Here is a wide selection of Corsican websites to refine your enquiries - organised by subject.

Corsican Websites.

There are thousands of Corsican websites. Their quality varies, hence Corsica Isula's selection. Even so, this is a packed page. Here are the categories chosen, some of which will take you to parts of this page or other pages and yet others will open pdf files in which there are links to sites:

Archaeology | Artists | Beaches | Booklist | Business | Celebrities | Crafts | Culture | Diving | Education | Extreme Sports | Festivals | Food & Drink | Genealogy | Guides | Historical Personages | Holidays | Corsican Language | Lists and Directories | Media | Mountain Walking | Museums | Photographers | Places | Politics | Polyphony | Pop | Property | Public Institutions | Property | River Fishing | Sailing | Sports | Tourist Offices | Villages & Towns | Visitor Attractions | WWII

Some of these categories will take you other pages, but links will quickly bring you back.

A increasing number of the sites listed are also in English . Some others may have English versions by the time you visit. Ones with Corsican versions are marked .

Corsica Isula is packed with information, so packed that you may have difficulty finding what you want. Use of the Google search engine to find things here in Corsica Isula - or on the Web as a whole.

If you would like to see back issues of the newsletter, click here.

Archaeology.

Click on the link if you want books on Mediterranean Archaeology.

Corsican Prehistory (www.prehistoire-corse.org) - for anyone interested in prehistoric Corsica, this definitely the place to start. Cécile and Laurent-Jacques Costa have done a super job. the site lists all Corsica's currently documented prehistoric sites with illustrations and so if this is your thing, you can't do better. Even if you only have a casual interest, the excellently designed website is a handy information source. Cécile's photo above is of a carved stone discovered at Isolaccio di Fiumorbu; it's from the end of the Neolithic age (4000-3000 BC).

Roman to Medieval Archaeology in Corsica (membres.lycos.fr/cerpam) - a site devoted to the archaeology of Corsica, for mainly the Mariana site - Roman, paleochristian and medieval. The website has great illustrations of this exciting site and the artefacts that have been discovered. This mosaic of a bearded man from Mariana is an allegorical image of the Rivers of Paradise. The Aleria Museum is actually at Fort Matra not far away. It is well worth a visit.

Stonepages - now, if you want a real treat, then go to Paola Arosio & Diego Meozzi's website called www.stonepages.com. Apart from anything else, they did a tour of Ancient Corsica in September 2000 and have produced movies and still pictures of many stones, including of course, Filitosa. Their site is devoted to European megaliths and they have material on the 359 sites that they have so far visted. Of course, their Ancient Corsica Tour does not have an inventory of all the Corsican megaliths, but it is one of the fullest catalogues that's easily available. In any event, the experts reckon that there are vast numbers yet to be discovered. The Stonepages site about ancient sites is a delight as an ultra-modern site, too.

Roman Roads in Corsica (www.viaeromanae.org/uk/carte/cartcorse.htm) - here you can see the Roman roads of Corsica, south from Mariana, via Aléria, an important Roman city that was previously Greek.

Prehistoric Corsica - Jacques-Laurent Costa has written a book on his researches called, simply, Corse Prehistorique.

Ancient History & Archaeology in Corsica (www.univ-corse.fr/labiana) - the site of the University of Corsica's ancient history and archaeology laboratory (LABIANA), which has proposed the establishment of a European School of ancient history & archaeology at Aléria. If you would like to visit an archaeological museum, then go to the Musée de l'Alta Rocca at Levie in Corse du Sud (04 95 78 46 34) - it opens in June 2003 (check opening times).

Archaeological Map of Corsica - the Service Régional de l'Archéologie of the Direction Régionale des Affaires Culturelles (19 Cours Napoléon, 20000 Ajaccio - tel 04 95 51 52 00) publishes the Map that currently inventories nearly 5 000 sites - in other words a site about every two kms², or an average of 12 sites per commune!

Journées d'Archeologie et d'Histoire de Calvi - (svegliu@wanadoo.fr) - this event ran for the first time in March 2003 and was devoted to 'The world of rural life and agriculture in Corsica & the Mediterranean'. there were 25 papers presented on a wide range of subjects on periods from the Neolithic to the C18. It is now an annual event.

Corsican Wrecks (www.ac-corse.fr/expos_autres/arasm) - the Association pour la Recherche Archéologique Sous-Marine has been doing underwater archaeological research in Corsica for 15 years. Currently there are 300 identified wrecks off the Corsican coast. An interesting book in this regard is 55 Epaves en Corse - a book on wrecks, principally for divers.

Corsican Archaeological and History Bulletin - this journal is published by the Ouenikion Association (4 Rue du Professor Santiaggi, 20250 Corte); the assocation aims to promote and publicise Corsican archaeological and historical projects.

Artists

If you want books on Mediterranean Art, click here.

Anto (www.antofdp.com) - Anto is a pop artist in Calvi, who also runs the local radio station. You can enjoy his work on this site and read about his plans for multimedia projects.

Art Corse (www.art-corse.com) - this is a very good virtual gallery site of artists in Corsica, where you can see many artists and their work; although lavishly illustrated, it's quick.

Gallery (www.aufildelart.com) - another virtual gallery where you can find a couple of Corsican sculptors - Toni Casalonga and Pierre Pardon.

Stéphanie Catz (www.geocities.com/stephanieonthebeach/MYARTcorse.html) - here is some idiosyncratic art by Stéphanie who lives in London and is passionate about the village of Ocagnano.

Albo (www.albo.fr) - albo is the pseudonym of of the self-taught Hervé Carozzi, a native of the fishing hamlet of Albo in Cap Corse and now of Ville de Pietrabugno near Bastia. He a stone sculptor, who also produces striking stone jewellery as well as Corsican souvenir jewellery of high quality and reasonable price, as well as traditional Corsican knives with stone handles. He uses local materials including semi-precious stones.

