Avenue de Gaulle

General de Gaulle in Corte: a historic visit to the heart of the Corsican Resistance

In 1943, while most of France was still occupied, Corsica became the first French land to be liberated. This courageous victory did not go unnoticed: on October 8, 1943, General Charles de Gaulle visited Corte, a town symbolic of Corsican history, to salute the exemplary commitment of its people.

Accompanied by emblematic figures from the island's Resistance, de Gaulle delivered a rousing speech to a gathered crowd, making a profound mark on collective memory. He paid tribute to the courage of Corsican patriots, who risked their lives to stand up against Italian and then German occupation, without waiting for the Allied victory.

In his words resounded all the emotion of the time:

"Corsica had the fortune and honor of being the first liberated piece of France."

In Corte, the cradle of Corsican struggles, the general's visit took on a special dimension: here he celebrated not only the military liberation, but also the indomitable spirit of an entire people. This historic day seals the unbreakable alliance between Corsica and Free France.

Corte, beating heart of freedom

A city steeped in history, Corte has always been a symbol of resistance and independence. Already under Pascal Paoli, it was the capital of the Corsican nation in the 18th century. In 1943, it once again took on the role of beacon: nerve center of the Resistance, place of organization for patriotic networks, assembly point for the Free French forces.

Today, as you walk through Corte, you're following in the footsteps of those heroic hours. The town still carries within it the vibrant memory of those battles for freedom and of that historic visit which brought Corsica into the history of liberated France.

Corte and General de Gaulle's visit are the living echo of an island proud, resistant and deeply committed to the conquest of freedom.