Corsica, an island known for its breathtaking beauty and solitude, captures the spirit of isolation and tranquility in the autumn months. As tourism wanes, the remnants of its historical population emerge alongside lush maquis vegetation, reflecting its abandonment since World War I. The art of music, especially local polyphony, serves as both an emotional outlet and a connection to the island’s natural environment, highlighting the hauntingly beautiful yet lonely aspects of Corsica's unique landscape and culture.
Twilight deepened the reds of the rock and green of the maquis as I drove from Pitretu Bicchisgia to Aullène in southern Corsica. I couldn't remember when I last saw another soul.
Driving around Corsica in October when the autumnal colours glow and the beach-loving tourists are gone, is exhilarating, sublime, sometimes terrifying. Corsica's nickname, 'Ile de Beauté' may sound like a tourist slogan, but it's actually the translation of Corsica's ancient Greek name Kalliste, 'the most beautiful'.
Napoleon said 'I would recognize my island with my eyes closed, by nothing more than the scent of the maquis' - yet the maquis is a sign of abandonment.
The stillness was so complete I began to wonder if I ever would again. When Corsica starts to get uncanny, music is the antidote.
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