Ribellu (www.abuttega.com) - the Antisanti (east coast) workshop of self-taught Corsican painter Ribellu (no, it does not mean rebel, but 'newly beautiful'). He also has a gîte with a great mountain view.

Philippe Vincensini (members.aol.com/Ethnomusic/Vincensini.htm) - a Corsican painter of weird pictures - you can see his work at the Mulinu di Bevinco in Murato in the Nebbiu (north of Corsica). The village also has an exquisite medieval Pisan polychromic church.

Max Ristori (perso.wanadoo.fr/max.ristori) - a painter and photographer. He has some striking b&w pictures round Ajaccio and his acrylics are stunning. Take a look at his evocative series on the village; here's a cubist realist interpretation of the Corsican village in all its aspects. He is also the president of Corse IAE, which is the alumni association of the IAE (the business school at the University of Corte ).

Dominique Frassati (www.dominique-frassati.com) - Dominique Frassati (1876-1947) was a Corte-born Corsican artist, who I would describe as a quasi Impressionist, but then I'm no art critic. I reproduce one of his pictures below.

Afternoon on the beach by Dominique Frassati (1896-1946)

Pierre Farel (www.pierre-farel.com) - a continental painter, who has been established in Corsica for many years.

Christine Nuges (perso.wanadoo.fr/christine.nuges) - dreamy pictures.

Gisèle Mortier (www.mic.fr/part/gisele) - a self-taught painter who seems to specialise in crustacean inspired pictures.

Corsica Muntagna (www.miccanomi.fr/book.html) - presents a small number of photographs from the book by Antoine Périgot .

Lydie and Richard (lydierichard.free.fr) - these two Bocagnano-based sculptors produce fine brass and semi-precious stone decorative objects and jewellery. If you like their style you can get them to make things to order.

Jean Monestié (perso.wanadoo.fr/jean.monestie) - he is a very interesting French painter who has lived in Corsica for many years. His site not only shows his work, but the painter shares his development with you.

Madeleine Mariani (perso.wanadoo.fr/letorrent/mado.htm) - a Paris-based Corsican painter. She does a lot of gouaches and other pictures of Corsica.

Peindre en Corse (salario.club.fr/acceuil.htm) - Michel Martelli is a self taught painter in watercolour, oils and he does lithographs. he's based in Ajaccio.

Madeleine Colombani (madalena.free.fr) - she paints very bright imaginative paintings, as well as doing portraits, illustrations, portraits and landscapes.

Gabriel Diana (www.gabrieldiana.com) - a painter & scultptor producing excellent work in Corsica (Corsica Isula's opinion!).

Lucien Peri (pierre.giansily.free.fr) - Pierre Claude Giansily is working on a book of this Ajaccien (1880-1948) who produced paintings of many Corsican scenes; Peri's memory is preserved through reproductions of the striking images of his posters like the one below; he had good sales of lithographs in the UK through the Frost & Reed Gallery of Bristol.

Catherine Jouck (perso.wanadoo.fr/atelier.2000/) - this Oletta artist paints in many genres including landscapes of Corsican scenes and some very interesting abstracts and portraits.

Patrick Sabatier (www.kallistea.com) - This painter of Corsican origin does colourful acrylic paintings of Corsica, which you can see on his site that is also his personal guide to Corsica.

Francesca (francesca.levillage.org) - a portrait and fresco painter whose works you can see in her virtual gallery.

Jean-Paul Ridolfi (ridolfi.jeanpaul.free.fr) - a traditional painter of landscapes and portraits.

Plenty of other artists have been drawn to Corsica. here's a couple of examples, both with pictures of Corte:

Corte by MC Escher.

Bastia by Maurice Utrillo.

Calvi by Paul Klee.

If you are an artist, especially if you are struggling with art, creativity and prosperity (yes they do go together!), then make your way over to www.sunburst.ws - and enjoy the experience!

Celebrities.

This is a short list, for Corsicans are not often self publicists.

Pietragalla (www.pietragalla.com) - Corsica's answer to Margot Fonteyn. Marie-Claude Pietragalla is a prima ballerina of world repute, who is also director general of the Ballet National de Marseille and the Ecole Nationale Supérior de Dance.

Laetita Casta (www.laetitiacasta.com) - whatever you may think about this mannequin and current model for the bust of Marianne, this is a very imaginative site. Apart from stunning pix of the woman herself, you can go shopping for the clothes that she models - as well as taking a peek at Corsica. She is now launched as an actress in Asterix and a run of new films and tv mini-series. She starred in Les Ames Fortes, Raoul Ruiz's adaptation of a Jean Giono novel, Rue des Plaisirs and 24 Hours in the Life of a Woman with Kristin Scott Thomas. Laetitia has bought the house in Lumio where her grandmother was a servant.

Patrick Fiori (patrickfiori.corsicadream.com) - well, he is isn't he? He was 4th in the Eurovision of 1993 in Ireland with Mamma Corsica. He has a Corsican mum - from Ajaccio - and many Corsicans have taken this crooner as their own. He played Phoebus in Notre Dame de Paris. If you'd like to hear his music or buy a record - click here.

Alizée (www.moi-alizee.com) - this is the site of a teenage singer from Ajaccio who is fast rising and hopes to stay on top. Her hot single is called Moi Lolita - she assures us she's seen the film and read the book, but that the song is not autobiographical. Her debut album is called Gourmandises (words & music by Mylène Farmer) and this link will take you to the record. I like it. Click here for this and others of her CDs.

Tino Rossi (www.tino-rossi.fr.st) - France's, or rather Corsica's much lamented crooner Tino Rossi (1907-1983) now has his own site, lovingly put together by a fan. There is currently available a CD of his Canta A Corsica (Songs to Corsica). Also there are these two CDs: Paris Voici Paris and J'attendrai.

Crafts.

If you want books on Mediterranean Crafts, click here.

