Village side

With its historic heritage and rolling hills of green scrubland plunging down to the blue waters of the coastline, the region offers you a wealth of riches to explore! From Albitreccia to Corrano, via Frasseto, Guitera and Zigliara, discover authentic Corsica through the small villages of our region!

Albitreccia

This 4,500-hectare commune includes several villages: Albitreccia, Molini, Bisina, Monti Rossu, as well as the hamlets of Buselica, Beddi Valli, San Giorghju, a Masina and the small ruined hamlet of U Piano. The Mare à Mare Centre hiking trail crosses these areas on its way to the Col Saint Georges. There are numerous archaeological sites and medieval remains to discover, including seigniorial casteddi and Romanesque chapels. In the 16th century, the village of Albitreccia was called Frasso and was home to the bishops of Ajaccio, who bore the title of Counts of Frasso. In the village, you can visit the medieval church of Sainte Catherine, remodelled in the 19th century, or the granite fountain, Ripa in ghjo, with its frog-shaped spout. The coastline is still wild and unspoilt, with the exception of the large beach at Agosta, which attracts many holidaymakers.

Azilone-Ampaza

At an altitude of 500m, 3km from Santa-Maria-Siché, two villages face each other. Their origins lie in the hamlet of Calcinaghju, which was destroyed by the Moorish. Separated by the A Viuara stream and 4 km apart, Azilone and Ampaza nevertheless form a single unit, with their typical stone houses, pretty porches and small country cemeteries. In Azilone, you can visit the church of Santa Maria with its four-storey bell tower and a recently restored wash-house. In Ampaza, don’t miss the church of Saint Mathieu, with its exposed stonework and bell tower, and the Romanesque chapel of San Salvadori. Every year, the village hosts a major stage in the Tour of Corsica.

Campo

On the road to Zicavo, you’ll discover this charming little village, surrounded by mountains and a forest of centuries-old oak trees, with its typical stone houses and fountains. The village is home to a number of archaeological sites, as well as the ruins of Canavaggio castle, burnt down in 1614 by the Campinchi people themselves in revolt against the local lord.

Cardo-Torgia

Nestling on a hill 420 m above sea level, 1 km south-east of Santa-Maria-Siché, the small village of u Cardu has a few old granite houses grouped around a church dedicated to San Vito. Neighbouring Turghjà is an isolated hamlet with seven typical houses and, to the north, the Romanesque Chapel of San Fruttuoso, rebuilt using original materials. Torgia also boasts a 19th century oil mill and a 16th century Genoese tower, which has been restored and converted into an unusual holiday home.

Cauro

This large village of 2800 hectares overlooks the Ajaccio bay and is crossed by the Prunelli river. Made up of noble buildings, the oldest of which date back to the 15th century, Cauro retains its mountain charm. The village is home to a number of prehistoric sites and remains, including the castle of Alzolu and the castle of Carimaldella. In the parish church of Sainte-Barbe, a listed historic monument, you can admire several paintings donated by Cardinal Fesch. For more than four centuries, the severed head of Sampiero Corso is said to have been sealed in one of the stones of this church.

Ciamannacce

The village of Ciamannacce is a harmonious blend of granite houses with tiled roofs, surrounded by an ancient oak forest and beautiful chestnut groves. Ruins of ancient towers and sixteenth-century grape crushers can be found on the surrounding peaks. It was in fact at the beginning of the 16th century that the inhabitants, who had rallied to the cause of Rinuccio della Rocca, rebelled against Genoa and were massacred by the Genoese captain Niccolo Doria. The parish church of A Nunziata, built in 1930 in the neo-Romanesque style, houses a tabernacle dating back to the Italian Renaissance and frescoes from the 16th and 17th centuries. Also worth a visit is the Santa Lucia chapel, with its miraculous spring gushing from a beautiful granite fountain that has recently been restored. On the banks of the Taravo River, there is a menhir statue of an armed warrior with a woman’s body.

