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Culture

A flâneur’s Ajaccio

Stroll around the old port, wander the old town’s colourful lanes and finish by sampling the produce at the market stalls…
Hôtel Les Mouettes
Wrought iron wall lamp fixed to a yellow wall with green and red shutters in the background

A Mediterranean village at the water’s edge, Ajaccio is charm distilled.

The best plan is to lose yourself and let serendipity choose the route: the picturesque old port, a market piled high with colour and flavour, hidden lanes, boutiques and cafés made for basking in the sun…

Look up to admire the city’s exceptional architecture before diving into the museums to drink your fill of history and culture (the Maison Bonaparte, the Palais Fesch, the Fesch library).

Come nightfall, the heart of Ajaccio beats to the rhythm of its beach bars, restaurants and late-night haunts, which lend the long, balmy summer evenings a sense of eternity.

WHAT TO SEE:

PALAIS FESCH – Ajaccio – Not to be missed

Ajaccio’s museum of fine arts holds France’s largest collection of Italian paintings after the Louvre. Three major holdings stand out: the early Italian masters, Botticelli and Bellini among them; Roman Baroque painting (Poussin, Pozzo, Baciccio); and the Neapolitan Baroque.

Opening hours: daily from 9.15am to 6pm, 1 May to 31 October. Allow an hour to an hour and a half for your visit.

Guided tours available – ask at reception for details.

MAISON BONAPARTE – Ajaccio

The Maison Bonaparte in Ajaccio is a must for lovers of history and culture. The former family home of Napoleon Bonaparte, it offers a fascinating glimpse of his childhood. The museum is prized for its distinctive exhibitions and typically Genoese architecture.

Opening hours: closed on Mondays. Tuesday to Sunday, 10am–12.30pm and 1.15pm–5.30pm.

FESCH HERITAGE LIBRARY – Ajaccio

The Bibliothèque Fesch owes its origins to Cardinal Joseph Fesch, Napoleon Bonaparte’s uncle, who wished to give his native Ajaccio a great cultural institution: an Institute of Arts and Sciences to educate young Corsicans.

In 1855 the city of Ajaccio decided to create a library in the north wing of the palace. The interior is remarkable: the great reading room, with chestnut furniture designed by the architect Cazeneuve, was inspired by the Bibliothèque Mazarine in Paris. The Corsican pine floor, wooden shelving and Jérôme Maglioli’s grand staircase lend the place a quiet grandeur.

Seventeen months after a major restoration began in December 2023, Ajaccio’s Fesch heritage library reopened to the public in May 2025. A listed historic monument, this landmark building holds an exceptional collection of rare and precious books.

Opening hours: closed on Saturdays and Sundays. Monday to Friday, 10am–6pm.

Commemorative plaque on a yellow wall indicating "Napoleon was born in this house on August 15, 1769" with closed blue shutters in the background
Interior view of a traditional wooden building with curved walls and exposed beam ceiling
Courtyard with a two-story beige building, windows, and a central statue on a pedestal
Covered market with flower and produce stalls, decorated with colorful pennants, under a wooden structure with the word "MARCAILLOU" written on the wall.
Statue of a historical figure on an ornate pedestal, surrounded by water jets, in front of old buildings with shuttered windows.