Crafts (www.corsicata.com) - this is a very pretty site with high class artworks and crafts - to admire and to order. It is a long established group of craftsmen and women. One example is a painter/sculptor/engraver/theatre designer... , Toni Caslaonga. Lana Corsa is another example - they have been producing dramatic knitwear using Corsican wool, for twenty years or so. Then there's pottery, wooden toys, art restoration...

Lana Corsa (www.lana-corsa.com) - Lana Corsa produce wonderful Corsican wool products. They are the only people who use Corsican wool (a tonne or so a year) and all the rest is thrown away. This leaves plenty of opportunities. Agnes Simonpietri, who leads the team, is a fund of knowledge about Corsican wool traditions and well worth engaging in conversation (she speaks English) if you visit their shop in Ponte Leccia or their workshop in Salcetu.

Jacky Quilichini (www.ceramica.fr.st) - Jacky, is both an excellent potter and a singer of polyphony in a group called A Cumpagnia , based in the 'artists' village' of Pigna (see Corsicata) near Calvi - a place well worth the visit. You can see examples of his wonderful work on the site - as long as you can put up with all the pop-ups + there's a good intro the artists' village of Pigna. Jacky has been potting in Pigna since 1976 and now his son Cyril works with him.

There are of course, many other Craft Potters in Corsica. Here is a list of them that you can download by clicking here. The list is arranged by location and has addresses and phone numbers. You will need the Acrobat Reader program , which you can download also for free, if you don't have it.

Thomas Moscardini (www.arte-di-a-musica.com/association/pirulaghju.asp) - Thomas is a young man who makes traditional Corsican wind instruments in a Pigna workshop; you can visit his shop and will be likely to be received by his partner Fama.

Ugo Casalonga (www.arte-di-a-musica.com/association/luthier.asp) - Ugo makes beautiful Corsican ceteras - a kind of mandolin. He is also Pigna-based.

Bronze founder and cutler (monsite.wanadoo.fr/afunderia) - Patrick Martin is a bronze founder and cutler. He makes all kinds of things: traditional Corsican shepherd's knives, table knife sets, pendants, sculptures... he is easy to find for his workshop is right by the Casino supermarket in Calvi, though unfortunately he has soon to move. You can't order online - each piece is unique - but he's very happy to correspond by email and send you pictures, so that you can order.

Traditional knives (www.bellini-caggiari.com) - the traditional handcrafted Corsican knives by Laurent Bellini and Jean-Pierre Caggiani are worth a trip to the L'Atelier du Couteau on the Port Charles Ornano in Ajaccio , if you are down south. Laurent established the international cutlery salon in Ajaccio in August. He is also setting up a forge in his home village of Carbuccia in the Gravona valley between Ajaccio and Bocagnano.

Benoit Maquin (lamelicorne.free.fr) - is a cutler based in Levie. He makes some very interesting products: see them on hios site or at fairs in the summer.

Corsicadream (www.corsicadream.com) - this is René Giannoni's mail order site with items as various as books, records and pocket knives.

Idées Flottantes (www.ideesflottantes.com) - Myriam Acquaviva and her partner Felipe (from Colombia) live and work high in the Niolu plateau at the village of Lozzi, where they transform driftwood (and other things) into interesting decorative objects.

Bertrand Barbot (perso.wanadoo.fr/bertrand.barbot) - a Corsican wood sculptor and cabinet maker.

Association I Bancalari - Pantaléon Alessandri is a Nocario-based cabinet maker producing traditional Corsican furniture, church furnishings and turned souvenirs. You can visit his workshop Arte e Legnu (04 95 35 81 57). He also leads the association set it up to promote and preserve the tradition of Orezza (Castagniccia) furniture. He is based in Pietricaghja, a hamlet of Nocario where there is a project for a museum of Castagniccia furniture at the Casa Paoletti, to house examples, the records of research...

The House of Coral (www.lamaisonducorail.com) - there are very few coral fishers left in Corsica, but you can see the worked results of their hauls in many gift shops. This one that specialises in coral jewellery, based in the Rue Fesch in Ajaccio is also online.

Kilims of Anatolia - Françoise Collet is a specialist in kilims: she restores and offers them for sale from her shop, Casa Kilim, in a typical old Corsican building in the Quartier Frisella in Monacia d'Aullène (tel 04 95 70 51 32 or 06 13 40 51 44).You can email her at fcollet2 @ wanadoo.fr.

Calling all Craftsmen and Craftswomen: In the ancient Genoese citadel of Bastia, there are 117 empty commercial premises in the largely pedestrian streets. Bastia in collaboration with the Chambre des Metiers aims to acquire and rehabilitate about thirty of these to let at subsidised rates to craftspeople. They also plan a Art and Crafts centre as a sales outlet.

Françoise Susini - stained glass (perso.wanadoo.fr/francoise.susini) - this Ajaccio-based stained glass artist and restorer has a very good site - you can b ask for an estimate on line.

If you are a craftsperson and are looking to do something about your struggle to survive, then you will be encouraged by a visit to www.sunburst.ws - go on, give it a whirl.

Culture.

If you want books on Mediterranean Culture, click here.

Culture is a difficult term to pin down. The Corsican mind and and Corsicans' manners are even more so. The moment one says anything about Corsican culture, there will be those who will be ready to dispute the statement. Suffice it to say that there is a very long tradition in many fields of behaviour and expression. The last twenty to thirty years have seen a process of Riaquistu - the re-appropriation of Corsican culture - in language and literature, music and song and other forms of expression. Corsica Isula has material specifically devoted to the Corsican Language and to Traditional Music and Cultural Festivals, many of which manifest Corsican culture (download the info sheet by clicking here. You'll need Acrobat Reader). The page devoted to Corsican Mystique may help an appreciation of Corsican culture.