Cognocoli-Monticchi

Several hamlets make up this 3,500-hectare municipality. Cognocoli is famous for its tall, fortified 16th century houses and the church of Saint Nicolas de Bari. The latter houses paintings from the Fesch collection and, in its south chapel dating from 1763, a listed wooden Christ. Pratavone is renowned for its farm produce and wine. The hamlet of Marato, with its church of St Peter, enjoys an exceptional panorama of the left bank of the Taravo. Finally, Gradella is famous for its goat farms. The municipality is home to numerous remains: the San Cumentu chapel, the Romanesque church of San Vincenti, the chapel of Santa Degna, seigniorial castles and oil and flour mills. Monticchi is a group of ruins comprising around ten stone houses and bread ovens, grouped around a restored chapel dedicated to San Vincenti.

corrano

Built into the mountainside, Corrano offers magnificent views of the rocky peaks, the surrounding forests and the region’s farmland (olive groves, vineyards, almond and fig trees). This picturesque village has a wealth of remains, including the ruins of typical granite houses with outdoor ovens, and two Romanesque chapels, San Gavino and Trinité. There is also a chestnut dryer in very good condition. The parish church of Saint-Nicolas has been enlarged and restored many times, but its origins date back to the late Middle Ages.

Coti-Chiavari

At the southern end of the Ajaccio bay, this 6,333-hectare commune comprises two main villages, Coti-Chiavari (at an altitude of 500 m) and Acqua Doria (further down the coast), as well as numerous hamlets and villages. On the seafront, the municipality boasts several beaches: Mare e sole, Verghja, Cupabia, Cala d’Orzu and Portigliolo, punctuated by three emblematic capes: Capu Neru, Capu di Muru and Punta di a Castagna, each with its eponymous Genoese tower. On the land side, there is the Chiavari forest, populated by cork oaks, rockroses and eucalyptus. Halfway between Verghia and Coti Chiavari lies an old nineteenth-century agricultural penitentiary with wine vats, a gunpowder magazine, a cemetery and a dam built by the prisoners.

Cozzano

In the Haut-Taravo region, at the foot of the Col de Verde, the village of Cozzano boasts panoramic views of the surrounding granite peaks, beech and pine forests and a vast chestnut grove. Situated at an altitude of around 750 m, the present-day village is grouped around the parish church of Sainte-Marie. At the beginning of the 17th century, it replaced the medieval town built near the old church of Saint-Césaire, the ruins of which are still visible. It wasn’t until the end of the 19th century that Cozzano really began to expand. The Parata district was developed with the construction of vast mansions. A number of hiking trails leave from the village. Don’t miss U Mondu di U Porcu (the house of the pig), a place dedicated to pig rearing and processing, the most emblematic skill of the Taravo valley.

Forciolo

Lying at the foot of the mountains, upstream from the Taravo, this ancient village is full of character with its large, beautiful granite houses, including U Palazzu, the oldest house in Corsica! Moulded window sills, sculpted doors, vaulted passageways, narrow streets, a wash-house, a fountain and an oven in the Piazza di a Funtana… you’ll discover an urban ensemble that couldn’t be more typical, built around the Church of Saint-Pierre de Furciolo. This was built on the foundations of a very old chapel dedicated to Saint Mary, dating back to the 13th century. The village is also home to the Calcinaghju mill, an old oil mill. Finally, after a 75-minute walk, the ruins of the abbey church of San Petru di Panicali await you.

Frasseto

On the mountainside, the village of Frasseto is quite old and has some fine houses. The village church has a fine bell tower, and the site boasts a beautiful view over the neighbouring valleys. In the 16th century, many inhabitants of the now deserted village of Frasso sought refuge here.

Grosseto-Prugna

The commune of Grosseto-Prugna Porticcio extends over more than 3,000 hectares from the mountains to the sea. Porticcio, the commune’s seafront, cannot be understood without understanding its soul, which lives in the village of Grosseto-Prugna, around thirty kilometres away. Crossed by the main road to Bonifacio, Grosseto is made up of several hamlets organised around the 11th-century church of Saint-Césaire, which overlooks the central square, considered to be one of the most beautiful in Corsica! Dominated by a statue of General Grossetti, a native of the area, this square bears the history of the village. Until the 19th century, it was a cemetery, before becoming a meeting place for the inhabitants. The hamlet of Prugna, spared by the main road, has preserved all its original beauty, with its 16th-century Casa Forte and Torra.

Guarguale

At an altitude of 400 m above the Taravo valley, the village of Guarguale bears witness to its medieval past, with numerous ruins of Romanesque chapels and abandoned hamlets. Below the village, the parish church is dedicated to San Salvatore. There are also some typical village terraced houses, a few fountains and a restored bread oven.

