Excursions in Bastia

guide-balade-ANG-09.qxp:BASTIA 1/04/09 15:32 Page 1


tour n° 1

Baroque style of Bastia

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walking tour - 1/2 day

tour n° 2

Bastia -Monserato Chapel -Cardo12-19

walking tour - 1/2 day

tour n° 3

Bastia -Heading for North20-25

personal car - 1/2 day

tour n° 4

Bastia -Heading for South26-29

personal car - 1/2 day

Useful Iinformation

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Bastia possesses a baroque heritage of anastonishing richness which can easily bediscovered as long as we start from theinescapable Saint Nicolas Square.

By taking Napoleon’s street, where theformer stables have been replaced by smartshops, we discover on the left hand side a reli-gious edifice offering a neoclassical severefrontage, modified at the beginning of the20 th century.

Saint Roch Brotherhood Oratorydates from 1604. Inside, side walls offer panelshung with crimson damask, punctuated withgolden pilasters. The motives in grisaille andfoliages decorating the vault are dated the 18 th

TOWN OF ART AND HISTORY


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century. The high altar altarpiece in poly-chrome marbles presents a painting of the 18 thcentury. The gallery shelters a splendid Italianwalnut sculpted and gilded organ dating from1750. Lastly, Saint Roch processional statue(celebrated on the 16 th of August) is exposedsince the 18 th century in a recess on the leftof the entrance. The vocation of Saint Rochbrotherhood was to support condemned per-sons, assist ill people and bury the dead.

A hundred metres away on the left, comingout from Saint Roch oratory, you will see the

frontage of the Immaculate Conceptionbrotherhood oratory. Built once in 1589, it wasenlarged and embellished in 1611. The strict ex-ternal rigour is greatly compensated by the rich-ness of the inside decoration. We can find herethe same architectural motives as in Saint Roch,but greatly enriched with gilts and frescoes. Thepenetrating vault is decorated with paintingsrepresenting the Immaculate Conception andthe Prophets. The string course, decorated withfoliages and grisailles (The Apostles and theEvangelists) would be the work of the painterGirolamo Ribieco (1806). On both sides of the


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high altar, are the portraits of Pope Pie VII andHis Lordship Sebastiani, bishop of Corsica from1802 to 1831. The altarpiece, dating from thebeginning of the 18 th century, is made of poly-chrome marbles. It is crowned with a brokenpediment in the centre of which stands up therisen Christ holding the oriflamme. In the cen-tre, the splendid copy of Murillo’s ImmaculateConception is enriched with a rare silver lamp:the snake coils up the tree of the Garden of

Eden surmounted by a crescent. The sidechapels of the 18 th century, are dedicated toSaint Joseph (on the left of the altar) and to Cru-cifixion (on the right hand side). There, a superbChrist of typical baroque style stands out on apainted panel, which represents the bearing ofthe cross dating from the 15 th century. In a re-cess, the Immaculate Conception Virgin proces-sional statue (18 th century) is carried throughthe alleys of the lower town every 8 th of De-

cember. During the Anglo-Corsi-can kingdom period, the sessionsof the Parliament took place inthis chapel. The throne (remainedempty) of King Georges III ofEngland was then set on the highaltar and the Viceroy Sir Elliot’sthrone was set at the bottom ofthe steps. Each time a sessionstarted, the « God Save the King »was stroke up by the audienceand accompanied on the littleorgan still standing above the en-trance drum. Coming out fromthe chapel, the pebble mosaic or-namental tiling figuring the


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moon, the sun and a star deserves to be re-marked.

By taking the sloping alley on the left, weget to the market place where stands up SaintJean Baptiste church. Built between 1636 and1671 on the site of a sanctuary considered as too

small, it was opened to worship in 1666. Its ma-jestic frontage, showing strictly proportionedprofiles, is flanked by two steeples crowned withdomes. The porch opens onto the last row of thenave, which dimension corresponds to thelength of the previous edifice, located perpen-dicularly to the present sanctuary. The inside of

the church surprises by its impos-ing dimensions. This church is asa matter of fact, the largest oneon the whole island. Its planshowing one unique nave andfive row aisles, is enriched by adeep choir. The central medal-lion of the vault representingChrist’s Christening, is sur-rounded by golden stuccoes,plaster works and paintingswidely enlightened by high win-dows. The side chapels all offerpolychrome marble altarpieces,and the superb high altar showsthe actual virtuosity of its maker.Saint Erasme chapel(Sailors’Brotherhood) offers avery original and exceptionallyrich marble altarpiece. Paintingsdecorating the edifice partiallycome from Fesch’s legacy. Mostof them date from the 18 th cen-tury. The splendid tabernacle inrepoussé silver of the high altar,and its matching piece adorningthe Virgin altar are dated the19 th century (silversmith,


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G. Macchi). The preaching pulpit dating fromthe 18 th is admirable. The organ loft is partic-ularly original because of its « bird’nest » shape.The monumental instrument surmounting it isrichly decorated with golden trophies.

