They call it the ‘ile de beauté’, or the island of beauty. But while Corsica’s glorious coastline and dramatic wild interior certainly deserve that accolade, for Jews, it will always be remembered as the ‘island of the just’.
As the Vichy government in mainland France worked to deport the country’s Jewish community, the Corsican authorities steadfastly insisted there were no Jews on the island, adopting various strategies to conceal the thousands hiding there. Some were given by false papers, others issued fake Turkish citizenship to protect them.
At the end of the war, over three-quarters of the Jewish population had survived, and today there is still a community in both capital Ajaccio, with its Chabad centre, and in Bastia in the north, also home to the Beth Meir synagogue.
But then Corsica has never been quite like the rest of France. Speak to any of the locals and you’ll hear them refer to the mainland as if it were a separate country — and for most, that’s not too far from the truth. Here, people are Corsican first and French second.
Ruled by the Genoese for centuries and only seven miles from the island of Sardinia, there’s a legacy of Italian influence too that survives in the food and the fortifications which stretch around the coast.
Yet despite its fascinating history and some of the Mediterranean’s loveliest scenery, it’s still overlooked by most British tourists. Only 30% of the island’s visitors are not from the French mainland, with most of those coming from Italy and Greece.
Now new air links are beginning to change this, starting with Air Corsica’s direct flights last summer — plus a new British Airways route to Bastia to come from May — so long weekends or 10-day breaks are also easier to book.
I didn’t need any more encouragement than that, flying out for a three-night escape to Bastia and Calvi in the north of Corsica.
From the Hotel des Gouverneurs, on the site of the former Governor’s Palace in Bastia’s historic citadel, the city sprawls down the steep hillside to the port below, honey-coloured buildings reflecting in the deep blue of the sea.
The balcony here is one of the best places to soak it all in, ideally with a Cap Corse rouge in your hand — the traditional local aperitif, it’s something of a cross between Sangria and martini — although as one of the oldest wine-making regions in France, you’ll find plenty of local vintages too.
Rather than a succession of must-see monuments, much of Bastia’s charm is in wandering its streets, starting at the chunky deep golden towers of the citadel.
Wherever you travel around the island, you’ll see the historic fortifications left from the time when the Republic of Genoa ruled Corsica, a legacy of centuries of struggles against Pisa, Aragon and the French.
By the 18th century, the fight was with the Corsicans themselves. Nationalist leader Pascal Paoli declared the island’s independence in 1755 — until the cash-strapped Genoese gave in and decided to sell the island to the French king, who promptly invaded and took control in 1769, the year Napoleon Bonaparte was born at Ajaccio.
Bonaparte’s statue, dressed as a Roman god, still stands in Bastia’s largest square where the cafes buzz with friends chatting even on a weekday morning. The walk between the two weaves through the shady gardens of le Jardin Romieu to the Old Port, where the church of Saint John the Baptist dominates the waterfront.
Back on the hilltop, the terraces of the restaurants around the citadel are a perfect place to end the day as the lights of the boats and port start to glimmer at dusk.
Although you won’t find many dedicated vegetarian restaurants in Corsica, most menus include a selection of vegetarian dishes, such as local cheese brocciu (similar to ricotta), as well as the seasonal produce at the heart of Corsican cuisine. There’s fresh fish galore too, from sea bass and bream to grouper and John Dory, while chestnuts and pastries made from chestnut flour are another speciality.
And it’s a great base to explore further too. The wild Cap Corse peninsula stretches off to the north — a taste of Corsica in miniature with the wild maquis vegetation, little fishing villages and a sense of immense pride among those lucky enough to be born there (including our own guide, Seb Guerra).
While public transport is limited, there are trains to whisk you further into the Mediterranean’s most mountainous isle too.
Corte, the former capital, is a day trip away if you’re looking for history and more outdoor activities. Venturing into the dramatic landscape, there’s anything from walks to waterfalls and rivers in Corsica’s unexpectedly green interior, up to more strenuous treks, as well as canyoning and birdspotting.
We took a different route; the scenic ride to Calvi via Ponte Lecchia passes through spectacular gorges and out to the coast past Ile Rousse and its vibrant turquoise sea, following the coastline to our destination.
With only 5,000 inhabitants in winter, rising 100,000 or more in summer, it’s perfect in late spring or early autumn.
Warm enough to paddle at the beach where our train stopped at a toytown station, lunch came with views over the crystal clear water to Calvi’s own citadel, towering above the port and headland.
In the water underneath lies one of the wrecks which makes the island so tempting for divers, with five marine parks and some of the clearest water in the Mediterranean, thanks to Corsica’s lack of heavy industry.
The thought of whiling away the afternoon lounging by the pool at our stylish hotel, Hotel Corsica, just a short drive through the woods from the beachfront was equally tempting. But discovering the Old Town beat both.
Walking through more twisting cobbled streets, tiny delis crammed alongside souvenir shops, bars lining the marina and restaurants spilling out into the little squares, there’s plenty that’s familiar from Bastia, but on a slightly smaller scale.
Climbing up the steep streets to the citadel, a memorial to Christopher Columbus marks the entrance. According to locals, the explorer was born in Calvi — then part of Genoa. Inside, little signs dot some of the buildings for those who’ve picked up audio guides at Calvi’s tourist office.
But my eye was drawn to the astonishing street art. Part of the Outings Project, the Julien de Casabianca project is designed to bring art to the streets, with faces straight from classical works adorning the buildings, including the cathedral dedicated to St John the Baptist.
Expression fixed firmly on the middle distance, a faintly wistful air on her face, I had a similar look on my own as I stared back across the bay to the planes taking off into the blue sky.
All too soon, it was time to bid farewell to this beautiful, fascinating island.
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