Sartène

Sub-prefecture, chief town of district, Sartène, baptized by Merimee "the Corsican Corsican cities", is honored since May 1864, title of largest municipality of the island.

Built at an altitude of 300 m, the city grew from the 16th century around medieval buildings located on the rocky spur of Pitraghiu. Entering Sartène by the old bridge of A Scaledda, we discover that this sector still retains a portion of ramparts with a corner tower, the watchtower.

From 1520, the Genoese will enclose the Pitraghiu and the district of A Manighedda of walls including a fortified building, the Palace of the Governors, the current town hall. This building of the sixteenth century still endowed with machicolations housed the home of the Genoese lieutenant. At the base of this building the Genoese built a vaulted entrance, probably with a drawbridge, which commanded access to the citadel. Above this vault is the coat of arms of the city (a crenellated tower, surrounded by two mouflons and surmounted by the Moorish head, all in silver).

The parish church dedicated to Santa Maria Assunta contains some treasures of which some are classified Historical Monuments. Part of this rich heritage is composed of a marble statue of the Virgin and Child dating from the sixteenth century, two paintings, one representing the Annunciation (seventeenth century) and the other a Mater Dolorosa framing the high altar marble polychrome imported from Italy (seventeenth century), and a set of fourteen paintings on the Way of the Cross offered by the Empress Eugenie. The cross and the exposed chains remind us that here, the procession of the Catenacciu, symbolizing the rise of Christ on Calvary, takes place on the evening of Good Friday.

Sartène is ranked City of Art and History and is one of the Most Beautiful Detours of France.

The Museum of Prehistory and Archeology Corsica: Open in the spring of 2009, it presents all the archaeological remains of Corsica. With more than 250,000 objects, from the smallest arrowhead to the statue-menhir, this museum has an important archaeological reserve. Most of the collections on display illustrate prehistoric Corsican cultures from the arrival of humans on the island in the Mesolithic about 9,000 years ago. The museum focuses on restoring the evolution of local human societies during the Neolithic period (6000 to 2500 BC), the Ages of metals (3000 BC) and Antiquity by presenting stone objects, metal, pottery, jewelry, menhirs statues, models and digital renditions of prehistoric monuments. These vestiges are the testimony of innovations made on the spot but also of exchanges with the populations of the Mediterranean basin since the VIth millenium. - Tel. : +33 4 95 77 01 09.
The Convent Saint-Côme and Saint-Damien: It dates from the 19th century and houses a small community of Belgian monks. This is the place of collection of the "penitent" who performs the Catenacciu during Holy Week. Santa Maria Assunta Church: She is the guardian of the cross and the chains of the Catenacciu, famous procession of Good Friday. You can admire a rich furniture of paintings, statues, and its high altar marble polychrome dating from the seventeenth century.
The Town Hall of Sartène: Former Palace of the Genoese Governors, this building bears the sculpted coat of arms of Sartène. It contains several master paintings of the seventeenth and eighteenth century.

Information points	Tourist Office of Sartène
Leisure centres	Beach of Argent Beach of Barcaju Beach of Conca Beach of Erbaju Beach of Murta Spana Beach of Murtoli Beach of Roccapina Beach of Tivella Beach of Tizzano Beach of Tradicettu Museum Corse
Monuments	Dolmen of Fontanaccia Genoan Tower of Roccapina Genoan Tower of Senetosa Lighthouse of Sénétosa Menhir Alignment of Renaghju et I Stantari
Natural sites	Bay of the Avena Cape of Roccapina Cape of Zivia Gulf of Murtoli Gulf of Roccapina Headland of Eccica Headland of Mortoli Headland of Muro Headland of Sénétose Headland Pietra Nora Mount Cauria Pass of Albitrino Pass of Capirosso Pass of Coralli

Late April-early May: Carnival of Corsica at Sartène. In the tradition of the famous carnival of the past, it is the association Sarten'Allegria that makes this event its luster of yesteryear. Animations, masked balls, parades of tanks from here and elsewhere. This event is dedicated to both children and adults of all ages. It begins with the presentation of his majesty Carnival with many activities offered to children; it is followed by a parade of the various international groups present on this occasion and ends the last day by a large "Corso" in which participate tanks made in the greatest of secrets by local people, not to mention in the evening the cremation of His Majesty. A ball will close each of these days. Information on +33 6 22 32 40 44.
The "Catenacciu" - the chained, Good Friday. The procession is led by the anonymous "great penitent", in hood and red dress, carrying an imposing 31 kg cross and dragging on one of his bare feet, a heavy 14 kg chain. He figures the way of the cross of Christ Golgotha and like him, will fall 3 times. A white penitent holds the role of Simon of Cyrene and will help the Catenacciu to carry the cross. Nobody knows his identity except the priest. He submits to this hard test for the fulfillment of a vow or the expiry of a serious fault. Just behind them are 8 penitents dressed in black, also barefoot, and symbolizing the Jews. Four of them wear a black canopy on which lies Christ covered with a white shroud. The brotherhood of Sartène supervises the penitents and performs during the procession nagging songs such as "Miserere" and "Perdono mio Dio". It is difficult to say when the origins of this procession started. It begins at 21:30 with the opening of the doors of the church Santa Maria Assunta. The very difficult course and 2 km long lasts about 2 hours. At the end of the procession, the penitents kneel on the forecourt to hear with the crowd the preacher's sermon. The procession ends with the entrance of Catenacciu into the church where he will stand still with the other penitents while the faithful parade before the altar where he is kneeling.

The village of Tizzano: small fishing port, 18 km from Sartène, has grown significantly in recent years. A small marina has been built and the sandy beaches are very popular.
The Lion of Roccapina: Huge pink granite rock eroded by water and wind. This genuine natural sculpture marks the entrance of the southern territory Sartenais Valinco. They say the lion watches over the Navy since the dawn of time...
The bridge on the Spina Cavaddu Rizzanese between Arbellara and Sartène. This is a Genoese bridge of the thirteenth century destroyed by floods several most recently in 1994 to its present appearance. It is characterized by a single arch and the break accentuated the narrow roadway wholesale unit.
The site of Cauria: On this site, the dolmen Funtanaccia, the largest of the island (3.40 m x 2.90 m) exceeds fifteen tons. This assemblage of huge slabs sleek, the beginning of the second millennium BC, it is perfectly preserved. Also on this site, Rinagghiu, a set of sixty menhirs arranged in a "sacred wood" leaning against a granite massif. Finally, I Stantari is an alignment of standing stones and statues-menhirs characteristics of the primitive insular art; they are by their iconographic expression, the richest of Corsica. Aligning Paddaghiu: Named in the vernacular "the graveyard of the Turks", with 258 menhirs, it is the most important alignment of the Mediterranean.
U Frate has e Sora: Two standing stones along the National Road 196, between Sartène and Propriano in plain Rizzanese. According to legend a monk and a nun, victim of divine punishment, there were petrified.

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