A historic and academic town, Corte is built around its citadel, which overviews from its “eagle’s nest” the deep valleys of the Restonica and Tavignanu rivers. Located in the heart of the Corsica Regional Natural Park, the richness and diversity of its mountainous environment offer racers a multitude of landscapes opportunities, including the Restonica Valley — probably one of the most beautiful and spectacular regions of Corsica. With its glacial gorges carved into granite cliffs and covered with lush pine forests, this valley takes its name from the Restonica River, flowing through the cliffs and gorges towards the numerous lakes scattered nearby. The most famous, Lake Melo and the spectacular Lake Capitello, are accessible on foot via a fairly challenging and steep trek.
Getting to corte
Located in the center of Corsica, Corte is almost equidistant from Ajaccio (85 km) and Bastia (70 km).
Corte is connected to the cities of Bastia and Ajaccio via departmental road 93.
The town is served by the railway network operated by SNCF, connecting to Bastia and Ajaccio (the only railway line on the island).
GPS coordinates of Corte: 42° 18′ 33.872″ N, 9° 8′ 56.479″ E
Accommodation
For information, contact the Centru di Corsica Tourist Office: accueil@tourisme-centrecorse.corsica – tourisme-centrecorse.corsica
To start dreaming
Visit the Citadel of Corte, built in 1420 by Vincentello d’Istria, a Corsican lord who once conquered the city. It houses the Museums of Art and History of Corsica, the Regional Contemporary Art Fund, as well as the Tourist Office.
Surrounded by mountains and lakes, the Central Corsica region, or Centru di Corsica, features high peaks with steep cliffs, from which numerous torrents goes into deep valleys— including the Tavignanu and Restonica valleys, where you can admire magnificent natural pools.
The region is also home to stunning lakes such as Melo and Capitello, which can be explored along the GR20 hiking trail.