The search for Corsican 'identity' takes many forms. There is, of course, the political manifestation, but probably more important is the way that culture can help people gain a sense of identity. In Corsica this tends to start with place. The place they were born/live, or that of their parents. People typically say 'my village is...' and while the outsider may take the view that one village seems much like another, an insider will see many differences. From that point, there will be variants of language, music, food and festivals that are celebrated.

This affective way of approaching identity is possible in Corsica, because there was never an industrial revolution with massive shifts of population and life styles. There was the diaspora - people leaving Corsica to seek their fortune or to make a living, but these people generally retain their deep attachment to their village. There is a top industrialist in Paris, who has never even visited his village (it was his parents who emigrated), who will nonetheless say 'I'm from...' If you would like to see this closer to, then get the Corsica Isula info sheet on Corsican Villages and Towns websites (it has more than a third of Corsica's 360 villages) by clicking here; you'll need Acrobat Reader.

On the other hand, the sites listed below give some very specific insights.

Corsican anthropology (www.adecec.net) - a very attractive site for the Infcor database of the Corsican language and the Cervione museum of daily life (well worth a visit), with antique postcards, strip cartoons by Battì. It's run by ADECEC an anthropological association, which publishes a range of Corsican studies and runs a radio station, Voce Nustrale . The webmaster Michel is supported by Jacques Paoli, one of the association's leading lights. The site is updated daily, since it carries news.

Bianconi Scuperta (www.bianconi-scuperta.com) - Olivier Bianconi is a young man who has always been fascinated by his local culture and heritage. He has now established a set of guided tours in the north and centre of Corsica to visit sites and share their history and significance.

Casa Musicale in Pigna (www.casa-musicale.org) - you might want to spend quite a time on this site devoted to all the cultural activities of this small Balagne village. There are details of music courses, singing groups based there, the artisans and craftsmen of the village, the music publishing business and of course the Casa where you can stay or eat good Corsican food.

basta à vulè - it's enough to will it

Historical and Natural Science Society (perso.wanadoo.fr/societesciencescorse) - founded in 1880 and based in the Place d'Armes in Bastia's citadel, has Francis Beretti as its president. It has a publishing activity (you can get back numbers of its journals), organises seminars and its library and other resources are open to researchers and students.

Franciscorsica Association - they have their HQ in the St François Monastery (route de Ville, 20200 Bastia - tel 04 95 32 51 73; email association.franciscorsica@wanadoo.fr ), quite appropriately since the subject of their study is the Franciscans in Corsica. Their inventory of 12 000 documents lodged in the municipal library is available on CD Rom and a website of the Bibliothèque des franciscans de Corse is under preparation. They also do research to preserve Franciscan buildings in Corsica, as well as on geography, language, seamen of Cap Corse... and genealogy from parish registers. Many other studies are undertaken from a million or so microfilms.

Bastia Municipal Library (www.bm-bastia.com) - this venerable institution has now catalogued its collection on line.

Corsican Encyclopaedia (www.editions-dumane.com) - you'll need strong arms - it's a seven volume, 3000 page work - and deep pockets!

Dante Alighieri in Corsica (www.dantecorse.com) - is the Bastia committee of the Italian equivalent of the British Institute or the Alliance Française - the promoter of Italian culture.

Passione Corsa (www.sblanc.com/passionecorsa/index.htm ) - a site that aims to help you discover Corsica through its traditions, culture, history, countryside, people and polyphonic singing...

Corsican Studies (etudescorses.free.fr) - Etudes Corses the twice yearly journal of the Association des Chercheurs en Sciences Humaines (Domaine Corse) made up of historians, geographers, linguists and ethnographers. It has full contents lists of 48 issues.

More Corsican Studies (adecem.free.fr) - this is the site of the Association pour le Développement des Etudes Corses et Méditerranénnes in association with the Centre d'Etudes Corses of the University of Provence; directed by the ethnologue Prof Georges Ravis-Giordani, author of many works including a seminal work on Corsican shepherds of the Niolu, as well as a guidebook - Le Guide de la Corse. They publish the Atlas Ethno-historique de la Corse, a must for any serious Corsican historian. The 10th edition of their revue Strade is focussed on Calvi & Calenzana.

Accademia Corsa (www.accademiacorsa.org) - based in Nice, this association aims to protect, develop and illuminate the language, culture and traditions of Corsica. They publish papers on many subjects including the origins of the Corsican flag, Paoli's constitution etc.(don't be surprised by the spelling of academia in the URL, with two 'c's - it's the Corsican spelling!).

Regional Cultural Affairs (www.corse.culture.gouv.fr) - this is a good site that can't of course cover everything, but it's a mine of information. It's got a directory, but no search facility. You can check out sections on art, archaeology, architecture, cinema, dance, music.

History of the Nebbiu (perso.wanadoo.fr/histoire.du.nebbiu) - this is an excellent site that traces the history of the Nebbiu microregion in the north, to the east of St Florent. Although geographically specific, it's a good way into Corsican history. It also has an attractive selection of historical maps.

Arte Romanica (web.tiscalinet.it/romanico) - this Italian site has good illustrations of a few Corsican Romanesque churches.

Château de la Punta (www.chez.com/lapunta) - you can only make a virtual visit to this great house, because of the disastrous fire of 1978. It was built by the opponent of Napoleon, Pascal Pozzo di Borgo, from the stones of the Tuilleries Palace which was burnt down by the Communards in 1871. The stone was brought to Corsica (near Ajaccio) and used to build this place, which is a composite reproduction.

Jean-Michel Raffalli (perso.club-internet.fr/malrose) - this is an interesting site of a Corsican writer (two novels and poetry). He writes in French and has a background in communications (including neuro-linguistic programming) and informatics. You can read his stuff on line and order published books direct.

Una Volta (www.una-volta.com) - this is Bastia's cultural centre, which runs all manner of workshops for kids and grown-ups, exhibitions and the annual Comic Strip Festival in April - among many other things.

Théâtre de Nénéka (www.neneka.org) - the Ajaccio theatre group directed by François Orsoni.

