Part 2

by Its Rail, Carriage & Forest Roads

C. B. BLACK

Illustrated by Five Maps and One Plan

Edinburgh Adam and Charles Black 1888

CONTENTS: CORSICA.

Page

Corsica. --Position --Extent --Population --Highest Mountains --Forests --Vegetation --Aspect --Climate --Steamboats 1

Ajaccio. --Hotels --Cabs --Napoleon's Birthplace --Memorial Chapel --Chapel of San Antonio --Chapelle Greco --Fontaine du Salario --Family Sepulchral Chapels --Climate --Fair of St. Pancras --Water Carriers --Curiosities 3

Ajaccio to Bastia by Corte. --This road traverses the centre of the island diagonally, exhibits every characteristic of Corsica, crosses the longest rivers, passes through one of the greatest forests and by some of the highest mountains, and connects the three principal towns. Rail between Corte and Bastia 7

From Vivario, p. 8, a road leads to the mineral water establishment of Pietrapola. From Corte, p. 8, the ascent is made of Mt. Rotondo. From the Ponte Francardo, p. 9, the most important of the Forest roads extends S.W. to Porto by Albertacce and Evisa. From Albertacce the ascent is made of Mt. Cinto.

The great highway traversing the island from Prunete to Calvi passes through Ponte alla Leccia, p. 9. From Bastia, p. 10, are trains or diligences to every part of the east coast, and steamers to Leghorn, Genoa, Nice and Marseilles.

Bastia to Rogliano and Morsaglia, skirting the east coast of the long peninsula called Cap Corse. This road follows more or less the level of the sea till it reaches Macinaggio, whence it ascends to Morsaglia. The highway on the western side of Cap Corse is cut along the flanks of the mountains, generally at a considerable height above the sea 11

Bastia to Calvi by St. Florent and the Ile Rousse 14

Calvi to Ajaccio, by Galeria, Porto and Sagona. From Galeria and Porto great Forest roads penetrate into the interior 16

GALERIA to the FORESTS of FILOSORMA. --Tourists should not explore any of the great Forest roads without being provided with letters to the dwellers in the maisons forestieres and in those of the Cantonniers; see p. 41 and map, p. 20 16

PORTO to the PONTE FRANCARDO. --The most important of all the Forest roads. It passes through Evisa and by several good "maisons forestieres." From the Col Vergio is seen Mt. Tafanato, with its natural tunnel, and from Albertacce is commenced the ascent of Mt. Cinto. Several mule-paths ramify from this forest road, the most important being to Lake Nino and Corte, and to Asco: whence Mt. Cinto is also ascended. The most famous part of the road itself is the Scala di Santa Regina 18

Calvi to Corte or to BASTIA by PONTE ALLA LECCIA. --This road traverses a most picturesque country, and the region of the finest olive trees in the island 20

BELGODERE to the FOREST of TARTAGINE. --This forest contains few old trees, and is not of easy access 21

Ajaccio to Evisa, VICO and the BATHS of GUAGNO 22

Ajaccio to Sartene, by CAURO, APA, OLMETO and PROPRIANO. See S.W. end of general map 23

CAURO to BASTELICA. --Bastelica is the common name of a group of hamlets, in one of which Sampiero was born. From this the ascent is made of Mt. Renoso 24

AJACCIO and APA to ZICAVO and the BATHS of GUITERA, by Santa-Maria-Siche, Frasseto and Zecavo. S. Maria-Siche is the birthplace of the fair and gentle Vanina. From Zicavo the ascent is made of Mt. Incudine; whence is beheld the finest view in Corsica. See maps on fly-leaf and fronting p. 27 24

PROPRIANO to SOLENZARA, from the S.W. to the S.E. of the island. This Route Forestiere is better treated on p. 36, as Solenzara to Sartene 26

Sartene to Corte by Vivario. --This is the great central highway, of which the wildest and most difficult part is given on map, p. 27. It leads to some fine forests, of which the best is the Verde forest. At the most desolate portion are tolerably comfortable maisons forestieres. Vehicles should be hired either at Sartene or Vivario, 20 to 25 frs. per day 27

GHISONI to GHISONACCIA, by the route forestiere, extending from the central main road to the Ghisonaccia railway station on the east coast. The most dangerous part of the road is the "Passage" Inzecca. See map, p. 27 29

SARTENE to BONIFACIO 30

Bonifacio to Bastia by the fertile plains and insalubrious lakes of the east coast 31

Aleria to Corte by a picturesque road following the course of the Tavignano. Coach every other day 33