Book: Itinerary through Corsica

C >> Charles Bertram Black >> Itinerary through Corsica



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Transcriber's note:

The printed book carried two kinds of headnote: keyword and
mileage.

"Keyword" headers, noting the places and subjects mentioned
on the page, have been placed before the most appropriate
paragraph.

Each itinerary gives the "miles from" {starting point} and
"miles to" {ending point}, with the numbers themselves printed
in the left and right corners of each paragraph. For this
e-text the numbers are shown in braces before the beginning
of each paragraph; the place names are given at the beginning
of the itinerary, and repeated as needed. Paragraphs
describing side exursions do not have mileage information.

Additional transcriber's notes are at the end of the book.





CORSICA.

[Map:
Sketch Map of the Riviera and Corsica]


* * * * *


New Editions of Guide-Books for
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Copiously Illustrated with Maps and Plans.


NORTH-FRANCE--From the North Sea to the Loire, exclusive of Paris, and
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including the inland towns of PISA, LUCCA, CARRARA and FLORENCE,
and Excursions into the MARITIME ALPS. Fourth Edition. 10 Plans and
13 Maps 2/6

CORSICA, its Rail, Carriage and Forest Roads, with 6 Maps from the
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From "Scotsman," June 2, 1884.

_"C. B. Black's Guide-books have a character of their own; and that
character is a good one. Their author has made himself personally
acquainted with the localities with which he deals in a manner in which
only a man of leisure, a lover of travel, and an intelligent observer of
Continental life could afford to do. He does not 'get up' the places as
a mere hack guide-book writer is often, by the necessity of the case,
compelled to do. Hence he is able to correct common mistakes, and to
supply information on minute points of much interest apt to be
overlooked by the hurried observer."_



* * * * *



ITINERARY THROUGH CORSICA

by Its Rail, Carriage & Forest Roads

by

C. B. BLACK

Illustrated by Five Maps and One Plan







[Illustration: Moor's Head]



Edinburgh
Adam and Charles Black
1888




CONTENTS: CORSICA.

[Transcriber's Note:
The four pages consisting of the Contents and List of Illustrations
appeared twice in the original text, first as pgs. v-viii, then as
pgs. xv-xviii. (The intervening pages are absent.) The text and layout
are identical except that the first group is headed "Contents", the
second "Corsica." The repeated text has been omitted here.]

Page

Corsica. --Position --Extent --Population --Highest Mountains
--Forests --Vegetation --Aspect --Climate --Steamboats 1

Ajaccio. --Hotels --Cabs --Napoleon's Birthplace --Memorial
Chapel --Chapel of San Antonio --Chapelle Greco --Fontaine du
Salario --Family Sepulchral Chapels --Climate --Fair of
St. Pancras --Water Carriers --Curiosities 3

Ajaccio to Bastia by Corte. --This road traverses the centre
of the island diagonally, exhibits every characteristic of
Corsica, crosses the longest rivers, passes through one of the
greatest forests and by some of the highest mountains, and
connects the three principal towns. Rail between Corte and
Bastia 7

From Vivario, p. 8, a road leads to the mineral water
establishment of Pietrapola. From Corte, p. 8, the ascent is
made of Mt. Rotondo. From the Ponte Francardo, p. 9, the most
important of the Forest roads extends S.W. to Porto by
Albertacce and Evisa. From Albertacce the ascent is made of
Mt. Cinto.

The great highway traversing the island from Prunete to Calvi
passes through Ponte alla Leccia, p. 9. From Bastia, p. 10,
are trains or diligences to every part of the east coast, and
steamers to Leghorn, Genoa, Nice and Marseilles.

