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Corte

Blessed with a stunning natural setting, circled by jagged peaks at the confluence of several rivers, the mountain stronghold of Corte is as forbidding as it is spectacular. Centring on a towering pinnacle that’s been fortified for over 2000 years, it still stands at the heart of Corsican identity. When Pascal Paoli made it the capital of his short-lived Corsican republic in 1755, most of Corte’s population lived within its hilltop citadel. French invaders devastated the upper town 14 years later; fleeing refugees included Napoléon’s mother, pregnant with the future emperor.

Attractions

Must-see attractions

Belvédère
Corte
Perched on a south-facing promontory immediately below the citadel, and reached via a signposted staircase just outside the ramparts, this free-access…
Citadel
Corte
Corte’s citadel occupies a stark rocky crag that juts above the Tavignano and Restonica rivers. Its oldest portion – the château known as the Nid d’Aigle,…
Musée de la Corse
Corte
Housed in the converted and expanded former barracks of the citadel, this intriguing museum is devoted to Corsican anthropology rather than history. The…
Place Gaffory
Corte
Below the citadel, place Gaffory is a lively little square that’s dominated by the 15th-century Église de l’Annonciation. The bullet holes that pockmark…
Cours Paoli
Corte
A gentle stroll along the main strip of the newer, lower town – still way above the rivers – makes a pleasant prelude to an aperitif or meal. Set off down…

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