Visit to the Calvi Citadel - Last day in Calvi

Friday October 4 was a mix of sun and cloud with a high of 18C.   We decided to climb up to Calvi's massive citadel.

We stopped a very nice bakery to pick up a baguette.  Only 1.20 euros.

Calvi was founded in the 13th century.  Its motto: "Calvi semper fidelis" ("Calvi Always Faithful') referred originally to its loyalty to the Republic of Genoa.  The  citadel was fortified by Corsica's Genoese rules from the 12th century onwards.  There is not much commerce behind the walls, but it is worth a visit for the spectacular views, the ruins of Christopher Columbus's house, and the house of Napoleon Bonaparte's godfather, Laurent Giubega where Napoleon visited.

View from the parking lot just below the walls

Rocks and water

War Memorial near the parking lot

The Sea

View back on the steeple of church in town

Starting our climb 

Entrance to citadel area-- the motto "Civitas Calvi Semper Fidelis"

There were a couple of artists' studios at the entrance to the citadel.  There was an explanation of the famous maquis vegetation on Corsica.

 

There are beautiful views from the Citadel walls looking down at the port of Calvi.

One of my favourite photos-- the orange umbrellas are where we had our Cap Corse Spritzes
earlier in the week

Rock formations and buildings

Lots of flowers

Vista on the Sea

More flowers

Panorama on Calvi Bay

There was a very interesting plaque on one of the citadel walls.  It is a war memorial in memory of ten U.S. Airmen who crash landed a Boeing B 17 G Flying Fortress in this location on February 14, 1944.  The plaque was erected in 1995, the fiftieth anniversary of the end of WWII and referred to "the friendship between the United States and France".  Having recently seen Masters of the Air on Apple TV+, this was a poignant memory of those airmen who perished during WWII.

September 1995 plaque honouring airmen who crash landed in this location in 1944.

Another view

Very rocky

View of white war memorial near parking lot below citadel

Within the citadel walls, there are a number of historic buildings including the St. Jean-Baptiste Cathedral which was founded towards the end of the 13th century.

Outside St. John-Baptiste Cathedral- mix of architectural styles, including Romanesque and Baroque

Inside the Cathedral- home to the ebony Christ des Miracles, credited with saving Calvi
from Saracen invasion in 1553.

Another view

We then walked to the spot where Christopher Columbus was supposed to have been born in 1436.  In the absence of a credible birth certificate, several theories have circulated about the explorer's birthplace.  Based on oral tradition, it has been stated that Columbus was the son of a fisherman living in the times when Calvi was ruled by the Genoese.  They say that Columbus hid his Corsican origins from his Spanish supporters, because Calvi inhabitants had massacred a regiment from Aragon in 1421.

Plaque 

Site and ruins from possible Columbus house

While signs have been installed in town claiming Columbus as a local, there is definitely doubt to that theory.   However, there is no doubt that Napoleon Bonaparte visited his godfather Laurent Giubega at his house in Calvi during May-June 1793.

Outside of Giubega house where Napoleon and his family stayed in May-June 1783

Plaque-- Napoleon was here

Back and side of building

Within the citadel walls

View from on high

Fabulous views

We then stumbled on Le Café Colomb, which looked like a lovely spot for lunch.

Le Café Colomb

Menu

We ordered a charcuterie platter of both meats and cheeses.  The cheeses were goat and sheep only and they were served with some fig jam and pistachios and walnuts.  The meats were a delicious mix.  Corsican charcuterie is delicious.

Our charcuterie platters (meat and cheese)

We had macchiatos after our lunch

Walking down the stairs from the Café

We found the memorial to Christopher Columbus in the parking lot below the citadel--Christopher Columbus 1436-1506-- erected in 1992, the 500th year after the 1492 "Discovery" of the Americas

After our citadel visit, we headed back to the beach near our apartment.

Only about two minutes from our apartment

Looking back at the citadel as we walked back to the apartment at around 4:30 p.m.

We had a rest, and then headed out for our 7:00 p.m. dinner reservations at a restaurant in the port.

Lovely light on the citadel at about 6:45 p.m.

The mountains were so clear and colourful

We had booked a reservation at Umami Restaurant which had a prix fixe Corsican menu.  It had good reviews and we decided to eat outside with a wonderful view of the port at night.  By the time we left, the place was full.  

View of Port from our table with the wine and water

We both had fish soup for our starter-- very tasty

Alain had dorade and potato puree and I had bavette, salad, frites

Alain had a chestnut crème brûlée and I had a Corsican dessert- fiadone-- Corsican cheese cake made with sheep cheese and lemon. 

Looking back at the restaurant

We got back to the apartment and finished packing.  On Saturday October 5, we take a five hour (rather roundabout route) to Ajaccio, the capital of Corsica.  We have really enjoyed our stay in Calvi.  It was a great place to start our "Island of Beauty" (another name for Corsica) adventure.  Beautiful setting, small town feel, and a beautiful harbour.