A walk around the Old Port leads toRomieu Gardens, greenery oasis overhang-ing the port. A gallery running under the citywalls located in the gardens leads to the citadel.

The citadel dates from the foundation ofthe town in 1381.

The Genoese Governors Palace, withits lovely baroque façade, sheltered Genoese ad-ministration until 1768. The ramparts-Louis XVI door- Donjon square. On theright hand side of Louis XVI door, whose royalcoat of arms was banished during the revolu-tion, we can see the ancient Genoese gallowson the ramparts. The donjon square used to bethe heart of the Genoese town. On one angle,was a stone slab, a « lastrone », which use ap-pears to be strange. When a shopkeeper was ac-cused of cheating his customers, he wasbrought on this stone and after he was put

« bare-bottomed » ! he used to staythere all day long under thecrowd’s gibes. In the evening, hewas brought back to his shopwhere the sergeants in arms brokehis counter with sledgehammers.This broken counter, « bancarota » in Italian, gave birth to theword bankruptcy.

Taking Notre Dame (OurLady) street, we get to the cathe-


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dral square. Saint Marie Cathedral waserected between 1604 and 1619. It offers a nicefaçade, broken with pilasters and capitals. Theinside plan is composed of a unique nave withaisles. The cathedral is splendidly decorated.We shall note that the marble pavement wasachieved for the visit of the Empress Eugeniede Montijo, wife of Napoleon III. The boneswhich remained under the former paving (forthe church used to be used as burial) havefilled in the bishops’crypt located under the

master-altar. The hats of the 7 bishops whowere buried there, hung on the side vaults ofthe choir. The lovely silver Virgin sitting in arecess of the right bay dates from the 19 thcentury. At first, it should have been very muchsmaller, but the munificence of the people ofBastia, accumulated so much money, that thesilversmith Gaetano Macchi, gave birth to awork weighing almost 650 kg of fine silver.The large choir is decorated with lovely stallsdating from the 19 th century. A few very in-


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teresting paintings embellish theedifice. The most interesting oneis surely the one which deco-rates the chapel near the leftalley. This lovely « Assumption ofthe Virgin » from LeonoroAquilani dates back to 1512.

The Holy Cross brother-hood Oratory.The Holy Cross brotherhood isthe oldest one of the town, it al-ready existed in the beginning ofthe 15 th century and it has beenregistered as Ancient Monumentin 1931. The rococo style spreadsout with grace and exuberance.The Miracles crucifix chapel isparticularly remarkable with itspainted caissons dating from theRenaissance era and the BlackChrist set in the niche. ThisChrist, renowned as a miraculous one, wasfound in 1428 by two fishermen from Bastiaoff the town. It was brought back to the oldport and « watched over » during the night bypious women. It was found in the morninghanging up in the branches of a tree on theprecise spot where the chapel was erected. It isalso to be noted that this chapel was built on aland belonging to the Holy See. Within a fewsteps, the visitor finds himself on… Vaticanland. The Holy Cross brotherhood used to takein charge the foundlings home, which directlycommunicated with the Black Christ chapel.The processional group, typically baroque, rep-

resents the Annunciation. An Annunciationmuch more ancient (mannered style from themedieval period) decorates two niches in themiddle of the nave.



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Saint Nicolas SquareThis splendid esplanade, 300 metres long, 90metres wide, holds its name from a small

chapel dedicated to Saint Nicolas, which stoodthere in times past. Destroyed during the ex-tension of the square during the 19 th century,the chapel left its name to the square (by su-perstition as the saying goes !). The war me-morial presents a lovely group of bronze due

to the shears of the Patriarch. It has the partic-ularity of representing a scene of the wars ofIndependence. A widow who had two of her

sons killed, offered her 3rd child of16 years old to the general Paoli, say-ing : « He belongs to you, to theCountry ». The statue of the Em-peror which sits enthroned on theSouth end of the square is the workof the Florentine artist, Bartolini. Hehad received an order for this statuefrom the princess Elisa (sister ofNapoleon the 1 st) who wished toset it on a public square. The collapseof the Empire prevented the artistfrom delivering its work, and manyyears later, the statue was sold to thetown of Bastia. Between the statueand the sea, in the past, was a heap« it goes up » where stood a gallows.This execution place was razed to theground during the 18 th century.


