Located in the south-west of the island and surrounded by mountains, AJACCIO is a traditionnal Corsican town and port. From the narrow streets of the old town to the colourful and fragrant daily street markets, from the top of the citadel to the breathtaking bay opening onto one of the most enchanting seascapes in the world, Ajaccio has something for everyone. Do not miss the "Iles Sanguinaires" (literally the Bloody Islands), an exceptional site of dark red rocks, hence the Islands' name...
Sport and Leisure: * Watersports * Boat trips to the Iles Sanguinaires ("The Bloody Islands" named after the dark red colour of their rocks) * Diving * Rambling * Canyoning * Climbing * Museums (in particular the Fesch Museum) * Restaurants * Cafes * Casino * Nightclubs...
For further information, please contact the tourist office on 0033 495 51 53 03 or log on to www.tourisme.fr/ajaccio
Cesar, the famous French sculptor, when landing in Corsica, exclaimed with an accent betraying his sunny Mediterranean origins:"You'd have to be mad to go to the ends of the earth in search of something that is standing before your very eyes! Corsica is just fascinating!". True, Corsica is like a mountain surrounded by the sea, an open air museum, lively and rich with a heritage dating back thousands of years... Filitosa's menhirs, Palaggio's 258 monoliths in Sarlene, and the ruins of Aleria attesting the past splendours of the ancient capital of the island. Through megalithic and Torrean art, the whole history of the Corsican people is drawn or carved in the womb of the earth. Diamond-like lakes can be found high up in the mountains: Nino, Mela, Crena, Renoso... reflecting the sun, sparkling. Painterly landscapes changing according to the light. Mountain and sea side by side in perfect harmony. If you haven't been there yet, then nothing can really be told about Corsica, you have to live and breathe it!
Land of gourmets and culinary arts, with 340 sorts of cheese and 450 quality wines...Be a guest to France's finest table. From the North to the South, the country takes pride in its writers & poets, its world famous castles, churches, cathedrals and museums, all of which worked their magic, attracting holiday-makers from all around the globe. France boasts some of the most magnificent and diverse landscapes which influenced and became models for paintings by impressionist and surrealist masters, arousing the curiosity of people who came to see with their own eyes what it was all about...
Whether you enjoy sports, both on land or at sea, or you have a liking for remains of the Past, or if you are simply a nature lover, France will welcome you with open arms. People from all regions, towns and villages are expecting you and may even tempt you to take up residence in a country where the living is easy.
A word of advice from Lagrange : French roads are excellent, but not free, so keep money handy.