greater control over its affairs than any other region of France.A turbulent history indeed, and one that is set to run and run. It is a great pity that trekkers on the GR20 will barely be aware of any of it!
Getting to Corsica
Corsica can be reached by regular flights or ferries, while more adventurous travellers might consider an overland approach through Europe using long-distance trains or coaches. Getting to Corsica is considerably easier than getting around Corsica, so choose an entry point that has good connections with the GR20, and ensure that on completion of the trek, it will be possible to reach your exit point in good time. It is wise to build in a couple of extra days in case of any ferry or flight delays, or in case inclement weather or fatigue cause alterations to your original carefully planned trekking schedule.
See Appendix E, Useful contacts, for a list of overland and air transport operators.
By air
By far the easiest way to reach Corsica is to fly, and there are four airports on the island – Bastia www.bastia.aeroport.fr, Calvi www.calvi.aeroport.fr, Ajaccio www.2a.cci.fr, and Figari www.2a.cci.fr/Aeroport-Figari-Sud-Corse.html. All four airports are served by Air France www.airfrance.com and Air Corsica www.aircorsica.com, but only from mainland France. Airlines with direct services from Britain to Corsica are available. Easyjet, www.easyjet.com, flies from London Gatwick to Bastia, Ajaccio and Figari, as well as from Manchester to Bastia. Flybe, www.flybe.com, flies from Birmingham and Southampton to Bastia. Charter flights are also available. A number of airlines fly direct to Corsica from a handful of European countries. Ryanair, www.ryanair.com, flies from France. Lufthansa, www.lufthansa.com, Germanwings, www.germanwings.com, and Air Berlin, www.airberlin.com, fly from Germany. When choosing a flight, it might be tempting to land at Calvi, because it is close to the start of the GR20 at Calenzana, but returning to Calvi from Conca takes a long time.
Looking to the jagged peaks beside the Bocca a e Porte from the rocky shore of Lac de Capitellu (Link from Bocca a Soglia to Bergeries de Grotelle)
By road and rail
Those travelling overland through France by car, coach or train will find that ports such as Nice or Marseille provide the most straightforward ferry connections to Corsica. Check with Eurolines, www.eurolines.com, or Eurostar, www.eurostar.com, to find good coach or rail connections to the ports. Travelling overland to Nice or Marseille to catch an onward Air Corsica, www.aircorsica.com, flight to Corsica could also be considered.
By sea
Ferries from ports such as Nice and Marseille serve the four main Corsican ports of Ajaccio, Bastia, Calvi and Porto Vecchio, but some ferries serve Île Rousse and Propriano. There are also ferries to Corsica from other ports in France and Italy. When linking overland travel with ferry timetables, be sure to check schedules and timetables carefully, with due regard to check-in times, to ensure a smooth transfer. The main ferry operators are SNCM, www.sncm.fr, La Méridionale, www.lameridionale.fr and Corsica Ferries, www.corsicaferries.biz. Two minor operators are Moby Lines, www.moby.it and Saremar, www.saremar.it.
Taking or hiring a car
Taking a car to Corsica is not a particularly good idea, except for back-up purposes, and even then its use will be limited. Apart from the beginning and end of the GR20, the route is accessible at only seven other points for vehicles. Trekkers would take time to reach all those points, while the back-up driver would need to pursue other interests for the days between each meeting point. Cars can be hired at the airports and ferryports.
Getting around Corsica
By train
Travel by train is remarkably simple. There is in effect one line between Ajaccio and Bastia, with a branch line running to Calvi. The junction is at Ponte Leccia, and the railway crosses the course of the GR20 at its midpoint at Vizzavona. The line is operated by Chemins de Fer de La Corse, www.cf-corse.fr. There is no harm picking up a timetable whether you plan to use the railway or not. Stations can be contacted as follows: Ajaccio 04 95 23 11 03, Bastia 04 95 32 80 61, Calvi 04 95 65 00 61, Corte 04 95 46 00 97, and Île Rousse 04 95 60 00 50.
Bear in mind that one timetable covers the peak summer period, while other timetables flank it, and yet another covers the winter period. Check the dates that timetables are valid, as they could change during the course of a trek along the GR20. On a daily basis, most trains operate from Monday to Friday, with variations on Saturday, and very few services on Sunday. Some small country halts are request stops, so use a hand signal to stop a train, or if already on the train, tell the conductor in good time to stop.
By bus
If travelling by bus, it is essential to check and double-check timetables. There are several bus operators, but some services operate only run in July and August, and there is no central authority issuing information. A useful website is www.corsicabus.org, which attempts to gather all services and timetables into a single place.
When you wish to catch a bus, be sure to turn up early and ask someone exactly where the departure point for the bus is located, as bus stops are rare. Bear in mind that some buses look very plain, and it may not be immediately obvious that they are being used for public transport. Most coaches are comfortable and air-conditioned, but some services are operated using more basic minibuses.
Buses usually
