shimmering mountainlakes. Prepare tobedazzledbyFrance’sdiamondintherough. down theisland’sspinethroughanotherworldlylandscapeofpeaks, forests, and waterfalls But today,thehigh-altitudetrailsare more often frequented bytrekkers: cuts theGR20hike mountains andpastures were traditionallythepreserve of banditsand known asthemaquis(whosewildherbsflavourisland’scheesesandcharcuterie), Corsica’s andsoul.Shroudedindenseshrubs,gnarledtrees andunrulyscrubland island’s ruggedheart beaches aroundthe1000kmcoastline,Corsica’smountainousinterior iswhere you’llfindthe shape theisland’shistory,andyoucanstillfeel theculturalmeltingpotatworktoday. hosted ahotchpotchofcultures: everyone fromancientGreeks toGenoesesettlershashelped spray-cans. Despite thepoliticalposturinganditsreputation foraloofness,Corsicahaslong slogans onthewalls,andFrench-language roadsignsare anenduringtarget fornationalist Corsica haslonghadalove-hate relationship withthemainland:you’llseeplentyofanti-French the mostdramatic,diverse anddownrightgorgeous islandsintheMediterranean. chestnut andpine,shotthroughwithrushingrivers andtumblingcascades,it’soneof beauté under manysobriquets. Butthere’s onethatsumsuptheislandinanutshell– to theisland’smore poeticallymindedinhabitants,themysterious islandofCorsicagoes totheGreeks, CorsetotheFrench,Kallisté and‘LaMontagneenMer’(mountaininthesea) Corsica 906 © LonelyPlanetPublications „ While most people make a beeline for the glittering bays, glitzy ports and bone-white andbone-white abeelinefortheglitteringWhile mostpeoplemake bays,glitzyports ofFrance,andyetfiercelyprouditsownculture, historyandlanguage, apart Officially

„ „ „ „ „ „ HIGHLIGHTS

POPULATION: 260,150 Bone up on your Bonaparte aroundNapoléon’s BoneuponyourBonaparte Wanderthe backstreets andbaskonthe Cruisethe sapphire waters ofthe Explore the remote peninsulaof Ponderthearchitectural ambitionsofancestors Discover yourownpocket-sized islandparadise hometown, beaches around p922) Reserve; Naturelle deScandola ( p914 ) bywayofwindingcoastalroads at for adayonthe Paddaghiu (beautifulisland).Crownedbysawtoothpeaks,mantledinforest cloaksofgreen oak, Filitosa 92) and (p932) (p932) Îles Lavezzi Bonifacio ( p926 ) Alignement de (ScandolaNature (p932) (p934) Cap Corse Réserve

„ AREA : 8680 SQKM Réserve NaturelledeScandola Ajaccio Bonifacio Filitosa de Paddaghiu Alignement Îles Lavessi Cap Corse bergers (shepherds). île de CORSICA

in

907 08 20 % % (B&Bs) on (CCM; (CCM;

(NGVs) from to (NGVs) (www.parc-naturel has seasonal flights collectively provide provide collectively France 08 10 20 13 20; www chambres d’hôtes chambres in France 08 25 82 54 00, % (www.gites-corsica.com) Rural (www.gites-corsica.com) ( % France 08 25 09 50 95; www.corsica ( 08 20 82 08 20; www.airfrance.com)

