Travel and Tourism

Looking for Napoleon Bonaparte in Corsica

WALK THE TALK - Cecilia Licauco - The Philippine Star

November 24, 2019 | 12:00am

Looking for Napoleon Bonaparte in Corsica

Legend has it that Napoleon’s pregnant mother, Letizia, felt her first birth pains while hearing Mass on the feast of the Assumption in the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption of Ajaccio. She ran back home, but didn’t make it to her bed on the upper floor to give birth to her son. Napoleon was baptized in this cathedral on July 21, 1771.

Corsica, an island in the Mediterranean, was ruled by the Italian city-state of Pisa, and later by Genoa, until Genoa ceded it to the French King Louis XV in 1768. While the island is part of France and traces its roots from Italy, Corsica is fiercely, fiercely Corsican. The principal language is French, although Corsican (more closely related to Italian than French) is also taught in schools.

Corsica, with its beautiful coastline, rugged mountains, farmlands and vineyards, is complete onto itself and, if the people can help it, not dependent on the mainland. Ask for some sparkling water and you will receive Orezza, which is made in Corsica! No Perrier nor San Pellegrino here. Loyal to what grows or what is made on the island, even small food stalls proudly display signs that say “Corsica.”

Ajaccio, facing the gulf of the same name, is the capital of Corsica. The beloved French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte was born here in 1769. He was baptized in The Cathedral of Our Lady of the Assumption of Ajaccio (built between 1577 and 1593) and on his deathbed wished to be buried there. (He is buried at Les Invalides in Paris.)

The family home, Maison Bonaparte, is now a museum, full of stories, legends and memorabilia, supporting the cult following for this monarch. Napoleon lived there until he was nine years old, when he went to study at a military school. He would, from time to time, visit Corsica and conduct meetings in his home.

Not surprisingly, every other bar and restaurant is named Napoleon or Bonaparte, showing how much the Corsicans adore their Emperor or, at least, are earning a living from his fame.

The seaport is in a frenzy of activity every day. Ferries from Toulon, France and Genoa, Italy bring people to and from Corsica and dock in Porto Vecchio. Humongous cruise ships unload thousands of passengers who spend the day in town. Private yachts and fishing boats crowd the busy harbor.

Seafood restaurants line the street and waiters enjoy friendly banter with the fishermen who have unloaded their fresh catches and are busy cleaning their nets for the next morning’s sail.

The Ajaccio open market on Place Foch is in the center of the old town. It brims with local produce flowers, cheese, vegetables, nuts, fresh fish and shrimp, sausages and hams. Locals and visitors alike can actually purchase all the food they need for a picnic on the nearby beach, in the company of friendly seagulls.

Even if European brands are present on the main avenue, Cours Napoleon, there are a number of boutiques that belong to Corsican fashion designers or jewelers. On the pedestrians-only Rue du Cardinal Fesch (he is the half-uncle of Napoleon Bonaparte), the National Fesch Museum contains one of Europe’s finest collections of Italian Renaissance paintings and Napoleonic collections of art, second only to the Louvre.

There are so many other places to visit in Corsica, many good reasons for a second visit. Just make sure that tours are reserved way before the visit. Tours do not seem to work on weekends, and are fully booked on weekdays.

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Napoleon I, with his laurel leaf crown.
The receiving room in the family home of the Bonapartes. Metal “N” markers on the streets all point towards Maison Bonaparte, the birthplace of their beloved Emperor.
Seafood restaurants line the dock beside the water. Waiters enjoy friendly banter with fishermen who have delivered their daily catch and are preparing their nets for the next morning’s sail.
The charming Jeremy, youngest in his family, runs this third branch of U Cintu, founded by his uncle 30 years ago. The uncle also started at the Ajaccio food market. Everything they sell comes from Corsica: cheese, sausage, ham, jams and wine.
Fresh sardines simply grilled, scampi with linguini — heavenly!
The Ajaccio open food market on Place Foch offers flowers, cheese, vegetables, nuts, fresh fish and shrimp, sausages and hams. People can buy enough food to picnic on the nearby beach.
Handsome Monsieur Esteban, age 94, still makes and sells assorted nougat, noisettes et amandes caramélisées (caramelized hazel nuts and almonds) with his son in the Ajaccio open market.
Fishing boats, private yachts and gigantic cruise ships fill up the tight seaport of Ajaccio. The happy hustle and bustle of people fills the port daily.
The promenade faces the Mediterranean Sea. Locals jog or bring their babies in strollers. People can swim in the early morning or picnic or just sunbathe. Walking on the beach feels safe.