Saint-Florent, Haute-Corse

Saint-Florent (French pronunciation: ​[sɛ̃.flɔʁɑ̃]; Corsican: San Fiurenzu, Italian: San Fiorenzo) is a commune in Haute-Corse department of France on the island of Corsica. Originally a fishing port located in the gulf of the same name, nowadays pleasure boats have largely taken the place of fishing vessels.

Saint-Florent San Fiurenzu
Commune
Citadel
Coat of arms
Location of Saint-Florent
Saint-Florent Saint-Florent
Coordinates: 42°40′54″N 9°18′11″E
Country	France
Region	Corsica
Department	Haute-Corse
Arrondissement	Calvi
Canton	Biguglia-Nebbio
Government
• Mayor (2008–2014)	Claudy Olmeta
Area ^1	17.98 km^2 (6.94 sq mi)
Population  (2017-01-01)[1]	1,655
• Density	92/km^2 (240/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+01:00 (CET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+02:00 (CEST)
INSEE/Postal code	2B298 /20217
Elevation	0–356 m (0–1,168 ft) (avg. 10 m or 33 ft)
^1 French Land Register data, which excludes lakes, ponds, glaciers > 1 km^2 (0.386 sq mi or 247 acres) and river estuaries.

Today, it is a popular summer vacation spot for many tourists because of its proximity to the Patrimonio vineyards and the Saleccia beach.

History

Saint-Florent was created by the Genoese in the 16th century as a base to carry out repressive operations against the Corsican patriots in the surrounding villages. France later used it to disembark hordes of mercenaries and colonists during August 1764 in order to subject the independent Corsican people. After the defeat at Ponte Novu Bridge, the army of Pasquale Paoli, sometimes called "the Father of Corsica", helped by the fleet of Horatio Nelson, reconquered Saint-Florent in 1794 during the brief Anglo-Corsican rule.

Population

Historical population

Year Pop. ±% 1774 350 —     1911 720 +105.7% 1962 611 −15.1% 1968 805 +31.8% 1975 1,065 +32.3%

Year Pop. ±% 1982 1,217 +14.3% 1990 1,350 +10.9% 1999 1,474 +9.2% 2008 1,636 +11.0%

Climate

Saint-Florent has a typically Mediterranean climate - mild winters with temperatures rarely dropping below zero give way to long, warm, dry summers with temperatures peaking at around 35 °C (95 °F) in July and August.

Sights

Saint-Florent Cathedral

The monuments of Saint-Florent are the Genoese citadel constructed in 1440 at the same time as the city, and the Romanesque Saint-Florent Cathedral, or the cathedral of the Nebbio, now the church of Santa Maria Assunta.

Near the village are the Genoese towers Torra di Mortella and Torra di Fornali.

Notable people

• Louis Bizarelli, former politician, was born at Saint-Florent in 1836.
• Lizzy Mercier Descloux, musician and singer, spent her last years in Saint-Florent. She died there in 2004.
• Marie Ferranti, author, lives and works in Saint-Florent.
• Antoine Gentili, general and exile companion of Pasquale Paoli.

See also

• Communes of the Haute-Corse department

References

1. "Populations légales 2017". INSEE. Retrieved 6 January 2020.

External links

• Saint-Florent travel guide from Wikivoyage
• Picture of Saint-Florent Cathedral