L'Aghja in Ajaccio - this is the theatre in Ajaccio that has a full series of music, theatre and dance events each year; the details can be had by emailing and asking for the current programme.

The Auditorium at Pigna (www.festivoce.casa-musicale.org) - this Balagne village theatre has a programme of events each year under the banner of Festivoce. It includes music, theatre and workshops. You can email them for their latest calendar.

Guide of Cultural Manifestations in Corsica - this guide comes out twice a year, published by the Collectivité Territoriale de Corse . The current edition can be had by email.

Corsican Historical Chronicle (perso.club-internet.fr/oursjeancaporossi ) - this is an amazing site for any historian. Ours-Jean Caporossi, a self-taught chronicler has produced a detailed document on Corsica from pre-history to 1800. He is now working on the last two centuries.

Corsican History (furiani.free.fr) - maybe not for serious historians, but for a summary of the island's history, try it. There is a good historical date summary and a historical bibliography.

Annexation of Corsica by France (membres.tripod.fr/guerrecorse) - Corsica was free in 1768 and this is a patriotic site that tells the story of the French takeover.

Resistenza (membres.lycos.fr/resistenza) - a good politico-cultural site seen from an independentist perspective.

Isula Bella (www.chez.com/isulabella) - a Paris-based association to promote Corsican culture and support Corsica throughout the world.

Cultura Viva (perso.wanadoo.fr/culturaviva/clic.htm) - Elodie Poignet has a site that lists music, dance, festival and theatre events, though as yet the site is incomplete.

anderà cum'ellu anderà - whatever will be, will be

A Battimora (www.a-battimora.org) - Boris and Laetitia Hamon are two young people established a few years ago a cultural association in Ile Rousse, based on their own talents and interests - he is a percussionist and she a dancer. They run workshops and put on shows.

Cinecorse (www.cinecorse.com) - if you want to find out what's showing at any of the island's cinema's, this is the place to go. There are reviews and other services.

Corsican books (www.corselivre.com) - Pascale Bizzari and Paul Gherardi have set up this cyber-bookshop devoted to Coriscan publications. You can search by author or book and visit the second hand department.

Second-hand books (www.bouquinerie-du-palais.com) - this second-hand bookshop in Ajaccio has thousands of titles, all catalogued and available to order on-line. A few titles in English.

Storia (storia.free.free) - pages on the pre-Genoese period, the C18, culture and modern history.

Philately (www.coppoweb.com/corse/corse2.html) - if you want to see all the French stamps that have been issued featuring Corsica or Corsicans, this is the place to go.

Local History (site.voila.fr/a_mimoria) - here is a description of the aims and activities of the local history association A Mimoria and how to make contact.

The Cinémathèque (www.multimania.com/profbruno/corse-cinema.htm) - the Cinematheque in Porto Vecchio holds the Corsican film archive as well as being a centre for study and film screenings. It also has a library.

The latest news about Via Stella, the proposed Corsican satellite TV channel, is that the CTC (regional government) has approved this project, launched 4 years ago, but still without a start date. The hours of transmission and the total budget has been lowered, but please don't stop signing the petition!

Corsica Movies (www.corsica-movies.com)- is an association dedicated to the making of short films in Corsica. The site has helpful info on how to put together a synopsis, storyboard and other aspects of film preparation + rates of pay for technicians etc.

If you would like to see back issues of the newsletter, click here.

Genealogy.

Click here if you want books to help you with your Family Genealogy.

Don't be fooled when you meet a second person with the same family name as someone you have just met; they are very likely not knowingly related. Even in the same town or village you'd need to check out family connections carefully. The fifty most common Corsican names are:

1 Casanova, 2 Albertini, 3 Luciani, 4 Mattei, 5 Rossi, 6 Santoni, 7 Bartoli, 8 Pietri, 9 Poli, 10 Paoli, 11 Nicolai, 12 Filippi, 13 Leca, 14 Mariani, 15 Mondoloni, 16 Agostini, 17 Andreani, 18 Colombani, 19 Orsini, 20 Giudicelli, 21 Cesari, 22 Susini, 23 Graziani, 24 Colonna, 25 Poggi, 26 Alfonsi, 27 Grimaldi, 28 Franceschi, 29 Santini, 30 Costa, 31 Renucci, 32 Acquaviva, 33 Battesti, 34 Peretti, 35 Pieri, 36 Guidicelli, 37 Santucci, 38 Castelli, 39 Ceccaldi, 40 Arrighi, 41 Martinetti, 42 Pasqualini, 43 Carlotti, 44 Ettori, 45 Torre, 46 Giorgi, 47 Bernardini, 48 Geronomi, 49 Quilichini, 50 Leccia.

Corsican Genealogy (www.chez.com/tk5yp) - the site of Ernest-Dominique Garcia, who is a passionate amateur genealogist. He can point you in the right direction, if you think you have a Corsican relative. He has several linked sites and offers his own photos of Calvi and is an avid amateur radio ham, so if that's your thing...

Corsican Genealogy in the USA (www.corsicacorsica.homestead.com) - this is the very busy site of Carla Matra-Venezia, an American of Corsican extraction, who has spent a lot of time researching her past and offers all sorts of help to those on similar quests, not just in Corsica.

i so panni brutti si lavanu in famiglia - dirty linen is washed within the family

Christopher Columbus's family tree (www.citeweb.net/tk5yp/colomb/photocc.htm) - as everyone knows Columbus was actually born in Calvi, Corsica in about 1436. It was just that the Genoese, master of the town at the time, expatriated the records.

CousinsGenWeb Corsica (www.citeweb.net/cousins20en/fc20somr.htm) - here's a source of information about many Corsican family names.

An eclectic bibliography (www.geneaita.org/emi) - a bibliography with a search engine that you can use to search by family name, with more than 500 Corsican entries.

