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Corsica: Islands
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Corsica may be divided into two parts, which are geologically distinct, by a line drawn from Belgodere through Corte to the east coast near Favone. West of this line the island is composed chiefly of granite, with a large mass of granophyres, quartz porphyries and similar rocks forming the high mountains around Mt. Cinto; but between the Gulfs of Porto and Galeria, schists, limestones and anthracite, containing fossils of Upper Carboniferous age, occur. The famous orbicular diorite of Corsica is found near Sta. Lucia-di-Tallano in the arrondissement of Sartene. In the eastern part of the island the predominant rocks are schists of unknown age, with intrusive masses of serpentine and euphotide. Folded amongst the schists are strips of Upper Carboniferous beds similar to those of the west coast.
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Corsica is usually considered one of the 26 régions of France, although strictly speaking Corsica is a "territorial collectivity" (collectivité territoriale) by law. As a territorial collectivity, it enjoys powers slightly more important than other French régions, but for the most part its status is quite similar to the status of the other régions. Corsica is referred to as a "région" in common speech, and is almost always listed among the other régions of France. Although the island is separated from the continental mainland by the Ligurian Sea, politically Corsica is considered part of Metropolitan France.
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The city state of Genoa held sway over the island for centuries before giving Corsica to France in 1768 to help pay off a debt. An important figure in Corsican history is Pasquale Paoli (1725-1807), the Corsican general and patriot, who struggled for Corsican independence, first against Genoa, then against France. It's essentially with him that the head of Moor ("Testa Maura") become (1760) the emblem of Corsica.
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Some Corsican nationalists ... think that the British may have given them a better deal (more autonomy) than the French have ever given them because of the greater distance between Corsica and London - a totally hypothetical theory of course. This episode in history however is often considered insignificant or is misunderstood. A well-known painting (copies are ironically on sale at Paoli's birthplace!) is entitled "La Délivrance de la Corse" showing the island being "liberated" by the French in 1796 after the British retreat. The British in fact evacuated the island without any resistance.
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In spite of a rise in the number of tourists visiting Corsica every year, a figure that now greatly exceeds the island's population, Corsica remains an unspoilt and delightful place. Still, it is best to visit Corsica in May or June when there are fewer tourists and the olives are ripening in the groves under the Corsican sun, or in September and October if you have hay fever and want to avoid the pollen high season. Although it is a fairly small island, Corsica certainly manages to pack in as many attractions and different landscapes as a whole continent. From the red porphyry Calanches on the west coast, to the perfect white beaches and deep blue water on the east, Corsica is diverse and inspiring and fully deserves its title of l'île de beauté (the island of beauty). Away from the coast are the mountains made of granite and covered in snow until mid-July; flatland marshes on the eastern side of the island; the Parc Naturel Régional de la Corse; in the north west there is a deserted desert, the Désert des Agriates; and of course the quintessentially Corsican towns of Calvi, with its narrow streets, Sartène (the seat of feudal lords), and cliff-top Bonifacio where Odysseus allegedly landed.
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Corsica is the fourth largest island in the Mediterranean Sea and one of the 26 regions of France. It is located west of Italy, southeast of France, and north of the island of Sardinia. The island is called Corsica in English, Corsican and Italian, while its French name is Corse. Some languages spell it Korsika, Korzika or Korsyka.
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