Corsica, France Weather and Climate

Geographical location

According to abbreviationfinder, Corsica is a French island in the Mediterranean with almost 320,000 inhabitants. It is located around 180 kilometers southeast of mainland France and 83 kilometers west of Italy at the level of Abruzzo. In the south, the neighboring Italian island of Sardinia is only around 12 kilometers away.

Corsica, which consists mostly of high mountains, has a coastline of around 1000 kilometers. While the west coast is referred to as the Western Mediterranean, the north is called the Ligurian Sea, while the south and east are called the Tyrrhenian Sea.

Several mountains with a height of over 2000 meters, especially the basement in the west of the island, in many places only drop steeply directly on the coast and provide dramatic landscapes. The highest point is Monte Cinto with 2706 meters.

The capital Corsica is the largest city Ajaccio, whose airport is mainly served by Air France. Ryanair mainly uses Figari Airport near Porto-Vecchio, while German-speaking airlines such as Lufthansa in Corsica use Bastia-Poretta Airport.

Climate in Corsica

Corsica has a typical Mediterranean climate. 2750 annual hours of sunshine guarantee a dry and hot summer as well as a mild and sometimes humid winter. Temperatures in spring are between 15 and 20 ° C and rise to at least 25 ° C from June. In the mountains it can sometimes rain heavily, whereas it rarely rains on the coast in summer.

Although it is often over 27 ° C in July and August, the heat in Corsica is not oppressive due to the steady, light wind. In addition, 10 hours of sunshine a day from May to August guarantee the best conditions for beach holidays and activities on the island. From June to October the Mediterranean reaches water temperatures of a mild 20 to 24 degrees. July and August are the warmest months in Corsica.

When to go to Corsica

Corsica is an attractive travel destination all year round. For those seeking peace and quiet, even the mild winter months are worth recommending, even if it cools down to 3 to 4 degrees at night, for example in January. a good travel time. The spring and autumn months on Corsica are recommended for hiking and for a more active holiday. However, increased rainfall is expected from October.

For the majority of travelers who long for sunshine and a relaxing beach holiday, summer is of course the best time to travel to Corsica in France. From May to the end of September, there are 9 to 12 hours of sunshine a day, the Mediterranean is pleasantly suitable for bathing from the end of May. The midsummer months of July and August are therefore particularly popular, and June and September are also the best time to visit the island.

Temperatures, precipitation, sunshine in Ajaccio (Corsica)

Temperatures

The annual average temperature in Ajaccio is 14.8 ° C. For comparison: Munich reaches an average of 8.6 ° C, in Berlin it is 9.6 ° C. The warmest month is July (22.3 ° C), coldest month of January with mean values of 8.2 ° C. The maximum water temperature in Ajaccio is 24 ° C. Comfortable bathing is possible at these temperatures. The months of June, July, August, September, October and November have a water temperature of at least 17 ° C. Bathing is then possible to a limited extent. The months of July, August, September and October have a water temperature of at least 21 ° C and are therefore suitable for a beach holiday.

Precipitation

The annual precipitation is 647 mm on 74 days with precipitation. For comparison: In Munich, 967 mm, in Berlin 570 mm, precipitation is measured annually. There is no rainy season, i.e. months with more than 175 mm of precipitation. In the months of January, February and December snowfall is possible.

Sunshine

As our climate table shows, July is the sunniest month with an average of 11.8 hours of sunshine per day. On average over the year, the sun shines 7.5 hours per day. For comparison: In Munich and Berlin, the sun shines an average of 4.7 hours per day throughout the year.

Highlights and attractions

An absolute highlight on Corsica is the Calanche, a fjord-like bay with bizarre rocky landscapes. It extends south of Porto in the Corsica Regional Nature Park and has been designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO, together with the Girolata Bay and the La Scandola Nature Park. Another interesting sight is the city of Bonifacio with its picturesque old town.

Other attractions await you in Corte, the Filitosa Open Air Museum and the Restonica Valley! Beach lovers will love Tamaricciu Beach, among other places. Our beach favorites on Corsica also include the sandy bay of Saleccia, the white beach of Palombaggia, the beautiful bay Roccapina and the beach behind the pine forest of Rondinara.

Corsica weather in March, April and May

Average daily temperatures between 15 ° C and 21 ° C can be expected over the next three months. In Ajaccio, it gets warmest in May, while March is noticeably cooler.

Do you want to go on a beach holiday? The water temperatures are in March, April and May 14-16 ° C. So the weather is hardly suitable for swimming.

The expected rainfall is around 8 days in March, around 7 days in April and around 6 days in May.

In the period from March to May , the sun shines an average of 6 to 9 hours a day. The sunniest weather in Ajaccio is in May, but with less sun you will have to get by in March.