Camping Paradella

While exploring the Balagne region should keep you busy for a week or longer, Corsica’s compact enough to see much more of. It’s an isle full of tall cliffs, deep gorges and rocky pinnacles, so it’s a scenic place for hiking expeditions. Up for a challenge? Join the 180-kilometre GR20 trail running to the south from 14 minutes’ drive away. If you’d rather be on the water, make haste for Calvi (10 minutes’ drive) and take a boat trip around the off-shore Calanques de Piana nature reserve, a series of jagged rock formations along the coast. Once you’re back on dry land, poke around Calvi’s medieval citadel and baroque-style St-Jean-Baptiste Cathedral, which look out over the marina from the western side of the bay, then wander along the Quai Landry esplanade in search of a seafront restaurant. To walk off the calories afterwards, hike up to the Notre-Dame de la Serra chapel and admire the views over the coast as you catch your breath. The nightlife in town also means there’s a bit of a buzz to Calvi, so make sure to descend in time for sunset drinks.