Corsica, also known as “The Elysée of Geology”, provides an unrivaled geological experience, with fantastic records of deep-seated processes affecting the Earth's crust and stunning landscapes.

The island is located between the west coast of Italy and the north coast of Sardinia (an Italian island), yet it is French. Corsica was, in fact, sold to France, which lies to the island’s north-west, in 1768. In 1769, a year later, Napoleon Bonaparte was born in Ajaccio (Ajax), one of Corsica’s main towns. He was born into a wealthy family and at the age of nine, he was packed off to military school near Troyes in northern France. The other three main settlements on the island are Corte, Bastia and Sartene. Corsica is generally referred to as one of 26 French regions, but in law it is actually a territorial collectivity, which means it has slightly more far-reaching powers than other French regions. The island is divided into two departments: Corse-du-Sud and Haute-Corse.