Corte, nicknamed U Paese di l’Orsu

In the heart of the Island of Beauty, Corte was the capital of independent Corsica in the mid-18th century. Nicknamed U Paese di l’Orsu, which literally means The Land of the Bear, the town still carries a singular intensity, a mark of its former grandeur. It will be the starting point of the 2026 Adventure Racing World Championship (#ARWC2026). A historic and university town, Corte is built around its citadel, which rises like an “eagle’s nest” above the steep valleys of the Restonica and Tavignanu rivers. At the confluence of the granite massif to the west and the schistous alpine range to the east, Corte forms a true natural stronghold between the En-deçà and Au-delà des monts.

At the heart of the Corsican Regional Natural Park, the richness and diversity of its vast mountainous terrain will offer competitors countless landscapes, including the Restonica Valley, considered one of the most beautiful and spectacular regions of Corsica. With its glacial gorges carved into granite cliffs, covered in lush pine forests, this valley takes its name from the Restonica River, which winds through the cliffs and gorges up to the many lakes scattered across the area. The most famous, Lake Melo and the breathtaking Lake Capitello, are accessible on foot via a challenging and at times steep hiking trail.