The Wild Maquis of Corsica
Corsicans derive essential oils from some of the island's aromatic herbs.
April/May 2004
By Sibylle Hechtel
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Ripening chestnuts cling to a tree framing this Corsican mountain village.
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Recipes
Monkfish Oven-Roasted in Herbs with Marinated Jerusalem Artichokes
Corsican Chicken with Rosemary and Honey of the Maquis
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France’s island province of Corse, also called
Corsica, floats in the Mediterranean Sea off the southeastern coast
of the French mainland. With a population of more than 250,000 in
an area of about 3,400 square miles, much of the island is
mountainous and sparsely populated. The flowers among the dense
maquis—shrubbery blanketing more than half the island—produce a
fragrance that wafts far out to sea and has earned Corsica its
appellation as “the scented isle.” For centuries, the wild maquis
provided hideouts for bandits, and the province’s history is rich
with adventure and mystery.
French is the official language, but most Corsicans also speak a
dialect akin to Italian, and the island’s cuisine and conversation
reflect its varied heritage. Fruit, cork, cigarettes, wine and
cheese are the main exports, and good connections by air and sea
make it an especially appealing tourist destination.
I’d read stories about Corsica’s maquis, but the mixture of
fragrances that greeted me when I arrived overwhelmed me. Corsica’s
scented maquis reaches from the sea up to 3,000 feet. In
appearance, it resembles California’s chaparral, but the similarity
ends there. Even after one visit, if you put me on an airplane
blindfolded and took me to Corsica, I would know with utter
certainty that I stood in the maquis.
Imagine standing on a fragrant hillside surrounded by
eucalyptus, juniper, laurel, rosemary, highly scented shrubs of the
rock rose family, heather, myrtle, sage, mint, thyme and lavender.
Add to that more than a dozen aromatic flowers that grow only in
Corsica and you’ll get an idea of the heady, clean aroma that
infuses the island’s air. More than 2,500 species of wildflowers
grow in Corsica, and about 250 of these are native to the island.
Along with the familiar flowers and shrubs, I also encountered
lentisk trees (Pistacia lentiscus), which smell like very strong
sandalwood, and sticky, yellow-flowered inula (Inula
graveolens).
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