A continuation of a trip which started on Sept 10. and after time spent in the UK. (here)
Bonifacio - 24-25 (here )
Following 2 beautiful weather days when staying in gorgeous Bonifacio , a grey cloudy morning welcomed the day as we left heading Northwest toward Sartene Felitossa , Ajaccio and Piana
The drive up North on T40 takes, initially through a long narrow meandering mountainous road, and then, at times through more charming residential areas
The View during the Drive Up Northwest
Roccapina Beach
Above Roccapina
This protected area of Corsica’s southwestern corner is sparsely populated and is known for numerous prehistoric sites, castles, and natural beauty of huge round rock formation, aromatic lush vegetation, and cats communities.. friendly to tourists who stops at the vista points, off the main road.
The route passes through a charming town of Sartene which according to the French writer Prosper Merimee, is "the most Corsican of all Corsican towns".
This ancient hill-town stronghold, on its tall buildings, dates back to medieval times , The notorious town's history was earned for a turbulent past saturated with stories of bloody vendettas, fierce banditry, and perpetual conflict.
Piracy, banditry and gangsters,were abundant for happier largely more peaceful occupations.
The wealth of the town is founded, now a days, on the highly rated Sartene wine.
Situated in south-west Corsica between Bonifacio (to the south) and Ajaccio (to the north-west). and between the sea and the mountains, Sartene is strategically perched atop a granite outcrop dominating the pastoral Rizzanese Valley, .
Granite buildings from the early 16th c still line some of the streets
Close by, is the small town of Propriano which dates to the early 19th c when the port ,was established and most of the town constructed.
Although the same location had previously been occupied by the Romans and Greeks, little remains of early Propriano, which was frequently attacked and mostly destroyed by pirates.
The harbor contains a fascinating combination of exclusive yachts and more modest fishing boats
There is a pleasure port and also a commercial port in the center of Propriano
Propriano is now a popular resort in Corsica due to the numerous beaches including the Plage de Lido one km from the town
We stayed one night close to Propriano at
Route de la Corniche, 12 Qur Bartaccia, 04 95 76 01 99
It is a very pleasant resort hotel a bit a above the coast, situated in a beautiful loan setting but is not very close to the beach.
Restaurant Bagin in Olmeto
Filitosa
This open-air prehistoric landmark is considered by scientists as one of the most mysterious cultural sites of the Mediterranean, as well as one of the most beautiful Prehistoric art collections in Europe,
Filitosa provides an overview of 8,000 years of human history.
The excavated site -vestiges of ancient monumental enclosures, is situated in the Taravo Valley at Sollacaro, 17 km north of Propriano and to the south of Ajaccio.
It is approached by a track through an olive plantation, surrounded by forested hills.
The period of occupation within the megalithic site spans from the end of the Neolithic era and the beginning of the Bronze Age, until around the Roman times in Corsica
The site was occupied perhaps 7000 years ago, with the carvings created around 3000 years ago.
The new owner of the land Charles-Antoine Cesari, discovered the site in 1946, and excavations began several years later. Enclosure walls, weapons and ceramic shards, but also a village and huts, were excavated over few years.
The verdant site encompass impressive stone structures, dwellings, and array of prehistoric menhirs, and statues with the hard granite carved into human representations.
It is a delightful to walk through its paths.
Man with a sword
A group of menhirs - large upright stones, gathered around the bottom of an huge ancient olive tree. behind which was the quarry from where the menhirs were extracted.
From the Filitosa's Site Museum
The longer but more scenic winding narrow road from Filitosa toward Ajaccio continues from D157 to D57 to D 81.
The rainy drizzle didn't help with the meandering curves at the high altitude...
Near Felitosa, the Taravo River we crossed, is a real natural nugget sheltering a phenomenal wealth of plant and animal species, many of which are endemic, rare or protected.
The landscape at Pont de, Calzola over the Taravo river, and the verdant vegetation, make the place a supper attractive spot,
This 16C Genoese bridge forms the shape of a Z and has three arches.
A lovely hotel restaurant -
Oberge U Mulinu is located on the banks of the Taravo river.
Its architecture is from an old oil mill typical of the region
It was close when we stopped there and the entire spot looked deserted.
,
On our continued mountainous road ride as we proceeded toward the sea shore, we passed, several additional south western small communities,
all engulfed that day by the curtains of fog and rain.
In the duel between rain showers and sun shine, the latter won, as we reached later
in the afternoon the sea shore and the Capital port city
Ajaccio
Ajaccio. - Capital of Corsica,
The port city located on the west coast of the rugged island, is the birth place of Napoleon Bonaparte, which was the main reason we arrived in town.
