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Ajaccio
Ajaccio, on the west coast of Corsica, is encircled by wood covered mountains to the rear of the town, and the port and citadelle towards the sea, on the Gulf of Ajaccio. The town is popular with tourists for much of the year around due to its consistently warm climate and its sheltered position.
Above all, Ajaccio's claim to fame is as the birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte. In the town you can visit Napoleons birthplace, now the National Bonaparte Museum and the caves where he played as a child. Statues of Napoleon abound and there are streets and places named in his honour. The most impressive monument is the one in the Jardins de Casone.
The 16th century citadel is found at the centre of the town, which spreads out into the region to the west and north of the citadel. This part of Ajaccio includes the Place Bonaparte and the renaissance cathedral, and continues up to Place Foch a little to the north. Note that it was in this cathedral, the Cathedrale Notre Dame de la Misericorde, that Bonaparte was baptised.
The old town, around Place Foch, has narrow streets lined with attractive, typically Mediterranean, houses and is very picturesque - perhaps the highlight of the town.
The Fesch Museum in the town has a highly regarded collection of Italian Renaissance paintings, originally collected by Napoleon's uncle.
There are a large number of cafes, bars and restaurants around Ajaccio, and it is in these that you will find the true town - the laid-back casual approach to life that Ajaccio seems to adopt so well.
The region outside the town has several highly rated beaches.
A popular boat trip that starts from Ajaccio is to the Isles Sanguinaires. Another site not to be missed is the prehistoric site at Filitosa, 40 kilometres south of Ajaccio.
Ajaccio: tourist information, map, travel plans and gites
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Plan a visit to Ajaccio, France
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Map of Ajaccio, France |
Places to visit - Ajaccio
Any places listed above are within about 20-25 km (as the crow flies)
Information and photos
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