A Balagna

A Balagna is set on the edge of a mountain village in northern Corsica, with other houses dotted nearby, surrounded by wonderful landscapes of rugged peaks, trees and pretty Balagne villages. This region is often referred to as the ‘Garden of Corsica’ with good reason.

You can walk into the village where you will find a small grocery store, a bakery and two small village restaurants, including one which belongs to the owner’s hotel where you can dine out on the terrace by the hotel's pool. There’s also an authentic osteria serving traditional Corsican fare on the edge of the village.

As well as the owner’s lovely hotel in the village, a 19th-century palazzu (ask for a tour of some of the original features), you can also visit the family winery which produces a delicious red, white and rosé wine, all of which are highly regarded in the area, part of the Vin de Corse-Calvi AOC.

You are incredibly well placed to visit other beautiful villages of the Balagne. Start with Speloncato (7km), dating back to Neolithic times, with its incredible views then wind back to Pigna (14km) with its ceramic and music traditions and Aregno (11km) with its pretty churches and annual almond festival.

Spend time exploring the old village of Sant'Antonino (12km), one of France’s ‘Plus Beaux Villages’ with steep narrow lanes and beautiful buildings. It’s a lovely place to stop for lunch with a couple of restaurants making the most of the glorious views towards the sea.

There are many walking trails across this region, some leading from A Balagna’s local village itself and others which link Balagne’s hilltop villages. One such example is the trail between Lumio (17km) and the abandoned village of Occi where you are rewarded with spectacular views over the countryside and sea.

The Balagne region also offers activities such as rock-climbing, canyoning, paragliding and horse-riding or even donkey treks around Sant'Antonino. There is also a superb golf course around twenty minutes away, Golf Reginu. You can of course find a wide range of watersports along the coast with the main centres in Calvi and Algajola offering jet-ski, kayaks, paddle boarding, sailing, snorkelling, diving and more.

Indeed, it’s only about 25 minutes to reach the coast where you will find beautiful sandy beaches and crystal-clear seas. Plage de Bodri (18km) is a lovely spot, as is Sant Ambroggio and the sandy beach with its watersports at Algajola, with many smaller coves and beaches backed by maquis and pine trees dotted inbetween. Heading east, the wild and remote Plage de L’Ostriconi enjoys a glorious setting at the beginning of the Désert des Agriates.

The nearest town, L'Île-Rousse (16km), is a charming seaside port where you can watch old men play boules on the main square, enjoy the town’s traditional or beachside cafes and restaurants and take a pleasant walk along the waterfront to the lighthouse. There’s always a lovely ambience in the town and it’s a great place to pick up produce from the covered market or shop in larger supermarkets.

There’s also the charming little train, U Trinichellu, which runs between Calvi and L'Île-Rousse via Algajola, stopping off at lovely beaches on the way.

Calvi (27km) is another wonderful town to visit for the day with its marina, beach, lovely old town and citadel and many pleasant restaurants and atmospheric bars. From the marina you can take boat excursions to visit the protected Scandola Reserve on the dramatic west coast, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Read more about Northern Corsica