Nebbio, Cap Corse, Balagne

A land of vineyards, olive groves, orchards and pastures, crisscrossed with dry stone walls and dotted with sheepfolds, Nebbio has always been prosperous, earning its nickname of "Golden Conch" (A Conca D'oru in Corsican).

Today, wealth also comes from tourism, particularly from the seaside attraction of Saint-Florent. The region has many small, welcoming villages set up as observatories on the heights surrounding the Aliso basin. The menhir statues discovered in the fields of Patrimonio bear witness to prehistoric occupation.

The Church of Patrimonio

The walls of the building have the particularity of not having been covered with plaster. The church therefore appears entirely of ochre stone, with clearly visible the holes that were used to install the scaffolding during its construction in the 17th century.

It is named after Saint Martin (San Martinu), patron saint of the village. On 11/11, Saint Martin's Day, a religious ceremony is held in the church in his honor, bringing together multiple brotherhoods; it is followed by the blessing of new wine and a village festival.

The Cathedral of "Nebbiu"

Also known as the church of "Santa Maria Assunta", it is located on the edge of St Florent, along the small road that runs between the Société Générale and the Maison des Pizza. It is a magnificent medieval building whose construction date is uncertain (12th century between 1125 and 1140). It is still sometimes used as a place of worship or for musical performances in the summer season. Just before, on the left of the road, a row of abandoned columns questions the visitor: these are the remains of an old trellis belonging to the monks.

The Church of Murato & its village

At an altitude of 475 metres, the church of San-Michele de Murato overlooks the Gulf of Saint-Florent. Renowned for being one of the most beautiful churches in Corsica, it displays a unique and colourful architectural style dating back several centuries. Isolated one kilometre from Murato, its polychrome facades in green serpentine and pale limestone are a testament to the island Pisan art of the 12th century. On its walls, many motifs tell us about the customs of the time: animals, sheaves of wheat but also severed hands (for thieves) and cut tongues (for liars).

In addition, two characters are present, they would represent (according to tradition) the lords who financed the construction of the church. But they could also symbolize the judicial and religious powers (they wear robes and a book of laws). To get to the church, you have to head towards the town of Murato (23 kilometers southwest of Bastia), taking the D82 coming from Saint-Florent to the north or from the east. The San-Michele church is located along the D5, at the entrance to the village, in the middle of a small meadow. Opposite the church, on the other side of the road, a cellar is abandoned in the middle of the cypresses. It is that of, among others, Achille Murati. He was one of Pascal Paoli's most loyal lieutenants during the war of independence in the 18th century. The village of Murato also offers some remarkable monuments, such as the Hôtel de la Monnaie Corse and its three Genoese bridges. You can visit it by following the loop route starting from the church.

The villages of the "Alto Nebbio": Pieve, Sorio, Santo Pietro di Tenda

• Pieve

Pieve is a village-street sheltering a hundred souls in winter, four times more in summer. The facades are ordinary and the treasures well hidden. Who knows, in fact, that on the church square stand imposing stantari (statue-menhirs), witnesses of a prehistoric life? And that an hour's walk away lie astonishing remains? Ask the villagers for directions, they will show you the start of the ravine track that leads to "A Chjesa nera". Of this "black church" built in the 12th century by the regime of Pisa, there remain magnificent serpentine ruins, sleeping in the middle of a plateau culminating at an altitude of 600 meters. Between sea and mountains, on an ocean of scrubland, the fabulous 360-degree panorama does not reveal the slightest trace of modernity. This is exactly the one that the French troops who came to camp there in 1769 discovered, on the eve of the Battle of Ponte-Novo

• Sorio

A few kilometers further, after a tunnel of chestnut trees, the village of Sorio is spread out on the hillside. "You can't miss our village," exclaims the mayor, "it's the only one where an olive tree has managed to grow on top of the bell tower!" As you will have understood, the olive is the villagers' passion. But, be careful! not just any olive. Here, we venerate the "Biancaghja".

This local variety specific to the Nebbiu region was recognized in the controlled designation of origin granted last year to Corsican olive oil. Old terraced gardens buried under the scrubland were cleared a few years ago and the centuries-old olive trees once again form magnificent silvery waves over dozens of hectares.

• Santo Pietro di Tenda

It is in this village that you must discover the famous giant dressed in ochre stone. Overlooking the road, Saint-Jean-l'Evangéliste is a superb church with the dimensions of a cathedral. With its 38 metres in length and 17 metres in width, its immense choir and its barrel vault, it is one of the three largest in Corsica.

The Agriate Desert & its coastline

The Agriate territory covers 15,000 hectares. This vast area is well defined geographically: to the north, 37 km of natural shores without any urbanization, to the south, the departmental road n° 81 and the foothills of the Tenda, to the west, the Ostriconi valley, to the east, the town of Saint Florent and the Nebbiu plain.

The shoreline has a varied appearance. There are a large number of coves, bays, rocky points and several beaches, the main ones being those of Saleccia and Lotu to the east, Ghignu and Ostriconi to the west. The highest point of Agriate is the Cima d'Ifana (499 m) but the massif that stands out the most is Monte Jenuva (421 m). We also observe dune formations (Ostriconi), coastal strips blocking the mouths of rivers, and thus creating more or less brackish wetlands behind (Ghignu, Saleccia, Lotu…)

This vast expanse of Mediterranean scrubland and rocks - improperly called "desert" - preserves many vestiges of an intense agro-pastoral life as well as various archaeological sites, the most remarkable of which date from the Neolithic period (Dolmen and Orcu chest). The Genoese tower of Mortella dominates the Agriate customs path with its silhouette.

The port of Saint-Florent

The major attraction of the port of Saint-Florent is undoubtedly its location in the heart of the village, allowing you to stroll along the quays, taste our specialties while watching the setting sun or go shopping. Mooring places for the year will be reserved for you upon simple request to the Harbor Master's Office. The port, considered one of the most beautiful in the Mediterranean, also welcomes a large number of cruise ships.

An anchorage point for sailors, very early in the morning you can enjoy the calm and still low temperatures on the port to welcome the few fishermen still in activity, who are returning to port. You can admire the "pointus", traditional fishing boats and other trawls alongside the larger units in perfect harmony. Along the colorful and picturesque quays you will enjoy strolling and in the evening, facing the setting sun, sipping a drink or dining on the terraces of the many restaurants, you will enjoy the ambient animation reinforced by a small night market.

The citadel and the old town of Saint-Florent

"The Corsican Saint-Tropez" exists! Come to Saint Florent, you will judge for yourself. A port city at the foot of Cap Corse, Saint-Florent has known many inconveniences. The city, founded by the Genoese in the 16th century, was ravaged by malaria and then disputed by the French, the Genoese and the Corsicans. An emblematic figure of the island, Pascal Paoli, who fought for the independence of Corsica, reconquered the port in 1793, helped by Nelson's fleet. Today, it is a magnificent little marina that awaits you, in an old town full of memories.

Its citadel, built in 1440 by the Genoese, was until the 17th century the seat of the bishopric of Nebbio and the residence of the governor. Between terraces and old houses, do not miss going through the Place des Portes, the nerve center of the city. Here, the pétanque players meet, displaying a familiar air of the cities of the south. Saint-Florent is also surrounded by magnificent beaches, most of them wild, accessible by 4 hours of walking or by boat. The best known are those of Loto and Saleccia.