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Unspoilt idyll
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| The copper coloured rocks of Piana fade to pink as the light changes - Dominique Hazael-Massieux |
IT'S a magical island with a turquoise coastline, isolated sandy coves, craggy cliffs, thick forests and majestic mountains.
An unspoilt gem that sometimes feels like a remote spot on the other side of the world, yet it's only about two hours by air from London.
The place is Corsica, a quirky and uncompromising island. It's right in the middle of the Mediterranean but it has managed to avoid being swamped by mass tourism.
Despite its beauty and easy accessibility, Corsica has remained a bit of an unknown for the English.
Yet it was the English who started tourism here back in the early 1800s, in search of the picturesque and exotic.
In those days it took two weeks just to reach the island off the southern coast of France, and the facilities were primitive at best.
Wealthy and aristocratic groups put down roots in Ajaccio, now the capital, to spend their winters and improve their health in the balmy climate.
Over the years, as their numbers grew, upmarket hotels were built to accommodate these elite English tourists. Gradually, they started to venture into the hinterland, and their favourite haunts were named after them, such as the waterfall, Cascade des Anglais, in the mountain village of Vizzanova.
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| The citadel in Corte, and below, Bonifacio seen from the sea - Dominique Hazael-Massieux |
But the person who has given his name to more streets, statues and monuments on the island is Corsica's hero Napoleon Bonaparte, who was born in Ajaccio.
The romantic story of the man from a backwater who went on to rule most of Europe in the late 19th century and died alone in exile after his downfall gripped the early visitors. As his cult grew they flocked to his family home to try and understand the man behind the legend - something you can still do today.
The pioneering tourists were also attracted by tales of "honourable banditry", where men would take refuge in the mountains after a "crime of honour", or a vendetta. This image of the outlaw is upheld by the national emblem of the island: it shows the head of a North African Moor, complete with earrings and bandanna, symbolising the defeat of unwanted visitors.
Corsica has had a turbulent history and its strategic position has meant that it has been at the mercy of every Mediterranean power going back to the ancient Greeks.
The Italians ruled until the 18th century when the French took over, and Bonaparte's family had come over from Genoa.
Corsica is the fourth-largest Mediterranean island (after its close neighbours Sicily and Sardinia, and Cyprus) and its people are hospitable, passionate and patriotic. They are fiercely proud of their land, language, heritage and music, and although the island is part of France they will not thank you for describing them as French.
They have resisted chain stores, shopping centres and property developers, which makes the atmosphere authentic, rather than adapted to cater for holidaymakers.
Corsica is known as "the mountain in the sea" because of the dramatic rocks, shaped by thousands of years of wind and rain, that jut out of the sea.
Spring and autumn are good times to explore the island's geographical contrasts.
You can have a swim in crystal-clear waters in the morning and in the afternoon go for a walk in the mountains, passing on the way tiny villages of stone-stacked houses that appear frozen in time.
Beside the road cows graze happily and semi-wild litters of pigs forage in the mountainside.
In places, Corsica feels like a mythical place, dreamy and other-worldly. But the pulling power of its wild beauty remains a timeless reality.
factfile
Southern Ferries, at 30 Churton Street, London SW1V 2LP, have a booking service for ferry operators including SNCM. For reservations and information call 0870 499 1305, or email info@southernferries.com
Holiday Options offer flights to Bastia, Calvi and Figari. Accommodation includes self-catering villas and apartments to four-star hotels. Details on 0870 787 4542 or visit holidayoptions.co.uk
For an information pack on Corsica, call France Information Line 09068 244 123, Monday to Friday 8.30am to 8pm, at 60p per minute; write to, Information Department, Maison de la France, 300 High Holborn, London WC1V 7JH; or visit franceguide.com
8:17am Saturday 23rd February 2008
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