Bastia and Corsica - a journey across the north of the island
You could venture to say that Corsica is French in name only. This Mediterranean island stresses its historical and emotional distinctness from France. History allowed it to enjoy freedom and independence for... just 14 years. Now it is “French”, but for centuries it was “Italian” - more precisely, it was part of the Genoese state and also belonged to Pisa. The local dialect, which is enjoying a revival, is close to Italian, and geographically the island lies closer to Italy than to France.
Bastia - the Vieux Port and Place Saint-Nicolas
Corsica has around 300,000 inhabitants, 4 airports and 6 ports. One of the airports lies south of the city of Bastia. Bastia is Corsica's second largest city; only the island's capital, Ajaccio, is bigger. It lies on the north-east coast and is the capital of the Haute-Corse department. It is the most Italian of all Corsica's towns, perhaps even of all France. It is an interesting destination in its own right, and also a good base for exploring the island's other attractions.
Surrounded by hills and the Mediterranean, Bastia is a city with a rich history and culture and a distinctive old harbour, the Vieux Port. The harbour is currently undergoing a major regeneration and will become even prettier - in a few months cars will be “shown the door”, and the whole waterfront will be given over to pedestrians. Cafés and restaurants will gain new space, and there will be more room for open-air events. Towering over the pastel houses, whose windows look out over a harbour full of sailing boats and fishing vessels, is the Cathedral of St John the Baptist (Cathédrale Saint-Jean-Baptiste), with its impressive Baroque front. Its façade, dominated by two towers, has become the city's calling card and appears on every postcard.
Place Saint-Nicolas is Bastia's main square, and in its centre stands a statue of Napoleon Bonaparte. This great Corsican was born in Ajaccio, but Bastia has also given him the monument he deserves. From his plinth, Napoleon gazes east, towards the Italian coast, which at this latitude belongs to Tuscany. Many residents emphasise their ties with Italy. Young people study in Italy, the local dialect is similar to Italian, and the port of Bastia is the only one on Corsica with year-round ferry links to Genoa and Livorno.
Bastia's Citadel and churches
Another area worth visiting is the Citadel. This impressive fortified complex was built by the Genoese at the turn of the 15th and 16th centuries. It is still surrounded by mighty walls. The Citadel was carefully planned: the houses are all the same height and stand around charming, shady squares. The area also looks interesting from the sea; a promenade recently completed in Bastia lets you see the city from a different perspective. This is not the only initiative that has made the city more attractive. To take through traffic out of the densely built-up areas altogether, a tunnel was built running under the Old Harbour and the blocks of historic houses.
The city's early history is linked to the activity of the Jesuit order. There was a time when 27 churches operated in the city and many clergy worked here. Historians have calculated that at the time there were 4 inhabitants for every priest. Catholicism is still strongly present on Corsica and in Bastia today, as shown by the activity of religious confraternities and the care lavished on its beautiful churches. Catholic faith intertwines here with local beliefs, and stalls selling special good-luck jewellery (made of shells or coral) line the city's main promenade.
Bastia is a great base for exploring nearby attractions such as the Patrimonio vineyards (to the west), the picturesque beaches and mountain villages of the Cap Corse peninsula (to the north), and the Étang de Biguglia lagoon, full of birds and turtles (to the south). In season you can watch flocks of flamingos there.
Cap Corse and the Calanques de Piana
One of the areas worth visiting while in Bastia is the Cap Corse peninsula. It is a picturesque region of wild landscapes, charming fishing villages and historic defensive towers. The coastline is varied, with cliffs, bays, beaches and small fishing harbours. The mountainous landscape offers beautiful views of the Mediterranean and the surrounding islands. In many villages you can see historic churches and chapels, as well as defensive towers built by the Genoese, which were once used to guard against pirates and to raise the alarm in times of danger. The main villages are Nonza, Macinaggio and Erbalunga. The peninsula offers plenty of ways to stay active, such as hiking, climbing, cycling or diving in the crystal-clear waters of the Mediterranean.
The Sentier des Douaniers, literally the “Customs Officers' Path”, is a hiking trail at the very northern tip of Cap Corse. Its name recalls the days when customs officers patrolled the area to prevent smuggling. It is a scenic coastal route that often leads across steep cliffs, bays, beaches and charming fishing villages. Walking the whole trail takes 8 hours one way. It is worth doing at least a section, such as the path between Tollare and Barcaggio (1 hour there and back). The Sentier des Douaniers passes through varied terrain, including white-sand beaches, rocky shores, woods and scrubland.