Bastia to Rogliano and Morsaglia, skirting the east coast of
the long peninsula called Cap Corse. This road follows more or
less the level of the sea till it reaches Macinaggio, whence
it ascends to Morsaglia. The highway on the western side of
Cap Corse is cut along the flanks of the mountains, generally
at a considerable height above the sea 11

Bastia to Calvi by St. Florent and the Ile Rousse 14

Calvi to Ajaccio, by Galeria, Porto and Sagona. From Galeria
and Porto great Forest roads penetrate into the interior 16

GALERIA to the FORESTS of FILOSORMA. --Tourists should not
explore any of the great Forest roads without being provided
with letters to the dwellers in the maisons forestieres and in
those of the Cantonniers; see p. 41 and map, p. 20 16

PORTO to the PONTE FRANCARDO. --The most important of all the
Forest roads. It passes through Evisa and by several good
"maisons forestieres." From the Col Vergio is seen Mt.
Tafanato, with its natural tunnel, and from Albertacce is
commenced the ascent of Mt. Cinto. Several mule-paths ramify
from this forest road, the most important being to Lake Nino
and Corte, and to Asco: whence Mt. Cinto is also ascended. The
most famous part of the road itself is the Scala di Santa
Regina 18

Calvi to Corte or to BASTIA by PONTE ALLA LECCIA. --This road
traverses a most picturesque country, and the region of the
finest olive trees in the island 20

BELGODERE to the FOREST of TARTAGINE. --This forest contains few
old trees, and is not of easy access 21

Ajaccio to Evisa, VICO and the BATHS of GUAGNO 22

Ajaccio to Sartene, by CAURO, APA, OLMETO and PROPRIANO. See
S.W. end of general map 23

CAURO to BASTELICA. --Bastelica is the common name of a group of
hamlets, in one of which Sampiero was born. From this the
ascent is made of Mt. Renoso 24

AJACCIO and APA to ZICAVO and the BATHS of GUITERA, by
Santa-Maria-Siche, Frasseto and Zecavo. S. Maria-Siche is the
birthplace of the fair and gentle Vanina. From Zicavo the
ascent is made of Mt. Incudine; whence is beheld the finest
view in Corsica. See maps on fly-leaf and fronting p. 27 24

PROPRIANO to SOLENZARA, from the S.W. to the S.E. of the island.
This Route Forestiere is better treated on p. 36, as Solenzara
to Sartene 26

Sartene to Corte by Vivario. --This is the great central
highway, of which the wildest and most difficult part is given
on map, p. 27. It leads to some fine forests, of which the
best is the Verde forest. At the most desolate portion are
tolerably comfortable maisons forestieres. Vehicles should be
hired either at Sartene or Vivario, 20 to 25 frs. per day 27

GHISONI to GHISONACCIA, by the route forestiere, extending from
the central main road to the Ghisonaccia railway station on
the east coast. The most dangerous part of the road is the
"Passage" Inzecca. See map, p. 27 29

SARTENE to BONIFACIO 30

Bonifacio to Bastia by the fertile plains and insalubrious
lakes of the east coast 31

Aleria to Corte by a picturesque road following the course of
the Tavignano. Coach every other day 33

Prunete to Castagneto or ALESANI, by coach daily. Castagneto
is one of the villages in the Castagniccia or Chestnut
country. The road ascends all the way. It, as well as most
of the roads into the interior, should not be taken till the
chestnut trees are in leaf 33

FOLELLI to STAZZONA by coach daily. Stazzona is the village
nearest to the Spa of Orezza. The road extends to Ponte alla
Leccia 33

VESCOVATO STATION to PORTA, by coach daily, passing Vescovato,
Venzolasca and Silvareccio. In summer the coach goes on to
Piedicroce 34

PONTE ALLA LECCIA to PIEDICROCE by "Courrier" daily 34

Piedicroce to Prunete-Railway Station, the finest part of the
road being between Piedicroce and Castagneto. Coach from
Castagneto to Prunete by Cervione. From Castagneto or Alesani
to Prunete see Prunete to Alesani, on p. 33 35

SOLENZARA, on the S.E. coast, to SARTENE, 46 m. S.W., by a
forest road with much fine scenery 36

HISTORY, HABITS, AGRICULTURE and HOUSES OF REFUGE, called
"Maison" in the index 37


LIST OF MAPS.

