Calvi

Calvi's citadel sits on a promontory above the port, built by the Genoese who held the town as a loyal base; an inscription on the wall reads that the town was always faithful to Genoa. Inside are stepped lanes, a cathedral and barracks still used by the Foreign Legion, whose parachute regiment is based here. A ruined house in the citadel is claimed as Christopher Columbus's birthplace, a claim made locally since the nineteenth century and not accepted by historians, who place him in Genoa. Below, a beach of about six kilometres runs into pine forest, with the snow-topped Balagne mountains behind it into late spring.

History

Calvi was founded in the 13th century, and its motto, "Calvi semper fidelis", recalls its loyalty to the Republic of Genoa, which made it a fortified enclave in 1278 and built a new castle in 1491 to meet the new artillery; the motto dates from 1553, when Calvi beat off two attacks by the French and the Turks. In 1555 the town was sacked by Dragut Reis and his corsairs, and in 1794 British forces under Admiral Nelson took it after a siege during which Nelson lost the sight of an eye. A local legend also claims Christopher Columbus as a son of Calvi, then a Genoese town (Wikipedia, Calvi, Haute-Corse).

The main sights

• The Genoese citadel - stepped lanes and walls above the harbour.
• The Columbus claim - a ruined house presented as his birthplace.
• The long beach - about six kilometres of sand backed by pines.
• The mountain backdrop - Balagne peaks holding snow into spring.

When to go

May to June and September; July and August are busy and hot. A jazz festival runs in June and a polyphonic music festival in September. The Balagne train links the coast villages.

Good to know

The Columbus birthplace claim is not supported by evidence and the house is a ruin. Legion facilities inside the citadel are closed. Summer prices and crowds are high.

Nearby

Ile-Rousse lies east; the Agriates desert and Saleccia are further along.