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Springtime in the Ajaccio region
The land of Ajaccio celebrates spring
The Tourist Office of Ajaccio offers you an exceptional programme of activities at great prices. You can also discover Ipâques, an Easter egg hunt on your smartphone, a fun and original way of exploring the old town of Ajaccio. Don’t hesitate to take advantage of the promotional offers available on hotels and gites, as well as discounts on ferry crossings.
Ajaccio, a Genoese citadel set against the backdrop of snow-capped mountains, is sure to surprise you in the mild springtime months.
Birthplace of the Emperor Napoleon I, you can visit the house where he was born inAjaccio’s old town and the baroque cathedral where he was baptised in 1771. Ajaccio is also home to the Fesch Museum, which bears the name of a cardinal and uncle of Napoleon, who was a great collector of art, principally Italian Primitives. This is one of the largest collections in the world. A rainy springtime day provides the ideal opportunity to explore this museum.
Departing from Ajaccio, you will find shuttle boats that head in the direction of the beaches of the south coast and the great nature sites,Porto and Scandola to the north andBonifacio to the south. Open-top bus services at Impériales and little touristic trains let you visit the old town and the Route des Sanguinaires with a stop-off at Marinella, the villa of Tino Rossi and a visit to the Grand Site of La Parata that offers a superb view of the Sanguinaires Islands.
Springtime festivities in Ajaccio commence with the Feast of La Miséricorde on 18th March, the patron saint of the city. They continue on 2nd June withSainte Erasme, the patronal feast of the fishermen, that includes a procession at sea. For this occasion, locals and tourists are invited to a giant cocktail party just before they set out to sea.
Don’t forget to visit the terraces of the local brasseries to sample sea urchin, a great speciality of the fishermen of Ajaccio.
The South Coast
The southern coast is dotted with 3 peninsulas: Porticcio, Isolella and Castagna.
Visitors should enjoy the beautiful walk to theTour de Capo di Muro from the village ofAqua Doria. During this fragrant walk in the midst of the Maquis, you can admire the greatBay of Cacaoand the lighthouse ofCapu di Muro that divides the gulfs of Ajaccio and of Valinco.
The Prunelli Valley
The Prunelli Valley in spring will lead you from above the village of Bastelica to the small ski resort of Val d’Ese, where young and old alike can enjoy alpine skiing, cross-country skiing or snowshoe trails. The view across the sea from these snow-covered slopes is splendid.
On the way back down, at the Col de Cricheto, take the little motorised train with the children and explore the wild nature that is in bloom at this time of year. Further down towards Cauro, the bee garden and the essential oil distillery will let you pick up an endless supply of honey and oils.
The Gravona Valley
On the Ajaccio-Bastia road, in the place known as Vignola just15 minutes from Ajaccio, take the time to visit A Cupulatta – Europe’s number 1 tortoise park – where you can easily spend an afternoon cooing over the tortoise nursery. Higher up the mountain at Bocognano, when the weather is fine you can take the small path through the Maquis to the Cascade du Voile de la Mariée, which boasts a dizzying 70m drop.