Corte, emblematic village: heart and soul of Corsica

I love Corsica. I visited it for the first time with my parents when I was 8 (such a long time ago !), then came back in my twenties with a few friends of mine to hike the famous GR20 trail, then came back again last year in 2019  for summer holidays with my wife and kids. Each time I go there, I discover a new aspect and face of the “Island of Beauty”, and each time it’s an enchantment…First, because I’m an outdoor addict and Corsica is a paradise for outdoor activities : hiking, trail running, mountain or road biking, canyoning, horse riding, climbing and via ferrata, and of course swimming, snorkeling and diving…This is a place where the mountains truly fall into the sea.  I love Corsica also because of the people. I love their spirit of independence, this proudness and attachment to their land and traditions. It’s not easy to become the friend of a Corsican, but when you are one, it’s for life, and Corsican people are incredibly generous. 

There’s a place in Corsica I love maybe more than the others, and this is Corte, an emblematic perched village in Corsica. We’ve spent 4 days there with my wife and kids on summer 2019, far away from the hustle and bustle of the southern and touristic sea resorts such as Porto Vecchio or Bonifacio.

Geographic heart of the island, Corte was also the capital of Corsica from 1755 until 1769 during the “government of the Corsican nation” of Pascal Paoli. The town has preserved much evidence from this period, such as the National palace, which was the headquarters of this government and the Paoli square, where a bronze statue of Pascal Paoli stands.

The old town has an authentic character. Its old houses of schist and with Genoese venetian blinds form a harmonious architectural whole. The 15th-century Annunciation church and the Gaffori square with the statue and the house of general Gaffori are good places to visit. A viewpoint looks down on to the confluence of three rivers, the Restonica, the Tavignanu and the Orta.

Dominating the old town, the fortifications of the citadel are home to the Anthropology regional museum of Corsica. The southern point of the surrounding wall boasts a second level, a rocky promontory on which the Vincentello d’Istria castle stands. This eyrie offers a striking view of the town and the mountains.

Visiting the city and citadel and stroll in the steep streets is already a good training for those who want to hike to the surrounding summits or to the beautiful twin lakes of Melo and Capitello. These lakes are situated on the famous GR20 trail, a trekking path of 350 kilometers that crosses nearly the island from North to South. The departure point to the twin lakes when you come from Corte is at the Bergerie de Grotelle, a traditional sheepfold built at the end of the sinuous and scenic D623, the road that drives along the gorges of the Restonica river. From the Bergerie de Grotelle, it takes around 3 to 4 hours to hike and return from the lakes. 

As a 3 to 4 hour trek under the Corsican sun was not in our projects (at least my children’s and wife’s ones…) we chose to drive along the beautiful D623  and follow the gorges, searching for an available space to park, which can be a hard job job on high season, because the road is narrow and there are not many places to stop. But we finally found a small space under the high pines and took our swim suits and towels. The game was really worth the candle as there was little effort to reach the river and its pristine water and natural pools. Of course the water was fresh (no more than 65°F), but how great it was to immerse our body and jump from the rocks into the transparent water ! We spent the whole afternoon there, alone in our small “private” pool, laughing and splashing in the water. For the four of us, it’s undoubtedly one of the best moments we had during our holidays in Corsica !