Area 31.2 km² Number of airports 1 | Arrondissement Calvi Intercommunality Calvi Balagne Local time Tuesday 4:20 AM | |
 | ||
Weather 12°C, Wind W at 14 km/h, 57% Humidity Points of interest La Citadelle de Calvi, Plage de Calvi, Calvi Cathedral, Phare de la Revellata, Église Sainte‑Marie de Calvi | ||
Calvi ([kal.vi]) is a commune in the Haute-Corse department of France on the island of Corsica.
Contents
Map of Calvi, France
It is the seat of the Canton of Calvi, which contains Calvi and one other commune, Lumio. Calvi is also the capital of the Arrondissement of Calvi, which contains, besides the Canton of Calvi, three other cantons: L'Île-Rousse, Belgodère, and Calenzana.
The 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment (2ème REP) of the French Foreign Legion is based in the citadel of Calvi.
According to legend, Christopher Columbus supposedly came from Calvi, which at the time was part of the Genoese Empire. Because the often subversive elements of the island gave its inhabitants a bad reputation, he would have been expected to mask his exact birthplace.
Geography
Calvi is located on the northwest coast of the island of Corsica, 95 km (59 mi) from Bastia and 24 km (15 mi) from L'Île-Rousse. It is the fifth-largest commune in Corsica; however, the arrondissement is the smallest.
History
The motto, "Calvi semper fidelis," ("Calvi Always Faithful") referred originally to its loyalty to the Republic of Genoa.
During the war with Revolutionary France, British forces under Admiral Nelson and Lieutenant-General Charles Stuart captured the city in the Siege of Calvi. It was during the bombardment of Calvi that Nelson sustained the injury that cost him his eye.
Economy
The economy of Calvi is essentially based on summer tourism, which started in 1950 due to the pioneering efforts of Vladimir Raitz. Calvi is served by the international Calvi - Sainte-Catherine Airport, the Xavier Colonna Port, and a railway line to L'Île-Rousse and Ponte-Leccia, where it connects with the main line Ajaccio - Bastia.