Families of the village of Novella (www.chez.com/novella2b) - lots of info on genealogy and links to other sites, but also re families Padovani, Massiani, Orabona, Valentini, Belgodere, Bonavita, Emmanuelli, Napoleoni, Paoli and Colonna.

Families of the Nebbiu (perso.wanadoo.fr/corse.genealogie) - the Associu Ricordi Olmetesi e di Nebbiu has worked on the family histories of significant loacl families, including the Albertucci, Alessandri, Casale, Campocasso, Limarola, Morati, Paganelli, Sebastiani etc.

Corsica Nostra (www.corsicanostra.com) - you can post your query here, look up the address of town halls (mairies) in 2A and 2B, as well connecting to other genealogy sites.

Recherches sur l'Histore des Familles Corses - is a Marseille-based association set up to assist people of Corsican origin find their roots. You can contact them by email.

Armorial Corse - this is a major piece of genealogical work - a heraldic inventory of 945 Corsican families. It is published by Alain Piazzola, the Ajaccio publisher and is the work of a deceased researcher, François Demartini, who took more than 30 years to accomplish the work.. It's in two volumes, each of more than 400pp and thus has a price to go with it, but I expect that you'll soon find copies in the major libraries of Corsica. If your pocket is not so deep, then the Nouvel Armorial Corse, by Jean-Christophe Orticoni (Ed Jeanne Lafitte 1992) may be for you.

Cattani family (perso.wanadoo.fr/achille.cattani) - if you happened to be called Cattani, then this is the website for you to visit.

Ceccaldi family - Josette Ceccaldi, a retired head teacher has done an amazing bit of family research (1380-1880) among 12 000 members and has published a book, 'Les Ceccaldi' published by Editions Alain Piazzola (1 Rue St Lucie, 20000 Ajaccio - tel 04 95 20 17 30).

Genealogical Data Network (www.geneanet.org) - this is a significant resource for anyone on a genealogical quest, Corsican or otherwise.

The Mormons and Corse du Sud - the Mormons have a contract with the French national archives and recently signed an agreement with the archives départementales du Corse du Sud (director Alain Venturini) to microfilm the departmental registers, which will ultimately be availble through the Salt lake City archives of the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter Day Saints.

AEGHM (www.columbaghja.org) - Monticello historical and genealogical studies association is led by a retired lawyer, Antoine Graziani, and its 140 members have done a massive body of genealogical work in the village as well as on a wider canvas in the Balagne. they may be able to help people who don't know where to start researching their ancestors.

Books & articles on Corsican genealogy (adecem.free.fr) the Bibliography Famille et Parenté en Corse - look in the section Articles & Travaux en cours - may be a very good place to find data otherwise difficult to track down, eg articles on families who emigrated to Puerto Rico.

Fra-Corsica Mailing List - a mailing list for anyone with a genealogical interest in Corsica (in French) at RootsWeb.com.

There are two genealogy study centres that may be good places to start: Centre Généalogique du Midi Provence - antenne corse (BP 80022, 13243 Marseille Cedex 01; tel 04 96 12 49 93) and the Institut Corse Méditerranée (5 Place Sadi Carnot, 13002 Marseille; tel 04 91 90 03 45).

It may not really be genealogy, but rather, company genealogy or history - but there is a new hobby called scripophily and Corsica has its own website for it - the collecting of company stock certificates: www.scripophilie-corse.com.

Guides.

As well as the many sites devoted to Corsica, another good source of information is the island's many Tourist Offices. I have prepared a list of them that you can download for free, by clicking here. You will need the Acrobat Reader program , which you can download also for free, if you don't have it.

Absolucorse (www.absolucorse.com) - a slick site on culture and tourism, with an artist's gallery, concerts and events as well as a photo gallery. It is one of the best, I find, though it has no English version. there are interesting pieces on Corsican artisans, for example.

Caldanu (caldanu.free.fr) - this is the excellent and brief site of Alexis Blumenfeld, a young Parisian Corsicaphile, who takes his holidays in Lumio and has named his site after the Caldanu Point nearby, where there's a ruined Genoese tower; sections on cookery as well as the micro-regions of the Balagne, Corte & Bonifacio.

Kyrnet (www.kyrnet.online.fr) - this is a straightforward and helpful introduction to Corsica - thoroughly recommended for the first time visitor. A well put together and easy-to-navigate site.

Come to Corsica (www.cometocorsica.com) - this is a very nice and easy to use site, which I'm sure will develop. It is sponsored by Corsica Ferries.

Corsica Nostra (corsicanostra.free.fr) - an interesting personal guide with sections on flora and fauna, history and many other topics including a section on Occhitana, the Balagne village.

Kallistea (www.kallistea.com) - Patrick Sabatier-Vescovali's general site about Corsica with his paintings. Its speciality is the 'most beautiful sites of Corsica', but there's also history, gastronomy, polyphony and many other topics.

Corsica in German (www.paradisu.de) - do you speak German? Here's the Corsican site for you. Actually it's run from Switzerland by Martin Lendi.

Corsica in Dutch (www.corsica-info.nl) - do you speak Dutch? here's the Corsican site for you. It's excellent - run by Wilbert Geers.

goffu cum'è u peccatu - as ugly as sin

123 Corsica (www.123corsica.com) - hundreds of Corsican sites.

Corsican Tourist Board (www.visit-corsica.com) - this a brand new 'official' site and while it's predecessor was useless, this one works well and for the moment anyway the data is up to date; the accommodation guides are quite good and show internet connections. The Agence de Tourisme de la Corse publishes a wide range of information publications, including accommodation, some of which downloadable.

Mysterious Corsica (www.lacorsemysterieuse.com) - it is a mysterious place, but this site is not restricted to its title; it is also a practical guide, has recipes & stories that change monthly, books & products to buy, as well as brief sections on 5 places in Haute Corse and 6 in Corse du Sud.

Aller en Corse (www.allerencorse.com) - this is another 'amateur' site that is brief and attractive. It's done by a group of friends of Corsica, led by Antoine Barret.

