France: Corsica: Birthplace of Napoleon Bonaporte

The island of Corsica is situated in the Mediterranean Sea roughly 110 miles southeast of France's Cote d'Azur. The lost continent, as it is often called, is comprised of a spectacular mountain chain surrounded by a rugged coastline of glistening harbors and sandy beaches. These days, computer users can enlist the aid of the World Wide Web for information on a number of attractions and accommodations that are found in Corsica's various inland villages and fortress towns.

Bastia, on the northeast coast of Corsica, has maintained a pristine medieval quality that can be seen in its narrow streets, tall stone walls and houses, and various food shops and open-air restaurants. Calvi, located on the northwest coast, is a trendy resort town that's popular with wealthy people who enjoy yacht sailing. The small inland city of Corte is home to a university and a long, winding street that leads to a square featuring several cafes and a statue of Corsican founder General Pasquale Paoli. In the southwestern city of Ajaccio, tourists can visit the house where Napoleon Bonaporte was born and view three different statues of the renowned emperor that stand throughout the city. In the center of Ajaccio are many local shops and restaurants as well as the Musee Fesch, a museum that displays a wide variety of Renaissance paintings.

Just south of Ajaccio and near the tourist resort of Propriano is Filitosa, where mysterious stone monuments called menhirs envelop a hill and valley. The nearby villages of Tizzano and Pelaggiu also boast numerous menhirs, while Bonifacio, which lies at the southern tip of Corsica, presents its history via a magnificent citadel, cobblestone streets and a former church built in the 14th century. Whether by train, car or ferry, tourists can travel through and around Corsica and take in all the splendor of its vast beauty and history, and the World Wide Web is a good resource for planning such a trip to this awe-inspiring French island.