Small villages perched on rocky outcrops overlook plains planted with olive, almond, lemon and vine trees. A rich history unfolds as you walk along. 

The Balagne is a great introduction to Corsica and this holiday explores this beautiful region, from the coast to the high hillside villages.  Backed by mountains that dominate the coastline, the silver sand beaches are also a favourite with holiday makers and you will bathe in the perfumes, colours and contrasting landscapes that have earned the Balagne a prestigious following. Your holiday starts in the beautiful seaside town of L’Ile Rousse. Explore the town and the red island, that gives the town its name. After a couple of nights by the coast, you head to the hills, through the garden of Corsica, along old mule tracks, through pastures and olive groves, past perched villages trapped in time.

Highlights

  • Coastal path
  • Luggage access
  • Point ot point - 6 days walking 
  • ** and *** Hotels 
  • Start in Île Rousse and  end in Calvi
Duration
7 days / 6 nights
Type of holidays
Hiking-Walking
Accesses
Bastia
Calvi / Ile Rousse
Level
2 - Moderate
Carrying
Without bags

Itinerary

Day 1

L'Ile Rousse

Your holiday starts in L’Ile Rousse, on the North West coast. Check into your hotel before exploring the cobbled streets of the old town, the cafés of the Place des Platanes, one of the beautiful beaches and the ‘Red Isle’ that gives the town’s name. The town was founded by Pascal Paoli, in response to the Genoese at Calvi, and has a wonderful lived in feel. 

Night
Night in Ile Rousse
Day 2

Algajola to L'Ile Rousse

Today is a pleasant stroll through the Balagne, you take the train to the village of Algajola ( train ticket not included, can be purchased directly at the train station). The tracks hug the coast, and the views are sublime on this short 15 min ride. From Algajola you climb between dry stone walls to the village of Sant Antonino and the artists village of Pigna, the narrow streets of the village are home to various crafts. From Pigna you take a path to Corbara, and pass through narrow alleyways of the village of Corbara before dropping down to return to Ile Rousse. 

Distance
15 km
Duration
6h00
Ascent / descent
+620 m / -620 m
Night
Night in Ile Rousse
Day 3

L'Ile Rousse to Monticello

The path leaves the outskirts of the town to reach the village of Santa Reparata di Balagna. You'll cross the ancient hamlet of Palmento through its alleyways, before arriving at the 11th-century parish church. It was built over an ancient Romanesque chapel. The path crosses a wide plateau before reaching the village of Monticello. You can head down to the sea to visit the Saleccia park, which boasts a fine collection of Mediterranean plants.

Distance
14 km
Duration
5h30
Ascent / descent
+545 m / -380 m
Night
Night in Monticello
Day 4

Speluncato to Monticello

After a short transfer, you are dropped in the perched village of Speluncato. After exploring this high villages, you have a choice of walks today via perched villages and paths that down drop onto the Regino plain, between market gardens, past old chapels and ruins of long forgotten hamlets before climbing again to the village of Monticello.

Distance
10 km à 15 km
Duration
4h00 à 6h00
Ascent / descent
+220m à +400 m / -520 m à -705 m
Night
Night in Monticello
Day 5

Feliceto to Lumio

From the hill village of Feliceto, you pass through the villages of the Haute Balagne including Avapessa and Cateri, past a Convent and washouses to Lavatoggio. From here we follow on across lofty land, climbing to the abandoned village of Occi high above Lumio. The village was deserted in the 20th Century, when no road could be built for access. The views from here towards Calvi are sublime. A transfer takes you from Lumio to Calvi. 

Distance
13 km
Duration
5h30
Ascent / descent
+450 m / -560 m
Night
Night in Calvi
Day 6

Calvi to La Revellata

There are a few walks to do in Calvi. The first is a beautiful walk on the Revellata peninsula, an unspoilt area of maquis and sea cliffs. Head around the coast towards the lighthouse, a real highlight of the trip. This protected area is a haven for wildlife, with much flora and fauna that is found only here. The walk passes along sea cliffs and down to unspoilt coves, your journey back can be extended to take in Notre Dame de la Serra, high above Calvi, this beautiful chapel is the ideal spot for a few shots.

Distance
11 km
Duration
5h00
Ascent / descent
+210 m / -210 m
Night
Night in Calvi
Day 7

Calvi

Holiday ends in Calvi, extra nights and transfers available, please ask for details.

Programs have been drawn up according to the latest information available at the time of writing: imponderables are always possible and situations beyond our control may alter the course of the program.

Dates and prices

Departure on request every day from April to late October. 2 persons minimum.

Please select your departure date from the calendar below to find out the rate and begin your booking.

Price includes

Accommodation on B&B, dinners on day 3 and 4, local internal transfers, luggage transfers, travel dossier with IGN maps, topo guide and access to our guidance application.

Price does not include

Reservation fee of 5€ / person, travel insurance, drinks, dinners (except on day 3 and 4), picnics, train ticket between Ile Rousse and Algajola on D2,  site visits and transfers to L'Ile Rousse and from Calvi, travel to Corsica.

Supplements/Discounts

Superior category hotel supplement for D1 and D2 in Ile Rousse and D5 and D6 in Calvi: 240 € / person in low season and 280 € / person in high season (July - August).

