Around 20 years ago I received my first task as a hiking guide in France. My assignment was to develop a week-long inn-to-inn hiking tour across the island of Corsica. There were three requirements for the trip.
The hiking had to be amazing.
The food had to be delicious.
The accommodations had to be authentic, memorable, and charming.
So off I went! And this is the type of scenery that I found a long the way. Corsica is beautiful! It’s no wonder the French call it l’Ile de Beauté (the island of beauty).
People often ask about my favorite Corsican foods. I have two favorite dishes. One is velouté de châtaignes (creamy chestnut soup). Chestnuts have existed on the Corsican isle for thousands of years, and they are delicious! One of the best chestnut soups that I’ve ever tasted came from the kitchen of the 5 Star Relais & Châteaux La Signoria in Calvi. That soup almost brought me to tears. My other favorite Corsican dish is le sanglier (wild boar). On a cozy fall afternoon, sanglier stew is one of the most satisfying dishes a hiker can eat, unless of course you’re vegetarian. In either case, you won’t go wrong if you start your evening with a glass of Mattei Cap Corse, a very drinkable aperitif.