The commune, which is also the largest city of Corsica, occupies a sheltered position at the foot of wooded hills on the northern shore of the Gulf of Ajaccio, between Gravona and the pointe de la Parata and includes the îles Sanguinaires (Bloody Islands).
The harbor lies to the east of the original citadel below a hill overlooking a peninsula
The original city went into decline in the Middle Ages, but began to prosper again after the Genoese built a citadel in 1492, to the south of the earlier settlement.
It is very colorful and most urbanized, but we chose to spend there only few hours.
National Museum of Bonaparte Residence
Rue Saint-Charles in Ajaccio
The original ancestral home, Maison Bonaparte, composed of 2 connected buildings is now a museum displaying family heirlooms
In 1764, Charles-Marie Bonaparte wed the young Letizia Ramolino and settled with her in the Bonaparte family residence.
Napoleon was born there on August 15, 1769, and Lucien, Louis, Jerome, Elisa, Pauline and Caroline his siblings followed.
Latizia - Mom Charles Bonaparte - Father
This large and simple residence, of Napoleon's birthplace, is devoted to the Bonaparte family in Corsica.
After three years spent on the continent from 1793 to 1796 due to the family's allegiance with the French Republic, Letizia returned to Ajaccio in 1797 and had the house both improved and enlarged.
Napoleon spent a few days there on returning from Egypt in 1799. He was destined never to set foot again in Corsica.
In 1805, he handed the house over to his cousin André Ramolino. It was eventually reclaimed by Napoleon's mother in 1832 and passed on to Joseph in 1843.
In 1852, Zenaïde, Joseph's daughter, donated it to her cousin Louis-Napoleon, soon to become Emperor. Napoleon III,
Eugénie had the house both refurbished and enlarged, and the Empress opened it with the imperial Prince by her side in 1869 for the hundredth anniversary of Napoleon's birth. The house then became the property of Prince Victor-Napoleon, Jerome's grandson, was donated to the State in 1923, and became a national museum in 1967.
The Bonapartes' Family Tree
The second floor showcases a historical evocation of Corsica in the 18th C then an introduction to members of the family: Charles and Letizia in the first room, Napoleon, his brothers and sisters in the second room.
“Chambre de l'Alcôve” is thought to have been Napoleon's room . Another room is devoted to the family's history during the Second Empire and recalls Napoleon III and Eugénie's travels.
The family's rooms are on the first floor: the drawing-room, Madame Mère's bedroom, the room where Napoleon was born, the gallery, the boudoir, the room with the trap-door which Napoleon is supposed to have used to reach the port on October 6th 1799, the dining-room, etc…
The ground floor and the cellar feature a few photographs of the family residences around Ajaccio and photographs of various agricultural instruments used on the land such as millstones, jars and oil-presses.
Both our cell phones were "dead" when we entered the museum house on our visit, Although Bonaparte was also long dead, his despotic legacy, continued
looming within the current museum's staff, who heartlessly declined our requests to use the house's electrical plugs, as to re-charge our phones...
Leaving Ajaccio Behind
Driving to Piana
An hour and a half drive, further up north on the western coast, and through Calcatoggio landed us in a mountainous area above the coast, consisting of dramatic coloration, rugged cliffs, reddish rock formations, and spectacular vistas which reminded us a lot the one found in Sedona Arizona
Piana's Spectacular Views of the Golfe de Porto
In 1983 the gulf and the Senino and Scandola peninsulas. were recognized as part of the Regional Natural Park of Corsica., designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site,
Piana - a quint beautiful village built on a plateau at an altitude of 438m
The village is about 11km from Porto, along the D81 calanques road
The pretty village is surrounded by mountains, and overlooking the Golfe de Porto sweeping views. Its fabulous red cliffs , the Calanqes de Piana; - a narrow, steep-walled inlet and steep-sided valley developed in limestone, dolomite are considered one of the most beautiful parts of Corsica.
Over the years a slow process of erosion has given these jagged rocks, which tower 300m above the deep blue sea, strange, often fantastical shapes.
The village's main historic site is the Baroque church (1792) Sainte Marie de l'Assomption which has a tall square bell tower and inside there are some frescos and paintings by Paul Mathieu Novellini in a style which is typically Corsican.
Highly picturesque with and stone houses arranged in an amphitheater shape, the village is surrounded by amazing vistas, magnificent creeks, sharp pikes, columns and strange shapes fashioned by the wind and the sea, and is recognized as one of the most beautiful villages in France
