12 August 2008
Flights to Ajaccio:
Corsica's capital is home to some 52,880 inhabitants and represents a major tourist platform for the tens of thousands of visitors who come to explore southern Corsica's coasts every year.
By far Corsica's busiest airport, Napoleon Bonaparte airport welcomes more than one million passengers every year, ranking 11th on a national level.
The French island has recently been trying to encourage new airlines, including budget airlines like EasyJet, to operate from the capital in order to expand its destination network.
Ajaccio airport currently offers direct flights to Luxembourg, Brussels, Amsterdam and London during the summer season, as well as regular flights to various towns in France throughout the year.
Flights to the European destinations operate from the end of April to the end of September.
Year-round destinations include: Metz-Nancy, Montpellier, Nantes, Nice, Nimes, Paris, Poitiers, Quimper, Rennes, Toulouse, Strasbourg, Marseilles, Lyon, Clermont-Ferrand, Bordeaux, Geneve, Caen, Brest and Lille.
Ajaccio airport's main airlines are Air France, CCM Airlines, GB Airways, Luxair, Regional Airlines, Transavia Airlines and EasyJet.
South Corsica's second major airport is Figari airport, located just under two hours away from Ajaccio, and offering direct flights to similar destinations in France, as well as Manchester in the UK and Berne in Switzerland.
To and from Ajaccio's airport:
There is a regular airport shuttle operating to and from Ajaccio's coach station. The journey takes 20 minutes and costs €4.50.
The last shuttle from the airport is at 11.15 pm Mondays to Saturdays and 11.55pm on Sundays and holiday days.
Alternatively, there are also a number of taxi firms operating from outside the airport.
Travel by ferry:
Corsica's two main passenger and car ferry companies are Corsica Ferries and the SNCM.
Corsica Ferries operates crossings from Ajaccio to Toulon and Nice in southern France. The journey takes around five and a half hours.
The company also operates short one-hour boat trips to Sardinia, Santa Teresa, at the very north of the island, departing from Bonifacio, which is located two hours south of Ajaccio, at the southern tip of Corsica.
The SNCM goes from Ajaccio to Nice and Marseilles in southern France and Porto Torres in north-western Sardinia.
Transport within Corsica:
Located on the south-western coast of Corsica, Ajaccio is a good base to further explore the south, its wonderful beaches, landscapes and wineries.
The town itself was the birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte and is well worth a visit.
By train:
Exploring the Island of Beauty by train is certainly a slow experience, but is also the best way to reach remote and dream-like parts of the island.
The Trinighellu, as it is called, was first built in the 19th century and travels from Ajaccio to either Bastia in the north-east or Calvi and Ile-Rousse in the north-west, through Corte and Ponte Leccia.
It takes just under four hours to cover the distance from Ajaccio to north Corsica's main town Bastia, through the maquis and Corsica's mountains.
By bus:
There are two main long distance bus journeys from Ajaccio, one going to Propriano, Sartene, Porto Vecchio and Bonifacio in the south, and the other to Corte and Bastia in the north.
An extensive network of short bus journeys also serve local villages such as Sagone, Evisa and Bavella.
Own transport:
Driving in Corsica is a safe and pleasant experience, although some of the coastal roads are definitely not for the faint-hearted.
All major car rental companies like Avis, Europcar and Hertz are present at the airport, as well as local companies.
The island's entire coastal route can be done in eight to nine hours of non-stop driving, the perfect distance for a slow pace seven to ten-day road trip.
Exploring the island by bike, motorbike, quad bike or on horseback can be an equally exciting and fulfilling experience and should not be missed.
