Wanderings: Corte

March 14, 2019

The city of Corte (1) is in the mountains of central Corsica. The city was the capital of the independent Corsican Republic (2). The train got me there by mid morning and I climbed up to the citadel overlooking the city.

The Corsican Anthropology museum here has two floors: country life and city life (3). Exiting an exhibit and movie about an old factory (in city life), I was rather jarred to see a display of life-sized figures clad in what appeared to be Ku Klux Klan outfits. These figures represent the Cunfraterna di San Teofalu Basti during their annual Holy Week Procession.

The central place of Corte has a large statue of Paoli (of course) and affords fine views of snow-clad Monte Cintu, at 8,878 feet, the tallest on Corsica.

The afternoon train climbed to the Corsican Railways summit at Vizzavona (4), 2,972 feet above sea level. We then descended back to sea level at Ajaccio.

(1) Also known as Corti. Many places in Corsica have both French and Corsican/Italian names, including L'ile Rousse/Isola Rossa. On one of the trains, there is a scrolling display of the destinations and procedures to alight (a) in French, while the oral announcements are in Corsican.

(a) Many stops (i) are on demand, so the train only stops if someone is getting on or off, which a passenger signals by pressing a button on the train.

(i) "Arret" in French, "Fermata" in Corsican.

(2) The Republic was founded and led by Pascal Paoli, known as "U Babbu a la Patria" (b) who led a rebellion against Genoese rule in 1755. The local forces gained control of most of the island, while the Genoese (a maritime power) retained control of some of the seaports. The Genoese gave Corsica (which they barely controlled anyway) to the French in lieu of cash payment of a debt. The French sent in large numbers of troops, who suppressed the Corsican Republic and establish French control, which continues to this day (c).

(b) "Father of the Country" in Corsican.

(ii) Lord Nelson, later the commander of the British fleet at Trafalgar, lost an eye at the Siege of Calvi during the Corsican campaign.

(3) There was also a temporary exhibit on the image of Corsica as seen in French advertisements, military recruitement posters, etc.

(4) I've been reading a book: "Rambles in the Islands of Corsica and Sardinia," published in 1858. The English author, Thomas Forrester (c), climbed to the Col on foot with his baggage carried by donkeys.

(c) He was definitely a product of his time and place. A few quotes:
" One of the men, who eyed us with suspicion, had just the physiognomy one should assign to a bandit."
"Great numbers of Corsicans, too indolent to work, were happy to lead a vagabond life..."