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http://www.corsica-isula.com/
Canari in the fifties, above and below!
My village was doing business with the Greeks, the Phenicians, the Romans, Genes...
One of our dozen of churches for 200 inhabitants date from the X century...
The white bell tower that overlooks the sea has been marking the time since the XV century...
The house I was born in is older than the city of Sacramento...
Welcome to Corsica, welcome to Canari
http://perso.wanadoo.fr/villagedecanari/
...and listen to their voices! They even had a concert in San Fransisco ...
http://www.muvrini.com/choristescd_.html
http://papeu.skyblog.com/
CORSICA
- Ile de Beaute - The Scented Isle - Granite Island - Kalliste
For centuries, visitors to Corsica returned home with their own deep impressions of this unique and beautiful island, an island which draws people back to it again and again. Dorothy Carrington was told 'Get away from here before you're completely bewitched and enslaved ...' when she first arrived in 1948. A visit confirms Corsica's power to bewitch and enslave and the compulsion to return to look more closely at its wonderful landscape, its culture, traditions, villages and people.
Corsica lies approximately 112 miles south of the main French coast, and is itself about 115 miles long by about 52 miles wide, maximum dimensions. With 5,500 square miles, it is the third largest island in the western Mediterranean, and about a third of the surface area of Sardinia, its Italian neighbour to the south.
Its coastline extends to over 600 miles and it rises to nearly 9,000 feet - the highest island in the Mediterranean, and twice the height of Ben Nevis. Truly a mountain in the sea, its rugged scenery includes alpine peaks, snow-capped until late spring, deep gorges, rushing torrents, lofty pine forests, glacial mountain lakes, high mountain pastures and valleys, many inaccessible except by foot or horseback.
French is the official language, and is spoken by everybody but you will hear Corsican spoken everywhere, in the villages in particular. The Corsican language derives from the Genoese occupation and is close to Italian. Dialects vary from area to area - even from village to village.
ITS GEOGRAPHY
Geologically, Corsica is part of the continental alpine system and is broadly divided into two parts – the larger western part, formed of crystalline rocks (granite, gneiss, diorite), and the eastern part formed of sedimentary rock (schist, slate and shale). The dividing line between these two main parts runs roughly from St. Florent in the north, southwards to Corte, then southeast to Solenzara and the eastern coast.
There are two other smaller areas not included in these two main parts - the eastern alluvial plain, which runs from Bastia down to Solenzara, narrowing at Moriani to a few hundred metres; and the spectacular southern limestone tip at Bonifacio.
The difference in physical scenery, natural flora and local architecture between these areas is dramatic. A ten minute drive can take you from one extreme to another. Variety is provided by the different kinds of rock within each broad area, their colours (from black to green to deep red to pale pink) and weathered shape. The crystalline part of the island includes the main peaks: Monte Grosso (1938 metres), Monte Padro (2393 m), Monte Cinto, the highest (2706 m), Monte Rotondo (2622 m), Monte d'Oro (2389 m), Monte Renoso (2352 m) and Monte Incudine (2136 m). This chain of peaks form the spine of the island, running from near Calvi in the north-west to Bavella in the southeast. This natural division is also the watershed and divides the island into the two historic regions called l'En-Deca-des-Monts (to the northeast)
and l'Au-Dela-des-Monts (to the southwest). The main valley runs northeast and southwest from the chain, and many of them do not connect with the next one, except by footpath. The steep gradients have produced some dramatic gorges like the Spelunca between Evisa and Porto, the Santa Regina carrying the Golo river down from the Niolo and the Tavignano above Corte.
There is an intricate network of ancient footpaths and mule paths, some of them granite paved, criss- crossing the whole island linking valley with valley, region with region, and making Corsica a walker's paradise. Once, travel around Corsica was only possible by using these paths and some areas like the Niolo were inaccessible except by foot or mule until earlier this century.
From these two large natural areas, the island divides further into natural regions, each distinctly different from its neighbour. There are three distinct climatic zones, coastal Mediterranean up to 500 metres, mountain Mediterranean between 500 and 1500 metres, and alpine above 1500 metres, each zone having distinctly differing vegetation discussed below but it is the natural boundaries that have produced the historic regions of Corsica.
LA BALAGNA
An area of hills and valleys, bounded by the sea to the north and the high mountains to the south, this fertile area was once called the garden of Corsica. The valleys were covered with Olive trees; carefully cultivated terraces adorn the hillsides. The second World War saw the beginning of the end of such careful cultivation, with the departure of the able-bodied men to France's armed forces. Neglect soon allowed fires to destroy many olive groves and the maquis - the natural cover of wild herbs and shrubs took hold. Today, agricultural grants and an inclination amongst many Corsicans to return to the soil has encouraged the replanting of olives, vines, fruit and citrus trees. Flocks of milking sheep graze the valleys and are milked twice a day for their precious rich milk used in the production of Roquefort and local cheeses. Cattle wander freely over the hillsides; the meat from these free-ranging animals who feed on wild grasses and herbs is quite delicious.
