Follow us in the streets of Ajaccio: the Foreigners' Quarter
Today we're taking you to one of our favorite neighborhoods in Ajaccio: the Quartier des Etrangers. Why this name? Where is it located? Follow us as we tell you all about it!
If Ajaccio is famous for its beaches in the summer, it is less known for its label as a winter resort. In the 19th century, the inhabitants of the northern countries left the harsh temperatures to enjoy the warmth of the Mediterranean coasts and more particularly Ajaccio...
From Diamond to Casone...
At the crossroads of Cours Grandval and Cours Napoléon stands Place du Diamant (officially named Place de Gaulle). Its emblem is an equestrian statue of Napoleon and his brothers. Originally, this monument faced the sea; since the square was renovated in the 1980s, it now faces the city.
Let's move on to the Cours Grandval. Art Deco buildings, cottages and old hotels line the route. The most imposing is "Le Grand Hôtel d'Ajaccio " with its garden. It currently houses the Collectivité de Corse, which can be visited during the Heritage Days.
Not far away is a small neoclassical château. Ajaccians knew it as a clinic for many years.
...via Cours Général Leclerc
Then the Cours Grandval becomes the Cours Général Leclerc. On our right, we can see a bell tower. It's that of theAnglican church, built at the request of Miss Campbell (a Scottish aristocrat who fell in love with Corsica and settled in Ajaccio). At the time, the imperial city was home to as many as a thousand British winterers!
At no. 13 cours Général Leclerc, the Palais Cyrnos is a private mansion now converted into private apartments. Advertising at the time described it as "a first-rate establishment in a superb midday location, in the highest and healthiest district of Ajaccio".
Du Casone...
At the very top of the Cours Général Leclerc stands the Casone. This means "big house". It's a public garden where boulistes, local children and sports enthusiasts rub shoulders. It's also the Théâtre de Verdure, where summer music festivals are held. The esplanade is actually called Place d'Austerlitz, but Ajaccians usually refer to it as Casone or Grotte (Napoleon). We won't spoil anything by revealing that there is no grotto. So why the name? Because legend has it that Napoleon, as a child, used to shelter under the rocks to read, meditate and dream about his destiny.
Visitors go there mainly for its monument surmounted by a large statue of the Emperor as a colonel of the Guard. It is a replica of the statue originally installed at the top of the Vendôme column in Paris and which is now in the Cour des Invalides.
...to boulevard Lantivy
Descend towards the sea on Bd Madame Mère, then turn left onto Bd Fred Scamaroni (which becomes Bd Sylvestre Marcaggi).
In the 19th century, this boulevard was called "Le Boulevard des Etrangers". It was a tourist and residential district. Don't miss the orange trees lining the boulevard.
[PS: Before taking the bd Scamaroni, we advise you to continue a few meters on the bd Madame Mère to do some shopping in the delicatessen Maison Ferrero]
Halfway down the boulevard is theSacré Coeur church (with its neo-Byzantine façade). It was erected in the early 1930s as a tribute to the fallen of the Great War. Opposite, the villa in which the painter Henri Matisse lived can be seen. A seafront promenade is dedicated to him (plage Trottel ↔place Miot).
All that's left is to continue straight on to Boulevard Lantivy, stroll along the seafront and take a well-deserved break on a terrace...
In the meantime, we look forward to seeing you soon for another stroll through the streets of Ajaccio...