Page

Sketch Map of the Riviera and Corsica, showing the relative
position of their principal towns; as also the ports connected
with each other by steamboat
_Fly-leaf_

General Map of Corsica 1

Plan of Ajaccio. --The town is built on rising ground 3

Environs of Ajaccio 6

The Western Central Region. --This is the least known and the
most difficult portion of the island to traverse. Yet easy and
picturesque short excursions may be made from Porto, Evisa and
Galeria, into the forests of evergreen oaks, etc 20

Central Corsica, or the most troublesome part of the grand
highway, which traverses Corsica from south to north, from
Sartene to Ponte alla Leccia, whence it ramifies eastward to
Bastia and westward to Calvi and Ile Rousse. It joins the
railway and the road between Ajaccio and Corte near Vivario 27




CORSICA


Is situated 54 miles W. from Leghorn, 98 m. S. from Genoa, and 106 m.
S.E. from Nice. It is 116 m. long, 52 m. broad, and contains an area of
3376 square miles; divided into 5 arrondissements, subdivided into 62
cantons, and these again into 363 communes, with a population of
275,000. The surface, of which little more than a tenth is under
cultivation, is composed of lofty and rugged granite mountain chains,
diverging in all directions from the culminating peaks of Mounts Cinto,
8892 ft.; Rotondo, 8613 ft.; Pagliorba, 8278 ft.; Padro, 7846 ft.; and
Oro, 8829 ft. On the western and southern sides of the island these
ranges terminate abruptly on the shore, or run out into the sea; while,
on the eastern side, a great undulating plain intervenes between their
termination and the coast, in summer troubled with malaria, but in a
less degree than formerly.

Corsica is the central region of the great plant system of the
Mediterranean. Among the many fine forests which cover the mountains,
the most important are those of Valdoniello, Filosorma, Vizzavona Verde,
Zonza, Bavella, Ometa and Calenzana. They contain noble specimens of
pines, oaks, beech, chestnut, walnut and olive trees. The cork oak forms
woods, chiefly in the south of the island. The chestnut trees are as
large and fruitful as the best on the Apennines, and the nuts form the
staple article of food for man and beast during the winter months.
Indeed, these glorious chestnut and beech forests, when in full foliage,
are the grand features of Corsican scenery, which therefore cannot be
seen to advantage till towards the end of May, and if to this we add the
splendid bloom of the oleanders, not till July. "I at any rate know of
no such combination of sea and mountains, of the sylvan beauty of the
north with the rich colours of the south; no region where within so
small a space nature takes so many sublime and exquisite aspects as she
does in Corsica. Palms, orange groves, olives, vines, maize and
chestnuts; the most picturesque beech forests, the noblest pine woods in
Europe; granite peaks, snows and frozen lakes--all these are brought
into the compass of a day's journey. Everything is as novel to the
Alpine climber as if, in place of being on a fragment of the Alps,
severed only by 100 miles from their nearest snows, he was in a
different continent."--D. W. Freshfield, Alpine Club.

[Map: Corsica]

[Headnote: VEGETATION.]

The prickly pear, the American aloe, the castor-oil plant and the
fig-tree, grow wild along the coast; while a little farther upwards, on
the slopes and plateaus, the arbutus, cistus, oleander, myrtle and
various kinds of heaths, form a dense coppice, called in the island
maqui, supplying an excellent covert for various kinds of game and
numerous blackbirds. When the arbutus and myrtle berries are ripe the
blackbirds are eagerly hunted, as at that time they are plump and make
very savoury and delicate eating.

There are few cows on the island, the greater part of the milk supply
being procured from goats. It is excellent, and has no rank flavour.

The only remarkable creature is the mouflon, a species of sheep,
resembling that almost extinct animal the bouquetin or ibex of the Alps.
It inhabits the highest mountains, and though very wild is easily tamed.

The best red wines are grown about Ajaccio, Tallano, Cervione and
Sartene, and the best white wines in Sari and in the valleys of Cape
Corso. They improve up to twenty years, and even up to fifty.

The temperature of the climate of Corsica varies according to the
elevation. Along the coast the sun is warm even in January. After
January the temperature rises rapidly. The climate of the zone 2000 ft.
above the sea is considerably colder and snow generally appears there in
December. The olive ripens its fruit up to an elevation of 2000 ft. and
the chestnut to 3000, where it gives place to oaks, box trees, junipers,
firs and beeches. The greater part of the population inhabits the region
of the chestnut trees, in villages scattered over the mountain slopes,
valleys and tablelands.

[Headnote: STEAMBOATS.]