There are two main towns - Calvi and Ile Rousse. Calvi, a small port dominated by its ancient citadel, is one of several towns in the Mediterranean claiming to be the birthplace of Christopher Columbus; it was during the siege of Calvi that Nelson lost an eye. L'Ile Rousse, named after the russet coloured rocks which jut out into the sea, was founded by Pascal Paoli, the Corsican leader who gave his country a liberal constitution and freed it from Genoese rule.
The mediaeval hilltop villages of the Balagne are particularly appealing and in many traditional and new crafts are now practised. In Feliceto a glassworks produces fine pieces in a manner reminiscent of Venetian glass; in Pigna a group of artisans practise such diverse crafts as pottery, engraving, music box making and lute making; in Lumio a knife-maker forges damask knives which will become family heirlooms.
VISIT: Calvi and Citadel, Galeria and Fango Valley, Forest of Bonifato, Calenzana and Montemaggiore. Algajola, Ile Rousse and its old town, Balagna villages including Pigna, St. Antonino, Feliceto, Speloncato, Olmi Capella and the Tartagine Forest.
To the east of the Balagna lies the Desert des Agriates, so named because of its inaccessibility, wildness and lack of centres of habitation. Once the inhabitants of the villages of the Cap Corse came by boat to tendcrops cultivated here between the peaks and hills, and today access to the beautiful coastline of Agriates is easier by sea than over the very rough tracks which network the Desert. The most famous beach here is the plage de Saleccia, which was the setting for the beach scenes of the film The Longest Day.
THE NEBBIO
Gentle hills and valleys rising up from the Gulf of St. Florent, this is a delightful area of vineyards and olive groves. Luscious Muscat wine and very good white, rose and red wines are produced here. Patrimonio is the centre for wine tasting, and Oletta, a large sunny village overlooking the gulf is also a good centre for tasting and buying wine. Further up into the hills, towards Murato, is the isolated 12th century Pisan church of St. Michel. Built in green and white granite, it is a fine example of early Corsican architecture with its bizarre, almost pagan sculpted detail.
Saint Florent, a small sheltered fishing port with good beaches and a citadel, is an excellent centre to explore this area as well as the west coast of the Cap. In high season it is possible to take a ferry from Saint Florent to the beaches of the Desert des Agriates.
VISIT: Saint Florent and old town, Cap Corse, Oletta, Col de San Stefano, San Michel di Murato, Olmeto- di-Tuda, Col de Teghime, Bastia.
CAP CORSE (from Eric: where I was born and raised is between Centuri and Nonza)
The drive around Cap Corse is always slow and tortuous, but the stunning varied scenery is well worth the effort. Monte Stello is the highest point at about 3,000 feet. Driving in an anti-clockwise direction means that the drive down the west coast of the Cap gives wonderful views of the Desert and mountains of Haute
Corse as you drive south. However, some people prefer to drive in a clockwise direction so as to keep to the mountain rather than the sea side of the road. The Cap's west coast is the more dramatic, with villages like Nonza perched high above the sea. Centuri Port, in the northwest, has a distinctly Cornish air, and serves very good fish and lobster in its restaurants. Macinaggio, on the northeast side, contrasts strongly with Centuri. It has a modern marina providing shelter for many large yachts.
VISIT: Nonza, Pino, Canari, Centuri Port, Cannelle, Barcaggio, Macinaggio, Erbalunga, Monte Stello.
THE CASTAGNICCIA
Soft chestnut-covered hills and deep valleys, this lush area was once the richest in Corsica, with its huge crop of chestnuts providing flour - erstwhile staple food which was turned into pollenta, a sort of porridge, cakes and puddings. Chestnuts were also used to feed pigs which were processed into sausages and hams. Because of its dense covering of vegetation, this area is always fresh and green, with no lack of water.
The contrast between this area whose underlying rock is sedimentary - and the granite of the rest of the island is marked and evidenced in the shape of the land and its architecture. Villages with slate-roofed houses are draped along the sides of the hills, and the towns of La Porta, Morosaglia and Piedicroce still have an air of importance. The Castagniccia comes close to the sea at Moriani, and from here to Bastia the villages of the Casinca hang on the mountainside overlooking the oriental plain and the sea.
