The essentials of Cap Corse

At 9 a.m., meet our driver in Bastia, who will take you to the start of the hike in the Luri valley. This stream rises between the crests of Monte Popolu (514 m) and Monte Rottu (650 m), where the Seneca Tower stands. The latter is named after the Roman philosopher, playwright and statesman who was exiled here in the 1ᵉʳ century. The first discovery of this rich day will be the abandoned village of Mata, with its ruined tower offering a beautiful view of the Santa Severa marina. Then, following the ridge line, you will reach the bell tower and chapel of San Salvatore. The route then descends to the lively village of Luri, with its rich historical past, before climbing back up through the hamlets along the ancient path to the convent where you will be staying.

Today's stage is mainly ridged, offering magnificent views of Elba, the Tyrrhenian Sea and the Ligurian Sea along the way. The panorama of the Cape valleys, with their small villages, mills and marinas, will take you all the way to the hermitage of Notre-Dame-des-Grâces. This hermitage overlooks the defensive towers of Morsiglia, witnesses to a brutal era marked by the incursions of Barbary pirates in the XVIᵉ century, as well as the American houses, built in the XXᵉ century. The village is also famous for welcoming James Boswell, who enlightened Enlightenment Europe with his account of Pasquale Paoli's Corsican Nation. He disembarked at the port of Centuri, where you will stop off.

You'll leave the lobster capital on the customs path. This seaside itinerary, some twenty kilometres long, is located at the extreme north of the island of Corsica. This area, characterised by sparse vegetation battered by sometimes violent winds such as the Tramuntana, Grecale or Libecciu, reveals a steep coastline with sharp rocks, where, since ancient times, many ships have tragically run aground. Two centuries ago, at the instigation of Napoleon I, work began on building the semaphore. Its mission: to monitor maritime traffic and prevent accidents. The path winds along the cliffs before reaching the hamlet of Tollare, an old fishing port recognisable by the Genoese tower at the entrance and the small houses huddled around it. A few dozen minutes further on, you'll reach Barcaggio, another more imposing port, with its opulent houses. This village enjoyed a period of prosperity thanks to coral mining.

Situated 1 nautical mile from the port, the islet of Giraglia, with its Genoese tower and lighthouse, catches the eye as you cross the Cala beach. This leads to the Pointe d'Agnello, dominated by an imposing Genoese tower. As you cross the highest point of the day, the landscape opens out onto the immense coastline, offering a succession of beaches, varying in size and inviting for a swim. The half-ruined tower of Santa Maria is a real postcard in itself. Not far away stands an XIᵉ century chapel, whose foundations date back to the beginnings of Christianity. Further on, the Finocchiarola Islands nature reserve reveals its treasures: nesting sites for numerous species of birds, including the rare Audouin's gull. The journey ends at the port and village of Macinaggio, where you'll be greeted by a typically Corsican atmosphere.
 

The itinerary begins at Tamina, an ancient Roman naval base that controlled the region's maritime trade. It then rises to reach the path to San Giorgio, an ancient abandoned hamlet dominated by a ruined chapel. With every step, the rich past of the region is revealed, inscribed in the stones of its many buildings: the Da Mare castle, the Franciscan convent, mills, chapels, churches, wash-houses, fountains and fortified towers. This magnificent plunge into the island's history ends with a taxi transfer to Bastia at 3pm.