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Napoléon StreetMost of the buildings lining this shoppingstreet display votiveplates calling for di-vine protection. Theoratory of Saint Rochbrotherhood datingfrom the year 1604,was the seat of thebrotherhood bearingthe same name. Itsmembers had author-ity to bury the deadones, and to give assis-tance to the dying andsick ones. In the in-side, we may see the

lovely processional statue of the Saint dated the18 th century. The splendid organ case insculpted walnut and gilded, dating from 1750deserves to be seen.

A hundred metres away in the same street,stands the Oratory of the ImmaculateConception. Its small square is cobbled withpebbles representing the moon, the sun and astar. The inside of the edifice is remarkablyrich. We shall point out that in this chapel tookplace the Anglo Corsican Parliament sessionsfrom 1794 to 1796. The throne of KingGeorges III of England was at that time sym-bolically set on the top of the altar steps. Fur-ther down, was set the throne of the Viceroy,Sir Gilbert Elliot. During each session, the as-sistance started singing « God Save the King »accompanied by the little Italian organ locatedabove the entrance.


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The Market Square - Saint Jean Bap-tiste Church - The Old PortOn this esplanade, in the old days, stood the for-mer municipal theatre built by the Count Mar-beuf, governor of Corsica. The edifice was builtin wood by someone called… Picasso during the18 th century. Saint Jean Baptiste church liningthe square is an actual curiosity. As a matter of fact,its baroque façade looks towards the citadel in-stead of being positioned towards the square asthe ostentation featuring this style would suggestit. This appeared to be the will of people and no-tables coming from the lower town to deride theupper town population which boasted in the18 th century, that they had the most beautifulsanctuary of the town, Sainte Marie cathedral.The inside of the church is particularly harmo-

nious, it is the largest one of Corsica. One of thecuriosities of the edifice is probably the stuccohigh relief surmounting the statue of Saint JeanBaptiste in the choir. As a matter of fact, the Cir-cumcision (!) of the baby Jesus is very rarely rep-resented.

The large building lining a large part of theOld Port cove was demolished during a bomb-ing occurred during the Second World War. Itwas practically rebuilt exactly as it was by thearchitect Pouillon. The areastill bears the scarsof this tragic episode.


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Saint Charles Borromée ChurchThis lovely baroque edifice has the extremelyrare particularity (maybe even unique) of notoffering the right of asylum. As a matter of fact,the Genoese governor of the time imposed thiscondition before authorizing its construction.Dedicated to Saint Ignatius of Loyola, thechurch changed its dedication when SaintCharles brotherhood settled up in this sanctu-ary after the expulsion of the Society of Jesusin 1768. Saint Charles Borromée brotherhood(archbishop of Milan, dead in 1584) wasfounded in 1640. Its oratory, located close to

the present Romieu garden, was de-stroyed in 1747 on the order of theGenoese representative, Mari, whohad all constructions around TerraNova razed to the ground, as safetymeasures. The inside decoration hasalmost disappeared during the pastcenturies. Only the choir, with the tri-umphal altarpiece of the high altar,preserved its original decoration. Thepainting, set in a rich golden wooddecoration as icons, represents the Vir-gin of Lavasina, celebrated on the 8 thof September. The processional statueof the Virgin with the child located inthe glass niche dates from the 18 thcentury. Finally, you must know thatthe organs as well as the front doorleaves installed in 1886, come fromSaint Jean Baptiste church.

From the stairs located on the lefthand-side coming out of the church,

we get on Miséricorde (Mercy) alley, whichtakes its name from an ancient oratory, todayclosed down and converted into a cinema.

At the end of the alley, get on Paoli Boule-vard over a hundred metres. Facing you,proudly standing at the top of an imposingflight of stairs, are the Law Courts. Construc-tion which started in 1852 up to 1856, it pos-sesses a superb inner colonnade in bluemarble, coming from Corte. Getting roundthe Law Courts by the right and taking thefirst alley on the left which runs along its en-closure, we get to a flight of stairs which de-


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serves to be taken, in order topursue our walk.

