08-Dec-2024
Even Antoine-Claude Valery, a hard man to please, pronounces himself charmed by Bonifacio.
I've already given a bit of an indication of its extraordinary setting. The citadel is perched on a high, narrow, limestone peninsula that lies parallel to the coast. This creates a wonderful harbour on the landward side. And its cliffs plummet into the sea on the side facing Sardinia.
The word dramatic doesn't even begin to cut it:
Today -- in the teeth of a raging gale that made it hard to stand up sometimes -- we walked south along the cliffs (the path is well back from the edge, I should add). Awe-inspiring:
It has seen some turns of history, this place. The settlement was founded by Count Bonifacio of Tuscany sometime around 828, as part of his campaign against piracy. In 1092, a ruling from the Pope made it part of the Republic of Pisa (along with the rest of Corsica). It was captured, rather bloodily, by the Genoese in 1187. And the stronghold continued to see plenty of action: Besieged by the King of Aragon in 1420; attacked by French and Turkish forces in 1554... It was French, then Genoese again (with a high status, de facto independent), then French again... Stripped of its autonomy, the port declined -- until a wave of tourism changed its fortunes.
The Marine Cemetery, on the westerly tip of the peninsula, is hugely atmospheric. It's very much a little city of the dead, with orderly streets and squares:
These old windmills can be found out in that direction too
You can also get up close and personal with the walls of the citadel:
This is our route back from the supermarket... Surreal...
Same spot, heading out this morning
The little streets are delightful. The things between the houses that look like buttresses are actually watercourses
There are, of course, plenty of picturesque churches
We've not had the best weather here. It was iffy the day we arrived, and although yesterday morning was bright and clear, things went downhill as the day wore on. There was a terrific storm overnight, and -- as I said -- our walk this morning was a bit of a battle with the elements.
We're moving on again tomorrow, so it has been a short stay. Still, we've appreciated seeing what M. Valery calls "the most curious town in Corsica, and its capital from the point of view of picturesqueness", which -- he continues, in a turn of phrase foreshadowing M. Michelin -- would "by itself make the journey to Corsica worthwhile".