The stretch of Corsica's north-west coast most crowded with tourists is the Calanques de Piana. It is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful places on Corsica, featured in every guidebook. The granite formations change colour remarkably, from gold through pink to deep red, depending on the time of day and the light. A scenic road runs between the rocks above the cliffs, but a better idea is to walk the trail and see the rocks and the sea from a different perspective.
Omessa, Ota and the Genoese bridges
The island's interior is just as interesting as its coast. One example is the small town of Omessa, which captivates with its authenticity, tranquillity and natural beauty. It is worth coming here to escape the bustle of the tourist resorts in high season and immerse yourself in the traditional Corsican way of life. Omessa lies in the valley of the Golo river, surrounded by mountains and forests. Like many other places on Corsica, the town has a rich history going back to the Middle Ages. It developed thanks to farming and animal husbandry, and its inhabitants were famous for producing wine and olive oil. In the 19th century Omessa was an important centre of chestnut production, chestnuts being the staple of local cuisine. The town is full of typical Corsican stone houses, often with wooden shutters and tiled roofs. Between the houses there are several charming squares and fountains, which serve as meeting places for locals and visitors. The fountains, often decorated with stone carvings, add to the town's character. The Golo river is popular with anglers and with those who enjoy swimming in natural pools.
Another mountain village worth visiting is Ota, which lies close to Corsica's picturesque west coast, near the famous Calanques de Piana. It sits at around 350 metres above sea level in the valley of the Porto river. It is worth taking advantage of the fact that two parallel roads lead there, along the north and the south side of the river. Several trails start near Ota, including one leading to an old Genoese bridge over the Porto river in the Spelunca gorge. A fairly easy trail leads to it, where the only real challenge is crossing a mountain stream by hopping from stone to stone.
The Genoese left Corsica not only watchtowers, citadels and other buildings, but also bridges. Many of the bridges built from the 13th century onwards are still in good condition today. They once played a key role in transport and in moving people around, and today their locations, far from present-day routes, are often surprising. Their construction is simple but very solid. They have one or several arches, which give them stability and resistance to changing weather and heavy loads.
Calvi - the citadel and the Columbus legend
Calvi could well be considered the prettiest town on Corsica. Its history is intriguing too. According to legend, the town was the birthplace of Christopher Columbus, although the evidence is inconclusive (the same claim is made by the small island of Porto Santo near Madeira, which I described in a separate article). In the Middle Ages Calvi was a strategic defensive point that often changed hands in conflicts between the Genoese, the French and pirates. And it was the Genoese who built the Citadel that towers over the town, in the 15th century. Inside the walls is the old part of town, with narrow cobbled streets, historic buildings and churches.
The island's interior offers a chance to observe traditional farming. Don't be surprised to see cows grazing freely along the roads, herds of goats being driven down them, and donkeys too. Tourists try to photograph the semi-wild pigs here. Most are black and hairy, but some are spotted. When their time comes, they become the basis of excellent local charcuterie, with an unrivalled flavour that comes from the animals being raised “in the forest”.
L'Île-Rousse, pétanque and Corsica's beaches
L'Île-Rousse is a small Corsican resort served by ferries. It has a sandy beach, a small old town and pleasant views. But that is not the most interesting thing here. On the town's largest square, the locals play pétanque. The game involves throwing metal balls (boules; French boule - ball) 70.5 to 80 mm in diameter (weighing 650 to 800 g) from a marked circle towards a small wooden or plastic ball 30 mm in diameter, called the cochonnet, French for “piglet”, or the jack. Games are played on a grassless area (known as a boulodrome), often of compacted gravel, of sufficient size (at least 15×4 m in tournaments). A match is played in one of three possible formats: singles (French tête-à-tête) - one player against another, each with 3 boules; doubles - two teams of two, each player with 3 boules; triples - two teams of three, each player with 2 boules. Each match consists of several ends. An end is the period from the throwing of the jack to the players' last ball. In each end, every player tries to place their boule closer to the jack or to knock away the opponent's scoring boules (those lying closest to the jack). The next throw always goes to a player from the team whose ball is not currently scoring (not closest to the jack). Once all the balls have been thrown, the players count the points: only the winner of the end scores - the one whose ball lies closest to the jack.
There are many beaches on Corsica... you could debate for hours which one is the “most beautiful”. It is a matter of taste, after all, and on Corsica you will find beaches to suit every taste. There are long, wide ones that seem “endless”. There are also small coves enclosed by rocks or boulders. There are town beaches and remote ones that are not so easy to find. Some have long stretches of shallow water and are ideal for children, while others are perfect for diving, because the water is deep and clear…
Corsica is ideal for a summer holiday or a spring (or autumn) getaway. Despite its popularity, it has kept its authenticity and attachment to tradition. It offers a variety of ways to spend your free time and can satisfy most tastes.
