Calvi, located on the north west coast of Corsica, (60 mls W of Bastia and 50 mls W of its airport; 4 mls N of Calvi airport), is a coastal town on the Gulf of Calvi, ringed by a range of tall, jagged mountains which rise to 9,000 ft and display patches of snow until late July.

Calvi is a prosperous town and home to an expert regiment of the French foreign legion. In fact, Calvi boasts quite a colourful military history, being attacked by Pasquale Paoli's nationalist troops along with the British in 1794.

Today Calvi is a popular beachside resort with the sparkling, turquoise waters of the Golfe de Calvi backed by the soaring, snowcapped Monte Cinto just 20km inland. 

Centred on a peninsula dominated by the dramatic walls of an elevated 13th-century citadel, Calvi today, though still a garrison town lives almost entirely from tourism.

Measuring ¾ ml NE to SW and ½ ml NW to SE, it is a fairly compact, colourful resort with a carefree atmosphere helped along by its typically relaxed Mediterranean cafes and restaurants.

It includes a modest commercial port and animated yacht marina. Behind the port, which lies at the foot of the citadel, narrow streets lead to a church square and the main commercial streets with their profusion of boutiques, souvenir and gift shops, banks, bars, restaurants and cafes.

A sandy beach, backed by pine woods, extends in a graceful curve for more than 3 mls and boasts numerous inviting cafes and restaurant terraces.

Most of the hotels and apartment blocks, along with a couple of medium-sized supermarkets, are on the outskirts. Summer heat waves are rare in Calvi, with temperatures moderated by a gentle, prevailing SW breeze.