VISIT: La Porta, Morosaglia, Piedicroce, Couvant d'Orezza, Monte San Petrone
CORTE
Dominated by its citadel, Corte was once the capital of the island, and is the seat of Corsica's University. The old town, with its four or five storey houses, is fascinating to explore. Corte is a good base for walkers. There is the Tavignano valley, accessible only by foot; the Gorge of the Restonica - drive to its head, then climb up to the two glacial lakes, Lac de Melo and Lac de Capitello; and further south Monte d'Oro, the Forest of Vizzavona and the Cascade des Anglais - named after the days when Victorian visitors traveled to the interior of Corsica on mule or horseback.
VISIT: Citadel, Restonica Valley, Venaco and Vivario - old Corsican towns to the south, Vizzavona.
THE NIOLO
The mountainous heart of the island is divided up into many distinctive areas, but the Niolo is perhaps the most dramatic. It is a fertile basin at about 2,700 feet above sea level and ringed by the high mountains of Corsica including Monte Cinto (8,800 feet) and Paglia d'Orba. Until well into the 20th century, the Niolo was isolated from the other parts of Corsica, the only access being by mulepath up the bleak gorge of Santa Regina to the east, or the incredibly beautiful pink granite gorge of the Spelunca to the west. The people were traditionally transhumant shepherds, moving their flocks up onto the alpine slopes during the summer and down towards the sea in the winter. There is a famous traditional fair at Casamacciolo every year in September.
VISIT: Calacuccia, main town of the Niolo, Casamacciolo, Calasima, highest village in Corsica, and the grotte des Anges, Scala di Santa Regina, Col de Verghio.
THE WEST COAST
The scenery along the coast from Girolata to Cargese is stunning, with red granite cliffs dropping
dramatically into the sea and few accessible beaches. Porto possibly has the most photographed beach on the island, and is beautiful, although fairly 'touristy' is high season. The weird wind-sculpted rocks of Les Calanches to the south of Porto and the little town of Piana are well worth a visit. Inland from Porto, the gorge of the Spelunca, a very deeply cut gorge with pink and green sheer granite slides, is one of the most spectacular sights on an island full of the spectacular. Edward Lear made it famous in England with his dramatic sketches. Evisa is a pretty town at the head of the gorge, and an excellent base for this area. Further south, the town of Cargese was founded in 1676 by Greeks escaping Turkish occupation of their homeland, and still has Greek names and a Greek flavour.
VISIT: Porto, Evisa and the Spelunca, Les Calanches, Piana, Vico.
THE GULF OF AJACCIO
Birthplace of Napoleon, and capital of the island, the elegant town of Ajaccio is reminiscent of the elegant resorts of the Cote d'Azur. The Gulf of Ajaccio is beautiful, culminating on the northern side with the Iles Sanguinaires, where Alphonse Daudet once lived in the lighthouse and wrote one of his 'Lettres de mon Moulin'. To the south there are lovely sandy beaches and a well developed tourist industry with Porticcio being one of the main holiday resorts of the area.
VISIT: Citadel, Maison Bonaparte, Mussee Napoleonien, Musee Fesch, Ile Sanguinaires, Bastelica.
THE GULF OF VALINCO
The Gulf of Valinco is one of the most beautiful and is still fairly undeveloped. There is a wealth of sandy beaches from Porto Pollo on the northern tip to a little resort and fishing port of Campo Moro, the culminating point in the south, a pretty little village which time has left behind.
Sartene - called the most Corsican of Corsican towns - is the capital of the area, and the scene of many a bloody feud during the 19th century. There is a famous Good Friday procession here with an anonymous citizen carrying the cross through the streets of Sartene. Propriano, a port and marina, has an attractive seafront and many good restaurants. Also in the area are Santa Lucia de Tallano on the Rizzanese river - crossed by a well preserved Genoese bridge - and Filitosa, a prehistoric site where ancient granite menhirs are displayed. The historic Alta Rocca is accessible inland, and a drive through the hills to Quenza and Zonza is worth while.
VISIT: Propriano, Sartene, Flitosa, Campo Moro, Santa Lucia de Tallano, Levie.
SOUTHERN CORSICA
Bonifacio, magnificently situated on its limestone promontory 'at the end of the world', looks out towards Sardinia. Almost certainly the site of a prehistoric settlement, the first record of the town dates from the year 828 AD. It is now a beautifully restored old town. Boat excursions around the limestone cliffs and caves, or to Sardinia, are possible. A short drive from Bonifacio are some magnificent beaches and the spectacular golf course created from a wilderness next to the sea by Robert Trent-Jones.
Porto-Vecchio - situated at the heart of a vast gulf with many beautiful beaches - is one of the fastest developing tourist areas on the island with many 'holiday villages' springing up along the coast. The townof Porto-Vecchio was built in 1539 to complete the defence system of the island and its fortress origins are evident. Inland the cork-oak forests are amongst the most important in Corsica. The Ospedale mountains and the dramatic Col de Bavella with its 'Aiguilles' are within easy reach of Porto-Vecchio.