Guitera

This small mountain village in the Haut Taravo region was once renowned for its sulphurous thermal waters, which have not been exploited for several years. The old thermal baths, whose building is now in ruins, are the subject of a rehabilitation project. There are two hamlets: Vutera, the upper village, and Les Bains, on the banks of the Taravu, with the inlet to the thermal spring. There is also a Romanesque chapel in ruins, dedicated to Saint Peter and converted into a tomb. The site of the former pièvane church is now home to a pleasant picnic area above a stream.

Olivese

A mountain village nestling at an altitude of 500 m with a beautiful view over the valley, Olivese has a distinctive architectural character, with its traditional houses, fountains, wash-house, etc. Its neo-classical parish church, dedicated to Saint Augustin, has recently been restored. Another chapel, dating from the early 19th century, is dedicated to Saint Georges and is a popular place of pilgrimage. Nearby, hikers won’t want to miss the Piscia in Alba waterfall. A Genoese bridge, Ponti di a Trinità, built in 1698, crosses the Taravo below the village, linking it to neighbouring Corrano.

Palneca

On the mountainside, at an altitude of 900 m on the Punta di Faiu Tondu, amidst forests of beech and laricci pines, lies the beautiful village of Palneca. Pretty old granite houses, numerous ancient sites, ruins and remains… and even an 800-year-old fir tree make up the heritage of this place. There is the chapel of Sant’Anto di U Porcu, the site of the 28th July pilgrimage, and the ruins of the Santa Maria chapel. The village of Palneca is crossed by the GR20 footpath.

Pietrosella

Situated between the sea and the mountains, on the southern shore of the Ajaccio bay, the commune covers 3,600 hectares. Situated 9 km from the sea and at an altitude of 550 m, the village of Pietrosella is full of old stone houses, in the midst of which has stood the church of Saint-Pierre Saint-Paul since 1862, complete with a bell tower with three bells. The village is also a popular destination for hikers, particularly on the section of the Mare Monti Sud linking Porticcio to Propriano. The municipality has three hamlets close to the coast: Cruciata, Sant’Amanza and Acellasca, the latter of which lies above the Ruppione beach, one of Pietrosella’s many magnificent beaches. Don’t miss the Isolella tower, built between the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries on the Isolella peninsula, at the foot of the Punta di Sette Nave, symbolising, according to legend, seven Barbary galleys petrified by the “Madonuccia” or Saint Roch.

Pila-Canale

Halfway between Ajaccio and Propriano, perched on its hill, this typical village offers a beautiful view of the olive-tree-lined valley and the sea. With its projecting stone houses lined with niches, staircases and narrow streets, Pila-Canale has a rich history. There is the prehistoric site of Castedducciu Calzola, with two statue-menhirs, and a group of Bronze Age dwellings with huts, enclosures and small houses. The church of Saint Pancraziu boasts fine furniture dating from the 17th and 19th centuries. A curiosity: the Calzola bridge over the Taravo, with two bends due to a misalignment between the end arches.

Quasquara

The village of Quasquara, at an altitude of 744 m, offers unrivalled views over the Ornano and Taravo valleys to the Porto-Pollo bay. As a large part of the commune is covered by chestnut groves, Quasquara is famous for its pig farming, its excellent charcuterie and its chestnut flour. There are of course many chestnut drying sheds, as well as a bread oven dating back to 1871. The parish church of Saint-Pierre-Saint-Paul is home to some lovely treasures, including a polychrome wooden Christ from the 17th century and a painting depicting Apollo and Marsyas from the same period.

Sainte Marie Siché

The birthplace of Vanina d’Ornano, Sampiero Corso wife, the famous hero of Corsican history, Sainte-Marie-Sicche is a peaceful village made up of several hamlets situated at an altitude of 500 m, offering splendid views of the green hills. You can still see the house where Vanina was born, executed at the hands of her jealous husband, as well as the Palazzu Sampieru, a fortified house built by Sampiero in the mid-sixteenth century. You can also visit the Romanesque chapel of Santa-Maria and the chapel of Sainte-Lucie, a listed historic monument.

