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Corsica
is commonly called "Ile de Beauté" (the Beauty Island).
This nickname is really deserved. Corsica is a wild Mediterranean
island, whose landscapes take your breath away.
The richness of the Corsican landscape makes every attempt to describe very difficult, because there are so many various splendors, which come close together or become intermingled between marine blue sky and heavenly horizon. The landscapes of Corsica offer many opportunities: hiking the Natural Regional country park of Corsica or the mythical GR20, diving, cruises, horse-riding, fishing, hunting, rafting… Of course, you can simply take a rest on the numerous beaches around Porto Vecchio, Bonifacio, Ajaccio, Bastia, Propriano. Corsica has retained of its fascinating and complex past, not only unusual personalities such as Napoleon Bonaparte, who was born in Ajaccio, but also the signs of the archaeological, artistic and cultural richness. Corsica, as well as Basque country, is a real cultural exception in France: its culture and language are very different from French ones. Moreover, Corsica has been French for only two centuries, before it had been Genoese for five centuries and tried to be independent with Pascal Paoli for leader, during the 18th century. In Ajaccio, visit Napoleon Bonaparte's house, it's really interesting. Behind the solemn austerity and beyond the generally accepted ideas, you will discover rare qualities such as sobriety, bravery; close family virtues, faithfulness to friendship and word. If you want to understand more, follow Prosper Merimee's novel "Colomba": vendetta is well explained. The Corsican table is garnished with tasty and flavorsome foodstuffs. The Lonzu, the Coppa and the Figgatellu traditions are still honored by the full-bodied wines which are served with fine pork dishes. The Brucciu, a goat cheese, is served with brandy at the end of a stewed-boar meal or can be used for baking. Two of the Most Beautiful Villages of France are located in Corsica: Sant'Antonino, perched on mountain and facing the Mediterranean, is a impressive fortified village; Piana, which overhangs the Gulf of Porto and its rocky inlets and cliffs.
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