Aléria

In Roman times, Aléria was a huge city, with an estimated population of around 80,000. Only a small portion of this city has been excavated and is available to the public. Trees now grow on the ruins, so even in the extreme heat it's nice to be there. The road from the entrance leads to the forum, a trapezoidal ruin which was the intellectual centre of the city. On the eastern edge of the forum (to the left of the entrance) are the ruins of a temple, presumably built during the reign of Octavian (beginning of the AD period). To the west is the chapter, dedicated to the gods Jupiter, Juno and Minerva. Finally, from the north, the ruins of a bathroom' and a cistern for water are preserved. In general, of course, the Roman ruins of Aléria are difficult to compare, say, with Rome or El Jem, and not a single wall more than a meter high has been preserved here, but they make an impression and they are mandatory for an inspection, if you pass through Aléria or even Corte or Porto Vecchio.

Fort Matra was built by the Genoese in the 14th century to control the mouth of the Tavignano: the fort stands on a hill above the river bank. At some point it passed into the private ownership of the Matra family, in which, it seems, it remains. It has been refurbished and is in good condition. Inside the fort is the Jérôme Carcopino Departmental Museum of Archeology (Musée départemental d'archéologie Jérôme Carcopino). The collection, mostly bronzes and ceramics, occupies several rooms and is quite remarkable, as it represents almost all of the territories that traded with Aléria. Ancient Greek pottery with paintings is especially good.

The existing building was erected in the 15th century, and the stones for it were mainly taken from the ruins of the Roman city. The church has been rebuilt several times, and is now completely different from the original 15th-century basilica. Inside there are 17th-century paintings, one depicting Saint Marsilius and two martyrs, the second Saint Luciana.

One of the well-preserved Genoese towers in Corsica was built in 1582 and was only used for defensive purposes until 1617. The tower is located at the mouth of the so-called Diana's Pond (l'étang de Diane), a shallow bay where today oysters and mussels. The tower can only be reached on foot, along the path that runs along the beach. To do this, in Aléria, take the D43 towards the sea (not towards Corte!), and continue along the beach for about a kilometre and a half on foot along the path.