With public transport woefully inadequate even at the height of the tourist season, much the most convenient way of getting around Corsica is by rental car. The big three companies, Hertz, Avis and Europcar, all have offices at airports and towns across the island, allowing you to collect and return vehicles in different places. Even if your budget won't stretch to a week (typically 1200-1400F/¬182-212), it's well worth renting a car for at least a couple of days to explore the dramatic back roads of the interior. Rely solely on buses , and you'll have to stick to the main arteries. Services are fairly frequent between Bastia, Corte and Ajaccio, and along the east coast from Bastia to Porto-Vecchio and Bonifacio, but some of the most scenic stretches of the west coast (between Porto and Calvi, for example), and large chunks of the interior, are off-limits for much of the year without your own vehicle. Getting accurate timetable information for bus services can also be difficult, as different routes are operated by different companies, and timings change from year to year. The best way to check bus information is to call a tourist office.

Corsica's diminutive train , the Micheline or Trinighellu (little train), rattles through the mountains from Ajaccio to Bastia via Corte, with a branch line running northwest as far as Calvi. Following a precarious route through the heart of the island, it's a little slower than the bus, but takes you through some stupendous scenery, much of which remains inaccessible by road. Try, at least, to make time for the memorable stretch between Ajaccio and Corte; the trip from Ponte Leccia, in northern Corsica, to Calvi along the Balagne coast, is equally stunning.

Motorcycles and scooters can be rented at several towns and resorts, but cost almost as much as cars. A 125cc machine, for example, will set you back around 250-280F/¬38-42.56 per day, plus a deposit of 4000F/¬608 or more. If you do decide to splash out on a bike, check your insurance policy to make sure you have adequate cover: Corsican roads are among the most lethal in Europe.