Within a few minutes thesestairs will lead you right in themiddle of the countryside. Thevarious points of view which willmark out your route will allowyou to admire the islands of theTuscan archipelago (from left toright : Capraïa, Elba, Pianosa andMonte Cristo).

Once right up the stairs, go tothe left hand side and follow theindications « Scala Santa ». The lit-tle pastoral path you will takepasses in front of Alzeto fountain,one of the most ancient in Bastiaas the slab set in its recess indi-cates it.

Monserato ChapelA few hundred metres away, thevenerable Chapel of Monseratostands up. Only the highest placesof Christendom possess the privi-lege it enjoys. As a matter of fact, anyone whowill climb the « Holy Stairs » on his knees « ina sincere contrition spirit » will be absolved fromhis sins. This privilege was granted to the peopleof Bastia by the Pope Pie VII in recognition ofthe reception granted to the 424 Roman priestsand prelates exiled in Corsica for having refusedto take the oath to Napoleon the 1 st. Mistakein the agreement about the location, this Scalawas only installed on the 16 th of November1884! The inside decoration is baroque style. In

the apse stands a lovely mar-ble statue of the Virgin withthe Child dating from 1637.The left chapel is dedicatedto Saint Pancrace, celebratedon the 12 th of May. Thestairs covered with red vel-vet, lead to an altar where intimes past, relics were exhib-ited and venerated at theend of steps ascent.


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Cardo VillageComing out of the oratory, retrace your stepsup to the B road, which you will take over ahundred metres on your left. The first road onyour right hand side climbing up, will lead youin 25 minutes to the village of Cardo. Do notmiss on your way the famous «Turkish chapel »of the Villayet, unique example of « folly » ex-isting in Corsica. At the entrance of the village,the small stone bridge was the witness of a

moving story : At the end of the18 th century, a few soldiers ofthe Directory army were busybuilding this bridge under thecommand of a young officer. Ayoung girl of the village, MarieBenedetti used to pass by the siteseveral times a day to draw waterfrom the fountain. The youngand handsome soldier was notindifferent to her and her glanceswere so eloquent that they setthe soldier’s heart on fire. Thework was practically finishedwhen our young man decided todeclare his sentiments to thebeautiful girl. The hero of ourstory then went to meet hisbeloved’s father and his proposalof marriage was violently turneddown. A rich and honourablefamily could not accept such abad match, without any fortunenor future. With a heavy heart,our poor Lieutenant left Corsicaa few days later. During

Napoleon wars, he fought with such a courageand abnegation, that he was noticed by theEmperor. He ended one day with his EmpireMarshal’s baton. Maybe once he became theKing of Sweden, the Marshal Bernadottewould bitterly smile while thinking back aboutthe love of his youth, while sitting on histhrone he received the tributes of his subjects.In Cardo, Marie Benedetti remained faithful toher love pledge. She refused to get married de-


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spite all the attractive matches who presentedthemselves.It is said, that once she got very old, the younggirl she was, could have become the Queen ofSweden, she used to come very often to sit onthe bridge parapet thinking about her lostlover. It should be noted that the village ofCardo is mentioned in « Colomba » written byProsper Mérimée.Ancestor of the town of Bastia, its existencewas mentioned for a long time ago. Thus, thepresent old Port of the town used to be calledPorto-Cardo long ago before the « bastilla » ex-isted. The village has several baker’s ovens, washhouses and fountains. The water coming fromthe church square was renowned for long agobecause of its purity. In past times, many inhab-itants of Cardo used to go and sell it in Bastia.Saint Etienne’s church is a lovely and vast edi-fice dated the 19 th century. Getting inside, wediscover a surprising neo-baroque decoration

mixed with neo-gothic.Some paintingsare remarkable. Some ofthem come from Fesch’slegacy. The large altar-piece surmounting thehigh altar figures the« stoning of Saint Eti-enne » first martyr dea-con. The organ case isneo-gothic style. It holdsan Italian instrumentdating from the 19 thcentury.On the village square, a

situation plan allows you to visualize the routeof the ice path which is the object of a separatebrochure.Within 1 hour and 30 minutes, on foot, youwill get to these edifices built with stones inthe 17 th and 18 th centuries, designed for pre-serving the ice collected during the winter, tocut it up in bars and sell it at the height of thesummer.If you wish to come back to Bastia, just takethe road on the right hand side coming outfrom the church.It will lead you to theB-road N° 81, pass-ing in front of theVetrice tower (asquare dwellingtower which hasbeen perfectly re-stored) dating fromthe 15 th century.


