26 March 2008 - Corsican Places - Press Office
Independent specialist Corsican Places offers the widest portfolio of Corsican holiday accommodation to the UK market and is currently highlighting the appeal of the destination’s cuisine and wine.
Of particular focus is the rugged beauty of Cap Corse.
Forty kilometers long and only fifteen across, the rocky northern peninsula of Cap Corse gives access to some exceptionally beautiful and unspoilt stretches of coast. Villages perched on cliffs and secluded rocky inlets line the west; tiny fishing ports and sandy coves fringe the east.
The picturesque port of Erbalunga, just 10km north of Bastia, was just one of the Cap Corse villages frequented by celebrity chef Rick Stein during his recent Mediterranean Escapes series.
Here the chef enjoyed a typical Corsican feast, where ‘pulenda’, a kind of polenta made with chestnut flour took pride of place alongside ‘figatellu’, a strong-tasting local sausage made with offal and cheek from the Corsican black pig.
Bastia, one of Corsica’s most successful commercial towns, boasts a host of restaurants all lining the quay on the Vieux Port. South of Bastia is the Castagniccia region, a huge forest of chestnut trees dotted with small villages and walking trails, which is increasingly renowned for its traditional cuisine.
As with Corsica itself, the island's cuisine is best described as somewhere between French and Italian, but there are also many aspects which are distinctly Corsican.
Simple seasonal dishes combine the Mediterranean with the pastoral mountain flavours.
Fish and wild game appear frequently on menus and maquis herb-scented charcuterie and local dairy products, such as Brocciu cheese and chestnut-based pastries, are widely available to buy.
Corsican red wines and rosés, most of which have French AOC accreditation, are characterized with flavours of the maquis. The Cap Corse however, has been the bearer of fruits once again in this area, being home to the sweet dessert Muscats, and also host to the Corsican Wine festival, held every July in the lemon tree and vineyard-lined village of Luri.
The vibrant St Florent, coined the Corsican St Tropez, lies on a sparkling bay, sheltered between the wild mountains of Cap Corse and the magnificent, untamed Désert des Agriates. The first port of call for the Provencal jet set, St Florent has much to offer with its chic marina and charming old town. The village of Patrimonio is only a short drive away, where one can visit the vineyards, which reputably produce some of the island’s most acclaimed wines.
Corsican Places is currently offering a selection of May travel offers in the St Florent and Cap Corse regions.
These include a 7-night holiday at the two-bedroom apartment Chez Nicolini in Erbalunga (an enchanting, spacious property with large terrace in the centre of a traditional fishing village), now available from £329 per person, based on 4 sharing and valid for departures on 18 May.
This offer represents a saving of £109 per person and is based on self-catering accommodation and includes return flights from Gatwick – Bastia, car hire and a welcome hamper.
Alternatively, offers in St Florent include a 7-night holiday at A Machja, now available from £589 per person, based on 6 sharing and valid for departures on 25 May.
A Machja is a smart villa (five bedrooms) on the sought-after Fromentica hillside facing out onto spectacular views of the dramatic coastline. St Florent is only a five minute drive away, the beach is within walking distance, and facilities include a private pool.
This offer represents a saving of £251 per person and is based on self-catering accommodation and includes return flights from Gatwick – Bastia, car hire and a welcome hamper.
For more information or to request a brochure, please call Corsican Places Reservation Department on 0845 330 2113 or visit www.corsica.co.uk
