Walk : Shady walk, ideal for families. Picnic and swimming at the mare e sol beach. Can also be done by mountain bike.
Description: From Porticcio to the Coti Chiavari forest about 15 km = 20 min by car. Lots of shaded paths, and wider alleys among the superb hundred year old eucalyptus trees planted by the prison administration when they started to cultivate the land. There are also many cork oaks in excellent condition.
History : Coti prison is a picturesque site with an undoubtedly hard and difficult past. It was built in 1855, and the ruins are halfway between Verghia and Coti Chiavari on a small plain with an unimpaired view over Ajaccio Gulf. In 1870 the prisoners built a dam which retained 24 000 m3 water. There used to be around 800 prisoners, there is also a woman’s prison but there are hardly any ruins of this left today.
Itinerary : From Porticcio, follow the RN55 for about 15 km, which will take you to Mare e Sol beach. Just after the beach, turn left to Coti Chiavari village. The narrow road winds up the mountains for about 3km to the old prison. where the walk starts. The different buildings of the prison, which were put into service by Napoleon, are useful for getting your bearings. The main path leaves from the larger restored building (the building was the men’s prison) and will take you to the women’s prison which is also called Laticapso (and is on the IGN maps as a ruin). During your walk you come across small cemeteries and old stone walls hidden under the undergrowth, this is all that is left of the hard labour of the prisoners’ years ago.
Easy walk – 1h30 roundtrip