Insurance

We offer comprehensive multi-risk insurance specifically adapted to our adventure trips (contract no. 7482 Assurinco). The rates are as follows: 4.00% of the price of the trip for French residents, 6% of the price of the trip for residents from the European Union (EU) outside France. For non-EU residents, the rate is €90 per person. See insurance details.

Group discount

Groups of 3 people or more can benefit from a discount. Please contact us for details.

Technical informations

Starts

At your first hotel in L’Ile Rousse.

Ends

At your hotel in Calvi after breakfast.

Access

Calvi Airport or L'Ile Rousse Port, Bastia Airport or Port. If you arrive into Ajaccio, please ask for details of transport connections. 

Accommodation

  • Hotel in double/ twin rooms: 4 nights in ** Hotels (Ile Rousse and Calvi) and 2 nights in *** Hotel (Monticello).
  • Superior category hotels available at extra cost.
  • Single room supplement to be requested when booking.

Meal

  • Continental breakfast (tea, coffee, milk, bread, butter, jam).
  • Evening meal, often based on local specialities, including a starter, main course and dessert. Dinners in Ille Rousse and Calvi are not included. 

Number of participants

Reservations for minimum of 2 participants. 

Level

Moderate, path with few technical difficulties.

Guiding

Self-Guided Walking. We provide you with a Travel Dossier complete with A4 copies of the IGN maps and a walking guide created by our team. During your hike our 24-hour assistance service will also be able to answer all your questions and, if necessary, assist you with the smooth running of your stay.

Luggage transfers

During this walk you will carry only a small day sack with a water bottle, camera, picnic, trailfood, sun and wet weather gear. Luggage is transported by vehicle, point to point.

The digital roadbook

Once you have confirmed your holiday, you can download our application. It's easy to use and it offers a number of functionalities:

  • Precise route guidance with alerts in the event of deviations.
  • View your starting point, accommodation, current position, mileage.
  • Discover points of interest via interactive content with descriptions, photos and audio. 
  • In an emergency, send an SOS alert with your GPS coordinates. 
  • Contact function to share messages, photos and videos with our team during your stay.

Extensions

Take advantage of a stay extension during your tour with Corsica Aventure.

If you'd like to discover Corsica before or after your holiday, our team can offer you ideas for accommodation and activities. If you prefer to arrive a few days earlier or extend your stay for a few days, we can book your extra nights on the island, depending on your arrival city.

Here are a few hotels we recommend for those of you who would rather organise their extra days themselves:  

Ajaccio

  • Hôtel Le Dauphin 2* Tél : 04 95 21 12 94.
  • Hôtel Kalliste 3* / Tél : 04 95 51 34 45.
  • Hôtel Albion 3* / Tél : 04 95 21 66 70.
  • Hôtel San Carlu 3* / Tél : 04 95 21 13 84.

Propriano

  • Hôtel Bellevue / Tél : 04 95 76 01 86.
  • Gîte-hôtel U Fracintu / Tél : 04 95 76 15 05.

Porto

  • Hôtel Kallisté / Tél : 04 95 26 10 30.
  • Hôtel Le Belvédère / Tél : 04 95 26 12 01.
  • Hôtel Le Méditerranée / Tél : 04 95 26 10 27.

Piana

  • Hôtel Les Calanques / Tél : 04 95 27 82 08.
  • Hôtel Les Roches Rouges / Tél : 04 95 27 81 81.

Calvi 

  • Hôtel Belvédère 3* / Tél : 04 95 65 01 25.
  • Hôtel Les Arbousiers 2* / Tél : 04 95 65 04 47.
  • Hôtel Christophe Colomb 3* / Tél : 04 95 65 06 04.
  • Hôtel Balanea 3* / Tél : 04 95 65 94 94.

Bastia

  • Best Western Montecristo Bastia / Tél : 04 95 55 05 10.

Map

Your itinerary:

Pictures
of the holidays

Reviews for Villages of the Balagne

(4.2)

We have recently enjoyed walking in the Balagne....

Alice 11/09/2024Villages of the Balagne

Magnificent hotels in excellent locations. The walks are well signposted and easily accessible.

Juliet 03/10/2023Villages of the Balagne

Well done for the organisation, and I particularly liked the Balagne programme!

Kelly 08/09/2023Villages of the Balagne

Beautiful region of Corsica. Meals a little disappointing in Calvi. Good standard of hotels. Topo-guide not always clear enough.

Robin 17/06/2023Villages of the Balagne

Beautiful discovery and organization.

Translated from French by Deepl

Yves 09/09/2023Villages of the Balagne

Bravo for this organization, a favorite for the program in Balagne.

Translated from French by Deepl

Sylvia 22/08/2023Villages of the Balagne

I love Ile Rousse and San Antonino... Great trip!

Translated from French by Deepl

Romain 21/07/2023Villages of the Balagne

Very nice course, sun, logistics, hotels, everything was perfect !!!!!!!! Paul-Vincent and Sophie

Translated from French by Deepl

Paul-Vincent 12/07/2023Villages of the Balagne

Magnificent hotels in excellent locations. Hiking trails are well signposted and easily accessible.

Translated from French by Deepl

Vanessa 06/07/2023Villages of the Balagne

An authentic route that keeps its promises, we'll be coming back to Corsica with you!

Translated from French by Deepl

Johana 07/06/2023Villages of the Balagne

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