% % ( (

(www.corsematin.com) The island’s daily (www.corsematin.com) (www.visit-corsica.com) Main tourism (www.visit-corsica.com) 08 91 70 18 01; www.sncm.fr) Year-round 08 91 70 18 01; www.sncm.fr) Year-round navettes à grandes vitesses à grandes navettes % Compagnie Corse Méditerranée (cottages for rent) and (cottages for rent) British Airways Air France Getting There & Away & Away Getting There portal, with practical info and accommodation details. portal, with practical info and accommodation (SNCM; in summer. Ajaccio and Île Rousse -corse.com, in French) Official site for the natural park. Official-corse.com, in French) site for the natural Société Nationale Maritime Corse-Méditerranée from London to Ajaccio, Bastia and Figari; from London to Ajaccio, flights from also summer charter are there the UK. airports in other regional BOAT France Mainland Several companies run between the French ports main ferry mainland and Corsica’s Bastia, Calvi, Île Rousse, Porto- (Ajaccio, and Propriano): Vecchio Corsica Ferries La Méridionale/CMN Visit Corsica AIR Bastia, at Ajaccio, main airports are Corsica’s and Calvi. Figari (near Bonifacio) and 82 08 20; www.aircorsica.com) airports, Corsica’s Lyon and Nice to all of with seasonal flights from Bordeaux, Lille, Clermont- Mulhouse,Nantes, Strasbourg, and to Bastia, Ajaccio and Brest Ferrand occasionally Figari. sentenced to life imprisonment for the assas- for imprisonment sentenced life to earlier. nine years Erignac Claude of sination on years five after a Corsican, Typically for out in a hiding was discovered the run he shepherd’s hut. Internet Resources Corse Matin Gites de France Corse Naturel RégionalParc de Corse the island. gîtes .cmn.fr) This Société Nationale Maritime Corse-Méditer- ranée subsidiary has year-round sailings between Marseille and Propriano. and Ajaccio, Bastia newspaper. ferries from Nice and Marseille to all of Corsica’s ports, plus high-speed ferries.com) Year-round from Nice to Ajaccio, Bastia, Calvi Year-round ferries.com) Île and Île Rousse, and from to Ajaccio, Bastia and Rousse. year-round flights from , Marseille, Marseille, flights from Paris, year-round UK 0844 493 0 787; www.ba.com)

préfet départe- (the Moor’s CORSICA •• History La Tête de Maure

(administrative divisions of France) of of France) of divisions (administrative

The 1998 assassination of Corsica’s Corsica’s The 1998 assassination of Corsicans made the inland town of Corte Corte made the inland town of Corsicans Despite ongoing media coverage, relatively relatively ongoing media coverage, Despite Corsicans have long cared for their island’s long cared have Corsicans In 1755, after 25 years of sporadic war- of 25 years In 1755, after History History the militant nationalist Yvan Colonna was Colonna was the militant nationalist Yvan ments several FLNC bombs exploded across the 2007 island in 2005, and in December of spite a nail-biting electoral race. Nevertheless, electoral race. a nail-biting spite a burning topic: remains the nationalist issue Haute-Corse and Corse-du-Sud, and granted and Corse-du-Sud, and granted Haute-Corse de- was rejected autonomy, the island greater In 2003 a long-awaited referendum , which , which referendum In 2003 a long-awaited two the island’s united would have few Corsicans support the separatist Corsicans Front few de Libération Nationale de la Corse (FLNC). violence. The bill was later overturned by the overturned The bill was later violence. the high court because it threatened French national unity. principal of the French parliament granted Corsica limited limited Corsica parliament granted the French for an end to separatist autonomy in exchange (prefect; the State’s representative), Claude the State’s representative), (prefect; In 2001, Corsica. rocked Erignac, in Ajaccio, Naturel Régional de Corse (PNRC) protected protected (PNRC) Régional de Corse Naturel the island. than a third (3505 sq km) of more ecology. In 1972 the formation of the Parc the Parc ecology. In 1972 the formation of when it was briefly under English domination, when it was briefly under English 1940–43. and during the Axis occupation of crushed Paoli’s army in 1769. The island has army in 1769. The island has crushed Paoli’s France, except for 1794–96, since been part of ence was short-lived. In 1768 the Genoeseence was short-lived. whose troops to Louis XV, ceded Corsica their capital, estab- and vendettas outlawed but the island’s independ- lished a university, and was raised to the forehead to symbolise and was raised to the forehead island’s liberation. the bandanna originally covered the Moor’s eyes, the Moor’s eyes, bandanna originally covered a white bandanna and a hooped earring, hooped earring, bandanna and a a white in 1297 – as in Corsica appeared first which the to legend, a national emblem. According also adopted also adopted a black head wearing of – a profile Head) most democratic constitution in Europe. They in Europe. most democratic constitution their independence, led by Pascal Paoli Paoli Pascal by their independence, led rule they estab- (1725–1807). Under Paoli’s and founded the lished a National Assembly fare against the Genoese, against the fare declared Corsicans vent seaborne raids, a massive system of coastal of seaborne system vent raids, a massive was constructed, citadels watchtowers and the coastline. still ring which many of seded Genoa. pre- To by its arch-rival, in 1284 From the 11th to 13th centuries Corsica was Corsica 13th centuries the 11th to From Pisa, Italianruled by the super- of city-state lonelyplanet.com