Enjoy Corsica (www.enjoycorsica.com ) - this is an EU supported site. It offers a wide variety of information, in little snippets.

un si face frittata senza rompe ove - you can't make an omelette without breaking the eggs

La Corse sur Internet (corsica.sitec.fr) - this site is hosted by one of the two main Corsican ISPs and covers culture, tourism, nature, photographs and sections on particular subjects and places.

Corseweb (www.internetcom.fr) - this is a comprehensive site with towns, regions, accommodation, history, food, museums, the economy...

Ile de Beauté (www.sitec.fr/iledebeaute) - Laurent Bianchi's site covers history, myths, people, towns... and is one of the best of the general sites, but is not available in English.

Acorsica (www.acorsica.com) - this site by Aristide Nerrière is neat and workmanlike and very focussed on the tourist, so it's easy to follow and has practical information. Not necessarily updated! Aristide is a poet and novelist and the author of a new book on Corsica called, Corse Terre Confession (Editions du Laquet, 63F), which is written as if by Corsica itself.

Corsicaweb (www.toute-lacorse.com) - this general sites is simple, but effective and among other sections, it has several itineraries in each of the microregions it covers.

Isula (perso.wanadoo.fr/isula) - no relation to this site, except by subject matter. This is Antoine Buttafoghi's personal site, which covers many aspects of the island and its culture/geography. He has taken some very good photos and has some old views as well.

Ballade en Corse (www.corsica-fr.com) - this is a general site, but features especially the GR20 - the mountain-top footpath, not to be confused with a rural English ditto. For more on Corsica's mountains, click here .

Rive Sud (perso.libertysurf.fr/corse.facile) - La Corse Facile is an association, which aims to help travellers plan their visit - for the moment just in the south round Porticcio the 'Rive Sud' of the gulf of Ajaccio.

Corsica-guide (www.corsica-guide.com) - this site is set up like a search engine. A full guide to the island from a practical point of view.

Corsic@ (corsica.net.free.fr) - a comprehensive personal site with photos, music, proverbs, literature, traditions, cookery and more.

La Corse Insolite perso.wanadoo.fr/corse-interrogations) - this small site is devoted to unusual Corsica and presents several unexplained phenomena.

Planete-Corsica (www.planete-corsica.com) - a site set up for tourist visitors, showing lodging, eating, shopping etc. It's set up for commercial enterprises to list their offerings.

Corsic@ (corsica.net.free.fr) - plenty of photos, music including song texts, proverbs (a good way into the psyche), food, a small French-Corsican dictionary, manners and customs and pictures of strange shaped rocks.

Nakoweb (www.nakoweb.com) - a very well built site by Anne, Marc, Nanou & Kako. It is eclectic, with a section on reptiles and another on walks (well done and you can print out the little guides). There's an abbreviated history too.

Tourisme Corse (www.tourismecorse.com) - a new directory of Corsica, with site listings, but as yet not very full.

Terra Corsa (www.terracorsa.info) - a good site in English, by Nino de Sonneville. Its strongest point is the I Muvrini (Corsican group) section - lots of good info and links.

As well as these many guides, you can download a list of more than a hundred websites in the A-Z list of Corsican Villages and Towns for free. All you have to do is to click here. You will need the Acrobat Reader program , which you can download also for free, if you don't have it.

Don't be daunted by the fact that most of the sites are in Fench; they have lots of pictures and the information you'll want will be very accessible. You can print out the document (it's about 10pp), so that when you have decided upon your Corsican itinerary, you'll be able to home in on just what you're looking for.

Holidays in Corsica

Corsicaholiday.com (Corsicaholiday.com) - A holiday planning site for people who want to go to Corsica. Looks at independent holiday ideas as well as package holidays. Also features other links for car hire etc.

Lists and Directories.

The Corsican telephone directory (www.annuaire-corse.com) - U Corsu, is available on line. It has both yellow and white pages. Be aware that the latter are arranged by town or village. The site has other sevrices and lots of links.

The Corsican Webring is an easy way to visit other Corsican sites and it is growing as we attract more quality sites to co-operate. Corsica Isula is 6th in the number of referrals, so many visitors must be using this service.

( See a Corsican website at random | See the list of more than 185 sites | Add your site to the webring )

Best of Corse (www.best-of-corse.com) - one of the newer Corsican directories, easy to use and growing; give it a try!

Maison de la Corse in Paris (www.maisondelacorseparis.com) - the Corsican centre in Paris is at 13 Rue Voltaire, 92300 Levallois (Anatole France metro station) - 01 47 57 24 84. The asociated website has many useful sections.

Email directory for Corsica (www.corsicamail.com) - look up the email addresses of the people or organisations you want to contact.

Corsican site catalogue (www.multimania.com/corsicamedia) - this site is a catalogue of hundreds of Corsican websites and works as a search engine for Corsica.

Corsican site directory (www.e-corse.com) - l'annuaire des sites corses is just what it says. It's easily searched and specific. It's run by Jean-Luc Ricco from Aregno in the Balagne - he'll design you a site and can provide all kinds of web services, too. The English version of the portal is at www.en.e-corsica.com.

Corsican Portal (www.e-corsica.com) - for Corsica as a destination. Lots of information and it's growing - also run by Jean-Luc.

Corsica Today (www.corse.tk) - this is an efficient directory arranged by broad subject categories with a search facility.

Alta Corsica (www.geocities.com/altacorsica) - a Corsican server.

caru cum'è u sangue - as dear as blood

Voluntary Associations (www.nata-net.com) - this is a new site for voluntary associations run by one: Aiutati. It also has a small directory of them

Corsica directory (www.corsica.start4all.com) - a Dutch based directory with a link to the Corsica Board forum.

More small ads (www.corsica.ch) - here's a Swiss site of small ads for Corsica.

