Corsica
Corsica's Mediterranean tourism and nationalist politics combine with mainland transfers that subsidize island economy seasonal employment patterns cannot sustain alone.
Corsica operates as France's island exception—geographically Mediterranean, culturally distinct, economically dependent on mainland transfers that subsidize a lifestyle that market forces alone could not sustain. The island's mountainous interior and rocky coasts limit agriculture to specialized niches (wine, charcuterie, cheese) while tourism provides the primary economic engine.
Tourism concentrates in summer months when Mediterranean beaches and mountain trails draw visitors from mainland France and northern Europe. This seasonality creates employment patterns that alternate between intense summer activity and quiet winters—a boom-bust cycle at annual rather than multi-year frequency. Ajaccio and Bastia provide year-round services, but smaller communities depend almost entirely on seasonal flows.
Nationalist sentiment, stronger here than in any other French region, shapes political economy. Demands for autonomy (or independence) reflect perception that French centralization poorly serves Corsican interests. Special fiscal arrangements (lower fuel taxes, property regime) acknowledge distinctiveness while stopping short of the self-governance that movements demand. Whether Corsica can develop sustainable economic base beyond tourism and transfers—or whether dependency continues indefinitely—poses questions that political tensions complicate.