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COAST ROAD CIRCUITIn the north of Bastia are hidden wonderfullittle villages. Crossing the Corsican scrub,olive and chestnut trees, between see andmountain, go in search of the villages ofBrando, Santa Maria di Lota, San Martinodi Lota, Ville di Pietrabugno and Cardo.

The seashore road you will take is lined withmany shingle creeks and beaches. Do not hesitateto make a stop and spend a pleasant relaxingmoment.

Starting from Bastia, take B-road 80 towardsthe Cap Corse up to the marina of Lavasina. Thesanctuary of Our Lady of Lavasina, built in 1577,is the object of a very popular pilgrimage on the8 th of September, day of the Virgin’s Nativity.You will admire the « miraculous painting »overhanging the major altar, as well as theprocessional statue of the Virgin with the Child,taken out in procession every year on the 8 th ofSeptember.

Carry on until you reach the fishermen’svillage of Erbalunga. Stroll through the alleys ofthe little port up to the Genoese tower, anchoredin the sea. The church of the village is entirelyconsecrated to Saint Erasmus, fishermen’s patron.

Return to Bastia and take B-road 54 towardsMausoleo. Make a stop to admire the twochurches of the hamlet. Our Lady of the Snows,the smallest one, built during the 10 th century, islisted. The largest one, Saint Mary, was builtduring the 17 th century in order to replace OurLady of the Snows, which had become toocramped.

Continue along the road towards Pozzu. Youwill cross a quarry, where the famous stone ofBrando is quarried. A few metres away on the left,below the road, there is a small chapel accessibleon foot, where the sight over the marina ofErbalunga and the Cap Corse is exceptional. Makea stop in the village of Pozzu, set high up on thehill. You will admire the listed Ferdinandi’s house. Itwas built in 1487 on the hillside, with stonescoming from Brando quarry. Further down, is San

Giovanni Battista’s chapel,baroque style, built in1723 by CarloFerdinandi on hisreturn from Americawhere he made his fortune.This private chapel joinsFerdinandi’s house throughan outdoor odd passageoverhanging an alley.


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Going back towards Bastia (get back on B-road 54 on your right-hand side), you will be ableto see the Capuccini ancient convent and itsadjoining church; the convent church, well-proportioned, is each year the scene of HolyWeek events. A « sepolcru » (entombment) is thenfeigned in a very realistic and harrowing way. Onthe square the « granitula » traditional processionalso takes place. The origin of this spectacularprocession is very ancient. It is a custom that

people taking part in the ceremony, form a spiralwhich centre is the Cross carried by a penitentwith bare feet. The ancient convent is a privateproperty. Afterwards, you will cross the smallvillage called Poretto.

Once you are back on the seashore, go tothe marina of Miomo (towards Bastia). This smallmarina became with the passing years a very busyfashionable sea resort. A Genoese tower dated the16 th century, positioned on green shale outcrops,dominates the shingle beach. Near the tower, havea look at the lovely private chapel offering abaroque decoration. Miomo is the marina ofSanta Maria di Lota council. The origin of thename would come from « common » for it wasthe common possession of the three hamlets ofthis village located in the Pieve di Lota. During

Pisa and Genoa ages, the Pieve used to beadministrative units. Administrative and religious,territorial divisions, they approximatelycorrespond to the district.

Take B-road 31 in direction of Figarella,hamlet dominated by the Monte Prunu, 1184 m.Make a stop in the hamlet of Partine where thesmall church Santa Maria Assunta conceals atriptych dated the 16 th century, offeringimposing dimensions, representing theAnnunciation. Retracing your steps in Figarelladirection, you will walk along the walls of SaintHyacinthe convent. A mission of Polish Sisterstook up residence for several years in the splendidbuildings surrounded by a hectare hundred-year-old olive grove covering. They manage StHyacinthe House which offers low price housingand catering.

