it is a relaxed and good-looking place, with an exceptionally mild climate, a wealth of cafés, restaurants and shops. The core of the old town holds the most interest in Ajaccio: a cluster of ancient streets spreading north and south of place Foch , which opens out to the seafront by the port and the marina. Nearby place de Gaulle forms the town centre and is the source of the main thoroughfare, cours Napoléon , which extends parallel to the sea almost 2km to the northeast. West of place de Gaulle stretches the modern part of town fronted by the beach , overlooked at its northern end by the citadel. Restaurants in Ajaccio vary from basic bistros to trendy pizzerias and pricey fish restaurants, the majority of which are found in the old town. Bars and cafés jostle for pavement space along cours Napoléon, generally lined with young people checking out the promenaders

One of the warmest places in France, the "White City" was once a wintering spot for Victorian gentry. These romantic connotations are still suggested by broad boulevards, squares with statues and fountains, and faded villas with huge, exotic gardens. However, the overall aspect of the "imperial city" (birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte) was disrupted by the building of multistorey administrative buildings and concrete blocks of flats in the 1950s and 1960s; the steepish hill rising from the small 15th-century citadel, the charming old Genoese quarter and the port is now a visual concrete jungle extending the city over an area 2 mls sq. Fortunately, such massive despoilment has not taken away the relaxing quality of Ajaccio, with its glorious views of the bay and distant mountains, plentiful popular cafe terraces, a bustling yacht marina and handsome, well-frequented beaches stretching to the outskirts of town. The main streets are choked with impatient traffic all day long, yet side streets are a haven for old-fashioned shops and relative tranquillity. This is a thriving little city in its own right, and the wealth of restaurants, souvenir shops, travel agencies and large hotels are merely an addition to its summer plumage.

Upmarket and middlemarket.

Every category. Car recommended for more distant options.

Good choice of excellent sandy beaches, accessible by reasonably regular public transport.

Souvenir shops and all the choice of a big Mediterranean town. Large supermarkets on the outskirts.

Daytime: water sports; tennis; Fesch Museum for paintings and Napoleon's birthplace; sightseeing bus tours; helicopter tours. Nightlife: numerous nightclubs, fashionable cafes and bars; casino; cinema; one-night shows by popular French singers.

Large choice of restaurants, at all prices. Fish and Corsican specialities are popular. Local wines are good.

Regular bus service running from one side of town to the other as well as to Porticcio and other neighbouring villages.

Boat trip to uninhabited islands in the bay, to resorts across the bay and to the W coast of Corsica. Scenic coach trips to famous island beauty spots, Bonifacio at the S tip of Corsica and Sartene. Picturesque train service to Bastia and Calvi through the mountains.

On the SW coast of Corsica, 95 mls SW of Bastia. 4 mls W of airport.

On a hillside overlooking the Bay of Ajaccio with fine views of distant mountains.

Website: www.corsica.net/corsica/uk/regajac/

Airport : Campo Dell Oro
Airport Code: AJA
Flight time from ther U.K.: 3 hrs 45 mins