Maccinaggio to Barcaggio, an easy going walk at the top of the Cap Corse.
Follow the Customs officers path or ‘chemin des douaniers’ around the remote Cap Corse, along which you pass naturally preserved beaches and abandoned watchtowers witness to the battles that were fought for this island. The walking is captivating through a wild and natural landscape, and you can catch a boat (MAY TO SEPT) at end of the day to MACCINAGGIO.
« Wonderful coastal walking, relatively easy for all, around the top of the Cap Corse. The tower was partially destroyed by the British fleet in 1794 but still stands showing you a cross section of these architectural marvels. »
This walk can also be a 2h30 there and back « loop » to the Santa Maria tower. Great for a weekend stroll. See below *.
13km /3h45, +/-350m, YELLOW
FOOD: MACCINAGGIO, BARCAGGIO (in season) WATER: NONE
- Maccinagio (to Tour de Santa Maria) 1h45 / 5.5Km
Start the walk from the marina, heading north to the beach. Cross the beach and on reaching the other side, take the path right that hugs the coast to PUNTA DI COSCIA where you will find a canon and views back over the bay to MACCINAGGIO. The path climbs steadily before reaching a dirt track that drops down to the beach at PLAGE DE TAMARONE. Again cross the beach, (ignore a wide track to the left that leads straight to the Santa Maria chapel), following the SENTIER DES DOUANIERS that leads from the end of the beach, around the coast past the ÎLES FINOCCHIAROLA before dropping down to the beaches, chapel and tower SANTA MARIA.
- Tour de Santa Maria (to Macinaggio) 0h45 / 3.0Km
*For the there and back loop walk, retrace your steps from the TOUR DE SANTA MARIA to the Chapel. If the Chapel is open do take a look.
Santa Maria Chjapella dates from the 5th century and is one of the first Christian buildings on the island of Corsica. The Santa Maria della Chiapella, is situated on a Roman and Early Christian necropolis (graveyard) that stretched from the hillock to the well behind the church. The site was then the first church to baptize the people of this valley. It was very active until the complete Christianization of Cap Corse, which took place between the ninth and eleventh centuries. This chapel has medieval architecture with a single nave and a double apse. The smallest apse, remodeled in the ninth and sixteenth centuries, was probably used for funeral rites, and the other, remodeled in the ninth and eleventh centuries to the baptismes. You can see drawings of ships, graffiti of 16th and 17th Century sailors in the the apse.
Take the track in front of the chapel that gently rambles between fields. Within about 20 minutes you find yourself back at PLAGE DE TAMARONE. Cross the beach climb the large track and either retrace your steps via the headland, or continue on the track, ignore a large climbing track to your left, and shortly after a path plunges into woodland, just before a field, and a stone wall. The path passes through the woods, opens up, to a lane, then the path goes through a gate, and arrives at the beach at Macinaggio.
- Tour de Santa Maria (to Cima di a Campana) 1h00 / 3.5km
For an onward walk. After the tower, continue around the coast to the first beautiful beach cala Genovese and then a second cala Francese. The path follows the coastline through low vegetation before climbing over a ridge, offering your first glimpse of the bay of BARCAGGIO.
- Pass Cima di a Campana (to Barcaggio)1h00 / 3.5km
The path follows the ridgeline before falling steeply towards the Tour d’Agnello. The path now drops down to a small creek, that it follows before crossing an open area with juniper bushes. You cross a small wooded area before arriving at the PLAGE DE CALA. Walk across the beach to the stream ACQUA TIGNESE, cross the bridge over the stream and you arrive in the village of BARCAGGIO, take the boat back to MACCINAGGIO.
Walks in Corsica 