Sampolo

Two villages in the former Pieve du Taravo, Sampolo and Giovicacce, joined forces to form this small 700-hectare municipality located at an altitude of 844 metres. Built on a medieval settlement, Sampolo was remodelled in the 17th and 18th centuries. These were followed by the carefully decorated houses of the gentry, which are still fairly well preserved today. The ancient church of San Polu, restored in the 17th century, stands in the centre of Sampolo. The ruins of a medieval hamlet and the chapel of San Chirgu can be found on the hill opposite. Giovicacce, meanwhile, has preserved two nineteenth-century water mills, one for chestnuts and the other for fulling, bearing witness to the manufacture of fabrics in the village and surrounding area.

Serra di ferro

Bordered to the east by the Taravo valley, the commune extends as far as the coast, with the Porto-Pollo peak and its beach, a small, very pleasant seaside resort with its marina, offering a beautiful panorama of the Valinco bay. Above, the village is surrounded by wooded hills, offering visitors a peaceful and pleasant stopover. For lovers of prehistoric remains, the Neolithic site of Basi and the archaeological site of Filitosa are well worth a visit. In the village of Serra-di-Ferro, you can visit the 19th century church of Sant’Antonu, as well as other small churches and chapels from the same period. From the sublime Cupabia beach, a coastal path leads to the Genoese tower of Capanella, which offers a magnificent view over the whole of Cupabia Bay.

Tasso

At an altitude of 850 m, passing through a beautiful chestnut grove, you come to the highest village in the Taravo: Tasso. Among the sights to see here is the Table du Péché (A Tola di U Piccatu), a flat stone said to have been used for human sacrifices, as evidenced by the human skulls found here. Also worth seeing is the church of San Giacomo, built in 1885 on the site of an earlier Romanesque church, with a spire-topped bell tower containing a carved wooden Christ. An ancient arca, a collective burial ground used until the early nineteenth century, remains from the Romanesque church. Fans of prehistory will find a number of Bronze Age remains in the vicinity.

Urbalacone

On a charming hillside surrounded by chestnut, olive and arbutus trees and vineyards, the tall, elegant facades of Urbalacone’s ancient houses can be seen in the distance. A rich past has left many traces: the ruins of a medieval castle belonging to a mysterious plundering ogre, the ruins of Roman settlements in the Pieve area, a square tower dating back to 1587, the pretty Chiappa fountain… From the parish church of Saint Michel, situated below the village, take a shady country lane to discover the chapel and cemetery of San Giovanni Battista, dating back to the 12th century.

Zevaco

The altitude difference in the commune is 1,000 m, from 300 m on the edge of the Taravo in the south-west to 1,300 m in the north, at the place known as “Manganu”. The village of Zevaco, situated on the edge of the D83 on the hillside, is at the centre of this territory, at an altitude of 700m. Its inhabitants are mainly craftsmen and producers. Here you can sample traditional charcuterie, honey and jams. Remains of the chapels of San Gavinu and Santa Maria, and of an ancient village dating back to the Bronze Age, are just some of the witnesses to the past. The cemetery contains the Arca U Campu Santu, an 18th-century mass grave that bears witness to a tradition of collective burial that existed in the island’s rural environment until it was banned in 1830.

Zicavo

Home to the Abbatuci family, Zicavo is a village of character between the mid and high mountains, between the Incudine forest and the col de la Vaccia. With its granite houses featuring carved porches with keys, the oldest of which, Casa Gaudiani, dates back to 1440, Zicavo invites you to discover its rich cultural heritage. The parish church of the Assumption is home to a 17th-century painting depicting the mystical marriage of Saint Catherine. Several chapels dot the landscape, dedicated to San Risoriu, San Roccu, San Bastianu and San Petru. The latter, around 8 km from the village, is reputed to be miraculous and was a place of pilgrimage until the nineteenth century. Don’t miss the pretty, refreshing waterfall just 1 km outside the village at the Camara bridge.

Zigliara

With the Punta del Castello as a backdrop, this typical small mountain village harmoniously spreads out its ancient houses with beautiful vaulted ceilings. Within the village, you can visit the 17th-century parish church of Sainte-Marie, with its listed bell tower. From here, a pleasant stroll will take you to the Taravo. Just outside the village, overlooking the valley, you’ll see the stunning Ghiesa Nova, a church whose construction began in 1867 but was never completed. Near Zigliara, you’ll also find the Bains de Taccana, thermal baths with sulphurous waters created in 1992 and not used today.

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