Cap Corse

Cap Corse from Bastia

Cap Corse is the peninsula that stretches north from Bastia. It is made up of 18 communes, among them Brando, Sisco, Rogliano, Ersa, Centuri and Nonza. The east coast begins right at the edge of town, the west coast with Nonza is on the far side of the peninsula, and the tip of the cape with Macinaggio, Barcaggio and Centuri is right up in the north.

The cape is known for its coastal watchtowers, the houses known as Maisons des Américains, the spiny lobsters of Centuri and its Muscat wine. The coastal towers were built between the 15th and 18th centuries under Genoese rule, paid for by a tax on wine.

Most people get around the cape by car. Buses link the villages, but in autumn and winter they only reach the tip two days a week. For a day without a car, Erbalunga is the obvious choice; to see the whole peninsula you need a car or several days.

Erbalunga

Erbalunga is a hamlet of Brando on the east coast. Brando lies 8 km north of Bastia and is made up of seven hamlets, two of which, Erbalunga and Lavasina, are on the sea. Until the 16th century Erbalunga was an important port.

By the small fishing harbour stands the 16th-century Genoese tower, regarded as the gateway to Cap Corse. It has been listed as a Monument historique since 1995. There is a pay car park. The beach at Erbalunga has no lifeguards and no showers or toilets; for more bathing spots, see Beaches.

Lavasina, the other hamlet on the sea, is known as the Corsican Lourdes. A pilgrimage is held there on 8 September.

Macinaggio, Rogliano and Centuri

Rogliano lies at the north-eastern tip of the cape and is made up of nine hamlets. One of them is Macinaggio with its marina, the starting point of the Sentier des Douaniers.

Centuri on the north-west coast is made up of eight hamlets, including Centuri-Port with its small fishing harbour. The village is known for its spiny lobsters. Off the coast lies the small island of Capense, a bird sanctuary.

Barcaggio lies between the two, with a sandy beach on the way. Nonza is further south on the west coast.

The Sentier des Douaniers on Cap Corse

The Sentier des Douaniers, the old customs officers’ path, runs 19 km along the coast from Macinaggio via Barcaggio to Centuri. The whole route takes more than eight hours and divides into three stages:

Along the way you pass Genoese towers, old lime kilns and windmills, with views of the islands of Finocchiarola, Giraglia, Capraia and Gorgona. Bring sturdy shoes and plenty of water. Because of the fire risk, avoid the path in strong winds. Camping, bivouacking and fires are prohibited, as is landing on the offshore islands.

There is a second Sentier des Douaniers west of Saint-Florent, along the coast of the Agriates. At 35 km it is considerably longer and quite separate from the Cap Corse path.

Nonza

Nonza sits on a rock high above the sea on the west coast of the cape. The village itself is at 120 m, and the tower on the rock above it stands 160 m above the water. From there the view takes in Nonza’s grey beach and reaches as far as the Balagne and Monte Cinto. The tower has been listed as a Monument historique since 1926.

The church of Sainte-Julie, in Venetian Baroque style, dates from the 17th century and was rebuilt in the 18th; it has been listed since 1984. From the village, 54 steps lead down to the Fontaine Sainte-Julie.

Getting there by bus or car

Bus line C runs all year from Bastia via Erbalunga to Sisco. Its stops include Petranera, Grisgione, Miomu and Lavasina, and it takes just under 20 minutes to the Erbalonga Merria stop. The terminus is Siscu Marina.

In autumn and winter a regional bus runs from Bastia bus station to the tip of the cape at Macinaggio and Rogliano, but only on Tuesdays and Fridays. For Nonza and Centuri, people usually drive; car hire is available at Bastia airport.

If you arrive by ferry with your own car, the drive to the cape starts right in Bastia. For all the ways of reaching Bastia, see Getting there.