VISIT: Bonifacio, boat trip to grottos, Porto-Vecchio, Gulf of Santa Manza, Castello d'Arraggio, prehistoric sites at Ceccia and Tappa, Ospedale and Bavella.
VEGETATION AND CLIMATE
From sea level to about 1500 feet, the climate and vegetation is typically Mediterranean, with hot dry summers (average temperatures around 22 degrees C, rising occasionally to about 36 degrees C) and mild winters, the temperature seldom going below 0 degrees centigrade and rising sometimes to 18 degrees C in a mild winter. Vegetation is exotic - prickly pears, eucalyptus, mimosa, all the aromatic shrubs of the 'maquis', evergreen oak and cork oak.
Between 1,500 and 4,500 feet, the climate is similar but a little cooler the higher one goes, and different vegetation starts to appear - chestnuts, oak, maritime and laricio pine, and hellebores (Christmas rose).
Above 4,500 feet, an alpine climate prevails - more rain, snow and ice in winter and much colder. The sun is hot in summer, but the nights are cool, and in winter there is snow from September to May with skiing possible in many places. Above the tree line there are many alpine flowers.
SOME HISTORY
There is plenty of evidence of early settlement in Corsica, with menhirs and dolmen being found in several locations. The island was occupied by Greeks and Romans during the early centuries AD., the earliest settlement being at Aleria (first called Alalia) on the east coast. Mineral deposits of copper, iron and lead further inland were exploited, as were the lagoons along the east coast, which were rich in oysters and eels.
The subject of many invasions during the middle ages, control of the island passed to the state of Pisa in 1077. Following a period of rivalry with the state of Genoa, the Pisan state declined in 1284, and rule of Corsica, together with Sardinia, passed to the king or Aragon. The Genoese regained the island in 1347, and ruled it - with a brief intervention by the French in 1553 - until 1729, the year of the Corsican revolution for independence. There followed a turbulent forty years of struggle by the Corsicans, under the leadership of Pascal Paoli who governed independent Corsica from 1755 to 1768 and gave it its constitution, modelled on that of England.
In 1768, the treaty of Versailles ceded Corsica to France and 1769 marked the end of Corsican independence. Napoleon was born in Ajaccio on 15 August 1769.
Apart from a brief period from 1794 to 1796 when St. Gilbert Elliot ruled an Anglo-Corsican kingdom as viceroy, Corsica has remained part of the French republic to the present. During the 19th century, under Napoleon III and the third republic, the island was developed economically, with the building of roads, the railway and schools.
With the decline of agriculture on the island during the second half of this century, Corsica has gradually depopulated, the permanent population now being around a quarter of a million people. Many young people go to the mainland - Le Continent - for education and to work, and there are Corsicans throughoutFrance predominantly in the civil service, the police and customs service.
GASTRONOMY
The Corsican people are traditionally mountain dwelling rather than sea dwelling people. Until earlier this century much of the coastline was malarial infested, and for centuries had been the subject of attack and invasion by marauders and pirates. An ironic tale we were told was that mountain land had traditionally been willed to sons - as being the most valuable land - and coastal land was left to daughters, Clearly the daughters are now benefiting.
Traditional Corsican food, then, tends to be meat rather than fish, and traditionally includes Corsican soup with beans, meat and vegetables; charcuterie -prisuttu (ham), lonzu (smoked fillet of pork), coppa, Figatelli (smoked pork liver sausage); small brown trout from the mountain rivers; game - including 'sanglier', or wild pig; lamb, goat, veal; beans and lentils; 'pulenta', chestnut flour porridge; sheep's milk cheeses including 'brocciu', a soft white cheese as well as more mature cheeses including some which leave your tongue numb!; and patisserie including the famous 'fiadona' made with brocciu. You are more likely to find typical Corsican food served in the villages and mountains than in coastal resorts.
Wine is produced throughout the island, the better known being those from Patrimonio, Cap Corse, and the Sartenais in the southwest. The reds tend to be heavy, but often very good; the rose is excellent, particularly the rose gris - a delicately pale pink. There are now some excellent white wines produced. Most famous of all perhaps is Corsican Muscat - drunk everywhere as an aperitif, and quite luscious. Other aperitifs readily available are Cap Corse, a fortified wine from the tip of the Cap; and Casanis, a 'Pernod' style drink taken with water.
FURTHER READING (available from Corsican Places Ltd.)
- Granite Island by Dorothy Carrington, published by Penguin
- Landscapes or Corsica, published by Sunflower Books
- Michelin Guide Vert to Corsica (French only)
- Insight Guide to Corsica, published by APA publications
- Asterix in Corsica, published by Knight books
- Corsica, The Rough Guide, publisher by Penguin
Janet Rankin, 1 March 1995
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