Marché d'Ajaccio

The market of Ajaccio fills the area around the Place Campinchi, a short walk from the old port and the Napoleonic quays, and it is the best place in the city to see what Corsica produces and eats. Ajaccio is the capital of the island and the birthplace of Napoleon Bonaparte, and the market has long been a place where people from the town and the surrounding villages meet. It is a working market first of all, and the visitors who come to taste and buy mix with locals doing their shopping.

The stalls offer a wide range of Corsican food. The island's cheeses are the main attraction, especially brocciu, a fresh sheep or goat whey cheese used in savoury and sweet dishes, and the stronger aged cheeses that are sold in rounds with a rind of herbs. Pork products are central to Corsican cooking, and you will find cured meats such as lonzu, coppa and prisuttu, which come from pigs that feed on chestnuts and acorns, as well as figatellu, a liver sausage eaten grilled in winter. Chestnut flour is another island speciality and goes into breads, cakes and polenta. There is fresh seasonal fruit and vegetables, with Corsican citrus fruit in winter, and local honeys, olive oils with protected designation and jars of jams made from clementines, figs and chestnuts. Pastries and fritters, including those made with brocciu, are found on the stalls of bakers.

Fish is sold daily from the covered section, and the day's catch from the Mediterranean is laid out on ice. A hall devoted to producers has been opened to give small farmers and artisans a place to sell their products directly, which has added to the variety. The covered section of the market stays open slightly later than the open-air stalls, and in general the best time to go is in the morning, when the choice is widest and the atmosphere liveliest. Hours vary by day and season, and the market is typically closed on Mondays in some seasons, so check before you go.

There are no entry fees, and it is easy to build a picnic from what you find. Many visitors buy cheese, bread and fruit and eat them on the quays or in the park. The square itself is surrounded by cafés that are good for a coffee afterwards.

The market is close to the Maison Bonaparte, the family home of Napoleon, and the Palais Fesch, which houses the city's fine arts museum, and the Citadelle d'Ajaccio overlooks the harbour. The coastal path, the Sentier des Douaniers, and the beaches of Capo di Feno are a short drive away. It suits food lovers and anyone curious about Corsican daily life.