Ajaccio at a glance

I was pondering where to start, and after some time I realized that the only place I can start is Ajaccio. And since at some point I decided that major sites should receive both overview articles and then detailed descriptions of particular places of interest in separate notes, therefore here it is: a general thematic stroll through Ajaccio.

As the birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte and vast majority of his siblings (with the exception of the eldest, Joseph, who was born in Corte), Ajaccio celebrates its most famous citizen by a series of museums and monuments as well as by yearly festivals (fireworks, parades, but also lectures etc.; I missed it this year but hope to be there next year) around August 15th. The city is generally overflowed with the Bonapartes, and the sign at the main entrance (from the east, i.e. from all major roads) informs us that we are in the Imperial City (similar decorations include the imperial crown in Avenue du Premier Consul/Cours Napoléon and the Legion d’Honneur in Cours Grandval).

Must-see places include three museums: the Maison Bonaparte (rue Saint-Charles 1), the two rooms in the Musée Fesch (rue Cardinal Fesch 50-52), and the Salon Napoléonien in the city Townhall (Hôtel de Ville; Place Foch), and three monuments: Napoleon as First Consul in Place Foch, Napoleon on the horseback in the company of his four brothers (Place de Gaulle) and the Casone in Place d’Austerlitz, together with the Grotte Napoléon.

Additional traits in the city centre include the period room in the small museum A Bandera (Corsican history), the cathedral of Notre Dame (rue Forcioli Conti) where Napoleon was baptised, the church of Saint Jean Baptiste (rue Roi de Rome/rue Saint-Charles) where other members of the family were baptised, and the building at rue Fesch 28, where a board inform us of the short stay of Napoleon during his escape from Corsica in May 1793.

Hardcore fans may also try to collect the whole range of street signs related to both the 1st and 2nd Empire (battlefields are concentrated in the residential area in the western part of the city, close to Place d’Austerlitz, other streets, boulevards, avenues etc. are situated in various parts of the city; note that some people appear twice, for instance there is rue Letizia and boulevard Madame Mère, so don’t strike someone out just because you spotted them once).

Names of numerous bars, restaurants, cafes and ice-cream lounges also relate to the characters of the period, while some of them make other use of the city’s main attraction (food at affordable prices is really good here, so it can be recommended):

For the atmosphere and numerous prints on the walls, as well for good quality food, the Grand Cafe Napoléon is a culinary must: the pictures cover most of the period’s history, and the large dining room is predictably decorated with the copy of the famous Passage of St. Bernard by David.

Away from the centre is Les Milleli - the favourite house of Napoleon during his military service in Corsica. Also the Napoléon Bonaparte airport is some way from the city centre to the east, on the seaside. Signs leading to it abound in the city and on its outskirts. Outside Ajaccio, on the way towards the Îles Sanguinaires, on the left hand side of the road westward, are curious remains of either a demolished or an unfinished structure, among which one features undoubtedly the well known silhouette:

The shops, of course, team with souvenirs, but most of them are kitsch and cheap; however, two boutiques for better value objects are located close to the Maison Bonaparte (Boutique Napoléon just a few steps away from the entrance to the museum; Empires in rue Roi de Rome - the latter’s commodities can also be purchased in museum shops and in the Office de Tourisme d’Ajaccio shop, Boulevard Roi Jérôme 3).

The library in Place Foch has a large selection of books on Corsican history and Napoleonic period on the ground floor.

Places related to the period include the birthplace of Carlo Andrea, count of Pozzo di Borgo, once friend and later oponent of Napoleon in the matters of Corsican independence (rue Bonaparte; now converted to the Palazzu u Domu hotel), and several monuments/boards commemorating Pasquale Paoli (e.g. the monument in Bd. Danielle Casanova, by the walls of the Citadel).

Other places of interest include the Genovese trail, of which the Citadel is part (look out for donkeys and goats climbing the walls in the now dry moat), and the Quartier des Étrangers, which is partly connected with the development of the city under the II Empire.

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

 Ajaccio, which is the capital of the A1 department (Corse-de-Sud) and hosts the prefecture for the whole island, is situated in central Corsica, in a large bay on the western coast. It has its own airport and ferry port, and can also be easily reached from the main port and second airport in Bastia (ca. 150 km on the direct N 193, below 3 hours of comfortable drive, unless you stop every several miles for breathtaking views and charming little villages).

It is a seaside city with fine climate: the summer heat is balanced by the sea breeze most of the time. The city offers wonderful beach with stunning views. It preserves the atmosphere of the previous turn of centuries in many respects, and (fortunately) is nothing like the modern beach towns of continental Europe.

The historical centre and most of the attractions listed here can be easily reached on foot from most of the in-town hotels, but there are also buses running from the major nearby attractions, where many hotels are located. It is not advisable to try to find parking space in the centre: it is hard to find and expensive, while leaving your car outside the payment zone means that you have to walk some 5-10 minutes through seaside boulevards. To reach Les Milleli it is better to have a car, although seasoned walkers should not have any problems in getting there (no public transportation, though).

Most restaurants close between 2 and 3 p.m. for a long break until 7 p.m., so it is only possible to eat something substantial in selected cafes and fast foods in that time. Most museums also have breaks during the day (and unpredictable free days, too), so it is better to check opening times while planning the visit.