-star hotel. The quality of the food and the prices in these campsites is comparable to what you may find in regular cafés.

Be sure to book ahead and compare rates though because during peak season, the weekly rate on a camping bungalow could cost just as much as a holiday vacation rental.

Restrictions

In Corsica it is forbidden to pitch tents outside designated areas or sleep on the beach. Lighting camp fires is also forbidden in most places.

Choosing a Campsite

The star rating on a campground is based on a variety of amenities that you may not particularly care for such as: swimming pool, tennis courts or mini-golf. For this reason, a 2-star campsite may be just as nice as a 3-star location. Personally, I prefer a campsite located near a stream, like the Restonica, or overlooking the ocean.

When choosing a campsite, consider what is most important to you. Do you prefer being near the beach or the mountains? Do you want access to shops and restaurants? Are you traveling alone, as a couple or with a group of friends?

If you’re backpacking and don’t have a vehicle, then you will probably want to choose a location with either access to public transportation or one near a town or city. If you travel with children, it may be a good idea to choose a location that provides activities for them and avoid areas with heavy traffic.

Peak Season

If you travel to Corsica during the months of July and August and expect to rent a campsite bungalow, you should reserve well in advance. If you plan to sleep in a tent or a camper then reserving in advance may not be necessary except if you plan to visit in the middle of August.

August 15 is an important holiday in Corsica when all accommodations are sold-out. (This day marks the celebration of “la Fête de l’Assomption”). Another important holiday to keep in mind is July 14, Bastille Day.

Rates

Rates are based on vehicle type, number of people and location (bungalow or tent site). There is an additional fee for electric hook-up. This campsite happens to be in Saint-Florent and offers wi-fi connections. Prices shown below are typical of what you may find.

For instance, a couple with a medium sized tent, and a car would pay (in high season) 13+2.50+4.00 or 19.50 Euros per day. (If you leave your car in the parking lot then it’s only 2.00 Euros for the car).

Weather

Even in the hot summer months, temperatures drop at night and sleeping in a tent is pleasant. Insects and mosquitoes are not a problem in the evening. You should always come prepared for cold weather regardless of the season.

Last year, on August 15th 2008, despite the unbearable heat and humidity during the day, I found myself shivering in my tent that night from a cold wind, that supposedly blows every year to coincide with the ascent of the Virgin Mary (only in Corsica), and I didn’t have my sleeping bag with me, just a light jacket.

This is how hikers wearing light clothing can die of hypothermia during the summer months when they’re up in the mountains and temperatures drop dramatically at night so come prepared.

Camping Gear

The amount and variety of camping accessories available in Corsica is rather limited and prices are not cheap. Plan to bring all your camping gear with you.

If you travel by plane, then the only item you will need to buy in Corsica (if you plan to cook meals) is a camping stove. Campingaz products are sold in several locations in Corsica. For a list of locations visit: www.campingaz.com. You can also find gas and camping stoves at Super U and Casino supermarkets.

If you want to look around, Intersport (www.intersport.fr) sells outdoor gear and they have locations in Ajaccio, Calvi, Furiani and Porto-Vecchio.

Compact Soil

If you plan to sleep in a tent remember Corsica is a granite island and the soil can be very compact and hard to break even near the beach. I’ve seen people struggle to nail their aluminum stakes to the ground bending them like paper clips.

Avoid using plastic or aluminum stakes and buy some made of iron or steel. For my tent, I always use some sturdy bolts that you can buy at any hardware store (about 14 cm long and 1 cm in diameter, roughly the size of a pen). Wherever you go in Corsica there are rocks that you can use as mallets to hammer the stakes into the ground. These same rocks can be used to secure the rain fly on your tent in case it rains.

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On my next post I will present a list of my favorite campsites so stay tuned.

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A while ago I wrote an article about camping in Corsica and then I thought:

“Who in their right mind is going to fly to Corsica from the U.S. (or England) and stay at a campsite?” Exactly. So I didn’t post the article and instead wrote about hotels.

Then a few days ago I wrote a post, about Paul and Sheila, avid EuroCampers whose travels have taken them to places like Sicily, Greece and Croatia. (One of my readers commented they oughta do a Reality TV show about them). Read about their dream tour of Corsica and Sardinia on a VW Camper.
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Filed under: Corsica Campsites