A Vista Prima (www.avistaprima.com) - a news site that also has texts on politics, culture, sport and other subjects, as well as the words of 250 Corsican songs and a classified advertising section (vacation properties to pets).

Corsu Biz (www.corsu.biz) - a Corsican business directory; not very comprehensive as yet.

Corsican Museums.

The Archaeology Museum at Aleria (Fort Matra) - drinking vessel, 5BC.

There are many museums in Corsica, run by public authorities, voluntary associations and individuals. Below is the official list and then links to several, as well as details of smaller and less publicised ones. have fun!

AJACCIO

MuséeFesch
Maison Bonaparte

ALERIA

Musée Départemental d'archéologie Jérôme Carcopino

BASTIA

Musée ethnographique de Bastia

CERVIONE

A.D.E.C.E.C.

CORTE

Musée de la Corse

LEVIE

Musée départemental de Levie

MOROSAGLIA

Musée Pascal Paoli

SARTENE

Musée de la préhistoire Corse

Musée Pasquale Paoli in Morosaglia in the Castagniccia is a place of pilgrimage for Corsicans and lovers of Corsica. It is a small museum housed in the family house and is presently the subject of an enlargement plan. There's a proposal to make it a centre of C18 studies, given the international importance of Paoli - the Father of Corsica - in that century, to be set in the restored monastery in the village and with the involvement of the University of Corsica. It's the bi-centenary of Paoli's death in 2007 (more info from 04 95 61 04 97).

Cervione Museum (www.adecec.net) - ADECEC runs the best anthropological museum in Corsica (much better, by the way than the 'official' museum of Corsica at Corte). The association has sponsored many studies and is the publisher of the results. The staff of the museum are especially helpful and can lead you many other sources of information.

Costume Museum - at Canari on the west coast of Cap Corse. This is run by another association: Anima Canarese (04 95 37 80 53 or 04 95 37 80 20) and is located in the old St François Monastery. Currently showing 15 costumes that are copies of Cap Corse outfits of the period 1840-1900. They are inspired by the work of the ethnologist Rennie Pecquex-Barboni, who is a costume specialist.. By the end of 2005 there will be 50 or so costumes representative of the whole of Corsica.

Costume Museum - another one: the Corservatoire du Costume Corse at Conca (St Lucie de Porto Vecchio) - tel 04 95 71 43 19.

Musée Fesch in Ajaccio (www.musee-fesch.com) - a good workmanlike site on the museum which house the collection of Cardinal Fesch, Napoleon's uncle and since expanded. Collections of early Italian, Roman Baroque and Neapolitan Baroque painting as well as a Napoleonic collection. The site was conceived by Aurélie Massart and the English translation was by Kate Suddaby, a student on placement. Part of the Palais Fesch houses the Ajacciu municipal library; don't get the wrong impression - this is not your normal local library, since it has impressive collections of historical volumes (many offered by Lucien Bonaparte in 1801 and others confiscated from religious orders...). Recently they received the library of Dorothy Carrington, who annotated books are an important collection in themselves. The head librarian is Christine Fernandez - tel 05 95 51 13 00.

Musée des Arts Sacrés - church arts at Bonifacio (tel 04 95 73 02 50.

Guy Savelli's museum in Corbara - this is a delightful small museum in the Balagne village of Corbara (tel 04 95 60 06 65) in the Balagne, with an eclectic collection made over more than 30 years by Guy Savelli.

Pierrot Pietri's museum at the Col de Prato - here's another personal collection of Corsican domestic stuff - over 1000 items - at the Col above Morosaglia in the Castagniccia (04 95 47 60 47). If you have visited the Pasquale Paoli Museum at Morgosaglia (open, even in winter, every day from 9-12 & 3-5 every day except Tuesday), go on up.

U Capitellu Museum in Ajaccio - Paul Ottavi Sampolo will introduce you to the story of Ajaccio (18 Boulevard Danielle Casanova).

A Bandera Museum in Ajaccio - this is the museum of an association that is very active in anthropology and history, organising many live events. The museum is concerned with Corsican and Mediterranean history (1 Rue du Général Levie tel 04 95 51 07 34).

piglià amachja - to go into the maquis (to hide)

Mnemosina at Prunelli di Fium'Orbu - this museum is specific to the Fium'Orbu microregion, but it draws you into Corsica's history more generally - from pre-history to today. In the Place de la Mairie, it's open on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

Departmental Museum of Prehistory in Sartène - the museum, close to so many megalithic sites, traces the daily life of civilisations from the 8th century BC to the beginning of the first century AD.

The Archaeological and Ethnographic Museum of Levie - it's about 10 thousand years of human occupation of the area round about; in the ground floor of the town hall.

Museum of Corsica (www.sitec.fr/museu) - Corte has the shiny new (dirty) Musée de la Corse in the old buildings of the Légion in the citadel of Corte, the country's C18 capital in the mountains. The museum is a poor reflection of the island's rich past. This is certainly one to miss, sadly. The exhibits (not many) are shown in darkened cubby holes with descriptive labels in tiny print at floor level (you needs to crawl to read, unless you have 20/20 vision!).You'd do much better going to the Cervione museum. The only exception is if you are interested in the subject matter of the one or two special exhibitions each year.

Museums of Corsica (musees-de-corse.ifrance.com/musees-de-corse) - eight Corsican museums on a personal site by Olivier Traina.

An excellent book to guide you to 100 ancient monuments of Corsica, region by region, with descriptions and precise information on how to reach them, is Monuments de Corse

Pictures of Corsica by Photographers.

Why does a site about such a beautiful island, itself lack pictures? First, because you'll find links to dozens of sites with superb photographs (especially the sites of general guides to Corsica under Guides or the sites listed in Corsican Villages and Towns that you can download; you'll need Acrobat Reader) and second, they'd make navigating round Corsica Isula a great deal s - l - o - w - e - r than it already is!

Corsica Isula has sponsored a yahoo discussion group -

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