Corsica · Month comparison
May vs August
May ranks #1 overall vs August at #12. First real sweet spot — 21°C and dry, GR20 lower stages open, Bonifacio beaches without crowds.
May
#1 of 12 months
Best match
First real sweet spot — 21°C and dry, GR20 lower stages open, Bonifacio beaches without crowds.
- ↑GR20 lower stages open from mid-May — full traverse from early June
- ↑Cap Corse driving loop without summer traffic
August
#12 of 12 months
Worth considering
Peak overwhelm — the island's population triples, every beach a parking war by 10:00.
- ↑Sea at 25°C, calmest of the year for snorkel and diving
- ↑Polyphonic festivals in mountain villages (Pigna, Calenzana, Erbalunga)
| Factor | May | August |
|---|---|---|
| Weather score | 9 | 7 |
| Value score | 7 | 1 |
| Crowd score | 7 | 1 |
| Events score | 8 | 8 |
| Atmosphere | 10 | 5 |
| Avg high temp | 21°C | 30°C |
| Monthly rain | 45mm | 25mm |
| Daily sunshine | 9hrs | 11hrs |
May trade-offs
- ↓Sea still 17°C — only Northern Europeans swim
- ↓Upper GR20 stages still snow-bound until early June
August trade-offs
- ↓Hotel rates at calendar peak — €600+ for a normal 4-star in Porto-Vecchio
- ↓Fire risk highest of year — large areas of maquis can be closed to walkers
Scores compare months within Corsica. Climate data: Open Meteo ERA5 30-year normals (1991–2020). Methodology →