Coti-Chiavari is a seaside town on the Mediterranean island of Corsica. It belongs to the department of Corse-du-Sud – France , the Arrondissement Ajaccio and the canton of Taravo-Ornano. The town of Coti-Chiavari is located in au-Dela-des-Monts (Pumonti), or ancient western Corsica, consisting mostly of granitic rocks, as usually distinguished by geologists in the southwest of the island.
The town of Coti-Chiavari was colonized in 1714 by Ligurian settlers coming from Prato Sopralacroce in the hinterland of Chiavari, in the Riviera di Levante, from which the name of the town derives. The Genoese dialect has disappeared and has been supplanted by the Corsican and then by the French.
The town of Coti-Chiavari presents several medieval buildings that attest to its rich past. In particular, it is possible to admire three Genoese towers that were part of the coastal line’s defensive system established by the Genoese between the 16th and 17th centuries. You can visit the Castagna Tower, the Capo-di-Muro Tower listed as a Historical Monument and the general inventory of the cultural heritage of Corsica, and the Capo-Nero Tower, also on the list.
Access : Coordinates: 41.7733, 8.7719 / The D55 road allows you to enter the commune and access the hamlet of Verghia, former port of Chiavari. A little northeast of the village of Coti-Chiavari, it joins the D55a until it joins the D555, the road connecting Verghia to Serra-di-Ferro.
/ Coti-Chiavari is distant, by road, of: 38 km from the commercial port of Ajaccio – 34 km from Ajaccio Airport, the nearest airport.
Highlights :
- Tower of Castagna : The tower of Castagna was built on the eponymous point, between 1580 and 1617, like the other two towers.
- Tower of Capo-di-Muro or Capu-di-Muru : Built between 1580 and 1617, on the north coast of Capu di Muru. The tower of Capo-di-Muro or Capu-di-Muru was part of the jurisdiction of Ajaccio.
- tower of Capo-Nero : Built on the cape of the same name, the tower of Capo-Nero or Capu-Neru was part of the jurisdiction of Ajaccio and belonged to the Camera. The building is inscribed Historic Monument.
- Town hall : The granite and cut stone building dates from the second half of the nineteenth century. It is located at 55 Communal Road. It is included in the general inventory of cultural heritage by the territorial.
- Parish Church of St. John the Baptist of Coti-Chiavari : Built in 1902, the Saint-Jean-Baptiste church has replaced the old one, too small and insufficient for the population that has been growing since the creation of the town in 1852.
- Chapel of St. Mary of Coti-Chiavari : The building may date from the second half of the nineteenth century. Restored in 1937, it was remodeled at the end of the twentieth century.
- Piana Island in Coti-Chiavari : the island, an island of modest size, surrounded by small rocks emerging from the sea and located on the south shore of the Gulf of Ajaccio. The islet is home to a large breeding population of Mediterranean Cormorant.
- Dunes and wetland of Cupabia : Located in the bottom of the Cupabia Bay, it is made up of sand dunes and the coastal afforestations of the beaches of Cupabia and Scogliu di Vintura.
- Chiavari territorial forest :To the east of the village of Chiavari, south of the Gulf of Ajaccio, lies the vast territorial forest of Chiavari. The territorial forest holds the ancient penitentiary of Chiavari, with its cultural and memorial heritage.
- Penitencier de Chiavari : is only one standing building and many ruins, was one of the three major adult agricultural penitentiaries of Corsica with those of Casabianda and Castelluccio (annex of the Correctional Colony of Saint Anthony)Situated some thirty kilometers south of the city of Ajaccio and offering a magnificent view of the bay, the history of Chiavari dates back to the Genoese occupation of Corsica.
- beaches : The Verghia beach , the silver beach or Spiaggia d’Argento, partly in the municipality of Pietrosella , the secret beach of Cala d’Orzu , Cupabia beach, in the nearby municipality of Serra-di-Ferro , the bay of Portigliolo , Playa Mare e Sol – Mare e Sol Beach.
Events : the Corsican and Mediterranean polar festival , In mid-August / annual festival with concerts and a meal together , at the end of the year.
Activities : diving : discover the Cacao diving site which is located just before the tip of Capu Moruson / sea – boat excursions / sightseeing / photo opportunities / trekking, Several marked trails also allow you to enjoy Muro and Nero tapas.
Go next : Capu Moruson, a paradise of white sand and turquoise waters with an exotic atmosphere! / The Verghia beach in Coti-Chiavari makes part of the red sand beaches of the south side of the Ajaccio gulf / Spiaggia d’Argento or the Silver Beach / The coastal city of Porticcio / The city of Ajaccio and its market.
