Food & Drink

Corsican cuisine is honest, unpretentious and deeply rooted in the landscape. There's no complicated haute cuisine here — just dishes that have been prepared the same way for generations, with ingredients that come straight from the island. From mountain charcuterie to shepherds' cheeses and coastal wines: eating and drinking on Corsica is a journey in itself.

What makes Corsican gastronomy so special is the bond with the land. The pigs roam freely through chestnut forests, feeding on acorns and chestnuts. The goats and sheep graze on mountain pastures full of wild herbs. The vineyards sit on slopes where the sun and sea breeze give the grapes their character.

Charcuterie and cured meats

Corsican charcuterie is legendary. Lonzo (smoked pork loin), coppa (spiced rolled pork), prisuttu (dry-cured ham) and figatellu (liver sausage) are each products the Corsicans are enormously proud of. They are made from the Corsican pig, the porcu nustrale, a breed that roams freely through the maquis and chestnut forests.

Insider tip Buy your charcuterie from a local producer or at a market, not in tourist shops. The difference in flavour and quality is enormous.

Cheese, honey and chestnuts

Brocciu, the soft fresh cheese made from sheep's or goat's milk whey, is the crown jewel of Corsican dairy. You'll find it in dishes like fiadone (cheese cake with lemon) and cannelloni. Beyond brocciu, there are dozens of other cheeses, from mild and soft to aged and robust.

Honey on Corsica carries its own quality label (AOP) and is produced by bees that forage on the maquis. The flavour varies by season and region. Chestnut flour is another quintessential product that features in bread, biscuits and polenta.

Wine with character

Corsica has nine AOC wine regions and a winemaking tradition stretching back 2,500 years. The indigenous grape varieties Nielluccio, Sciaccarello and Vermentino produce wines with a distinctive, unmistakable character. Visiting a winemaker is one of the most rewarding excursions you can make on the island.

Markets and fairs

Throughout the year, fairs and markets are held across Corsica where local producers sell their own goods. From the chestnut fair in Bocognano to the cheese fair in Venaco, these are celebrations where you can experience Corsican gastronomy at its finest.

Eating on Corsica is never an afterthought. It's a way of life.