Steamers to Corsica.--For invalids the easiest way is by the
large weekly Tunis steamer of the Compagnie Generale Transatlantique,
12 R. de la Republique, which on its way from and to Marseilles,
touches at Ajaccio, 211 m. S., in 16 to 19 hrs., fare including
meals, 38 frs. The Compagnie Insulaire, 29 R. Cannebiere, have boats
every week for Ajaccio and Propriano, 38 frs., Calvi and Ile Rousse,
28 frs., Bastia and Leghorn, 32 frs., and Nice, Bastia and Leghorn.
Weekly steamers between Genoa, Leghorn and Bastia. The boats of the
Compagnie Insulaire being smaller, come within a few yards of the
mole. The luggage is landed from the steamers by the company free of
expense and is delivered at the custom-house to the proprietor on
presentation of the bulletin de baggage. Passengers are taken ashore
and to their hotels for 2 frs. each.

The Navigazione Generale Italiana, Piazza Marini, Genoa, have a
steamer every week for Portotorres, at the north-west extremity of
Sicily, calling at Bastia. Also from Leghorn to Bastia. Distance 72
miles, fare 20 frs., time 7 hrs.

Small steamer between Ajaccio and Propriano twice weekly.




AJACCIO.

_Hotels._--On an eminence, in its own grounds, rising gently from
the sea, is the *Grand Hotel, with sea and fresh water baths and
every convenience; opened at the end of the present year. A skilled
English physician on the premises.

There are besides three good family hotels, charging from 8 to 12
frs.; in the Course Grandval, the H. Continental, wine 1-1/2 fr.,
carpeted brick floors, garden; near it, with south exposure and full
view of the bay, the *H. Suisse or Schweizerhof, wine 1 fr., smooth
wood floors, partially carpeted, garden; at the top of the Course
Grandval, the H. Bellevue, wine 1-1/4 fr., partially carpeted wood
floors, garden.

These prices include coffee or tea in the morning, meat breakfast
and dinner and service, but neither candles nor wine, of which the
lowest price per bottle is given above. In the Place Bonaparte is
the H. de France, a good French hotel, pension 8 to 12 frs.

_Bankers and Money-changers._--The bank Bozzo-Costa and the bank
Lanzi, both near each other in the Boulevard Roi Jerome.

The office of the Compagnie Transatlantique is in the same
Boulevard; the office of the Compagnie Insulaire is in the Place du
Marche.

_Cabs._--The course 1-1/2 fr., the hour 2 frs., the day 25 frs.

Tariff of return drives, with 2 frs. extra for every hour of repose.

_West_ from Ajaccio: Scudo, 5 frs.; Vignola 1114 ft., 15 frs.;
Vignola village, 10 frs.; Lisa, 15 frs.; Iles Sanguinaires, 10 frs.;
St. Antoine, 5 frs.; Salario, 5 frs. _North_ from Ajaccio:
Castelluccio, 4 frs.; Mezzavia, 5 frs.; Alata and Col Carbinica, 25
frs.; Afa, 20 frs.

_East_ from Ajaccio: the Campo dell' Oro, or the plain at the mouth
of the Gravona, 5 frs.; the Baths of Caldaniccia, 5 frs.;
Bastelicaccia, 5 frs.; Pisciatella, 6 frs. Three frs. gratuity for a
whole day. The horses cover on an average about thirty miles a day.

AJACCIO, pop. 19,050, the capital of Corsica, is situated on the
extremity of a small gulf 677 miles from Paris and 15 to 20 hours' sail
from Marseilles. Founded in 1492 by the Bank of St. George of Genoa, a
commercial association similar to the East India Company, it was raised
in 1811 through the influence of Madame Letitia and Cardinal Fesch to
the dignity of capital of the island, and became accordingly the
residence of the Prefet and the seat of the civil and ecclesiastical
Courts. Ajaccio has a handsome Episcopal chapel built by Miss Campbell,
of Moniack Castle, Scotland, an accomplished lady, the authoress of a
work on the island in French and English.

In the Cours Napoleon is a small French mission, whose worthy pastor,
besides conducting the regular Sunday services, gives two lectures
(conferences) every week, which are attended by from 80 to 100 people.

The houses in Ajaccio, as well as those throughout the island, are
generally built in large square blocks of from 3 to 5 stories, each
story forming a separate dwelling.

[Map: Ajaccio]

[Headnote: NAPOLEON'S BIRTHPLACE.]

The mole at which passengers land from the steamers is at the foot of
the Place du Marche. In the centre of this "Place" is a fountain
ornamented with lions and a white marble statue of Napoleon I. by
Laboureur. To the left of the statue is the Hotel de Ville, the markets,
and the commencement of the Rue Fesch, in which is the edifice
containing the public library, the museum, and the memorial chapel
(p. 5); while to the right is the Rue Napoleon, in which the first
opening right leads into the Place Letitia. A little beyond this opening
is No. 17, the house of the Pozzo di Borgo family, of whom Charles
Andre, 1768-1842, was the great upholder of Paoli and the bitter enemy
of Napoleon I. Napoleon's house, though not equal to that of the Borgo
family, was one of the best in Ajaccio. It is well built, of three
stories of six windows each, and all the rooms have a more or less
handsome marble chimney-piece. Over the door is inscribed on white
marble "Napoleon est ne dans cette maison le XV Aovt MDCCLXIX". A good
staircase, bordered by a wrought-iron railing, leads to the top. The
rooms shown are on the first floor. The first is the parlour, with a
small table, a few chairs, and a piano said to have belonged to Mme.
Letitia. Then after having passed through a small chamber we enter the
room in which Napoleon was born, into which Madame was brought hurriedly
from the church in the sedan chair kept in the end room. Over the
chimney-piece are portraits of the father and mother. Then follows the
dining-room, and after it the drawing-room, with inlaid wood floor and
six windows on both sides. The floors of all the other rooms are of
glazed tiles. In the next room is the sedan chair. Fee for party 1 fr.

This now silent and empty house was once enlivened and brightened by the
fair Letitia and her large family of children, just like other men's
children; schoolboys toiling at their Plutarch or Caesar, and their three
young sisters growing up careless and rather wild, like their
neighbours' daughters, in the half-barbarous island town. There is
Joseph, the eldest, then Napoleon, the second born, then Lucien, Louis,
and Jerome; then Caroline, Eliza, and Pauline, the children of a notary
of moderate income, who is incessantly and vainly carrying on law-suits
with the Jesuits of Ajaccio to gain a contested estate which is
necessary to his numerous family. Their future fills him with anxiety;
what will they be in the world and how will they secure a comfortable
subsistence? And behold! these same children, one after the other, take
to themselves the mightiest crowns of the earth--tear them from the
heads of the most unapproachable kings of Europe and wear them in the
sight of all the world; and they, the sons of an Ajaccio lawyer, cause
themselves to be embraced as brothers and brothers-in-law by emperors
and kings. Napoleon is European Emperor; Joseph King of Spain; Louis
King of Holland; Jerome King of Westphalia; Caroline Queen of Naples and
Pauline and Eliza Princesses of Italy. In 1793, after the flight of
Madame Letitia and her children to her country residence, the Casone,
the house was pillaged by the Corsicans opposed to the French Republic.

[Headnote: CATHEDRAL.]

Near the Place Letitia is the cathedral built in the 16th century by
Pope Gregory. It contains the font at which Napoleon I. was baptized on
the 21st July 1771.

[Headnote: MEMORIAL CHAPEL.]

In the Rue Fesch is the College founded in 1822. In one wing of the
edifice is the public library, with 33,000 volumes, founded by Lucien
Bonaparte, and the museum and picture gallery, with 900 paintings,
mostly copies; and in the other the memorial chapel built by Napoleon
III., lined with beautiful marble. In the crypt under the transept, left
hand, is the tomb of Marie Letitia Ramolino, died at Rome in 1836; and
right hand, that of Napoleon's uncle, Cardinal Fesch, died at Rome in
1839. Both bodies were brought to this, their present resting-place, in
1851. There are, besides, the tombs of Prince Charles and of Zenaida his
daughter. Napoleon's father died in 1785 and is buried at Montpellier.
Madame was only 35 at his death and had already borne him 13 children,
5 of whom were dead, and Jerome was an infant in the cradle.

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