Get back on the road towards Figarella.Once in the village, starting from the churchsquare, you may walk in the alleys where you willfind an ancient wash house-fountain which offers


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an extremely rare “butter-producing system”. Youmust not miss the « American houses » inparticular the Cagninacci palace set back theSaint Antoine church. Saint Antoine churchpossesses splendid Italian organs as well asinteresting paintings dated the 17 th and 18 thcenturies, and imposing Baccarat crystalchandeliers. A nice walk of half an hour startingfrom the heights of Figarella will lead you to thevillage of Mandriale. There, you will discover aGenoese humpback bridge built in 1600, as wellas a lovely fountain along the riverside.Saint Jean pass, 802 metres high, departure fromMandriale in direction of Casalta House. In1hour and 15 minutes, you will reach the rusticSaint John’s chapel (pilgrimage every year inMay). Following the Monte Stello path, in10 minutes, you will be able to slake your thirst inthe « Traversede » source, and then within10 more minutes, you will join the « BoccaAntiglié » (splendid view over the 2 seas).

While driving along the road leading to SanMartino, you will admire an impressive waterfalland many rivers hidden in the lush vegetation.Before getting into the village and at 150 metreseast from the hamlet of de Mola, stands a largebuilding holding a small cloister. It is in fact aCapuchin ancient convent dated the beginningof the XVI° century. In times past, it was theresidence of the Grand Inquisitor of Corsica. Itwas transformed into a castle at the beginning ofthe XIX° century by the Count RomainCagninacci who gave it his name. Today, it is aprivate property which offers bed and breakfast.San Leonardo pass, 855 metres high, departurefrom the hamlet of Mucchiete (TV relay station)

in 1h30. Follow the track for two kilometres,then the path crossing the river up to the newtrack serving the EDF network (electricitynetwork) up to the pass.

Get back to the main square of the villagewhere Saint Martin church stands up, built on thesite of an old fort and a chapel dated the XIII°century.Its neoclassical façade shelters an imposing navewhere a remarkable marble Virgin, dated the 17 thcentury, is exposed, as well as a beautiful inlaidtabernacle. The church square, the « sacraziu », wasin the old days the place where the parishionersused to be buried. A common grave, « the arca »received the bodies. The Holy Cross brotherhoodlocated by the church, is converted every yearinto a Palms weaving workshop. This traditionwhich is perpetuated here, sincethe Middle Ages, gathers theinhabitants who rival invirtuosity to achieve weavedpalm master-pieces, solemnlyworn during Palm Sundayprocessions.Several among them are exposed inthe chapel. Make a stop and take abreath of fresh air, in the shade


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of the plane trees, while admiring the splendidpanorama over the Lota valley. A few metres away,on the right hand side towards the “Corniche”hotel-restaurant (member of the chain « Logis deFrance »), make a halt in the baker’s shop whoperpetuates traditional bread making.

Along the panoramic road which will leadyou to Ville di Pietrabugno, several stops cannotbe ignored. At the first halt, you will be able toadmire the Cap Corse as well as its numerousmarinas. At the second one, you will enjoy anunrestricted view over the town of Bastia and thelake of Biguglia. All along, you will see the Tuscanarchipelago islands emerging, Elba island, Capraï,Monte Cristo as well as Pianosa.

Ville di Pietrabugno, (the origin of the nameof this village should come from the Latin word« villae » : hamlet, and « petra a bugna » : stonehive). You will discover all the small hamlets

forming this village, mainly affluent, with aspermanent feature, a splendid view over theregion of Bastia. You will also see the remains ofa square tower built approximately in 1100.The beautiful Saint Felicity and Saint Luciachurch dates from 1796. It has been erected on asanctuary dated from 1562, which unfortunatelybecame too cramped. The inside style is baroque.You will be able to admire a triptych dated 1577which surmounts the high altar, as well as severalpaintings dated the 17 thand 18 th centuries. TheItalian organs are due to the builder Luigi Ferrariwho installed them in 1837.Located in the smallhamlets, Alzeto, Guaïtella, Astima andCasevecchie, houses dating from the 15 th and16 th centuries, fountains, wash houses, oil presses,baker’s ovens and several small votive chapelsdeserve to be visited. (Saint Pancrace, Saint Roch,Saint Mary and Saint Paul).We suggest a splendid walk from an interesting« Arboretum » presenting the various bushes andplants which are endemic to the region, (start bythe road of the fort of Toga, B-road 80). Then,take the hike path up to Alzeto hamlet (1h30),you will get to the path leading to the remains ofthe former glaciers, called « nivere » (4h). Thisedifice, presenting a circular shape, which is halfburied in the ground, is located on the mountain,at the pass crossed by the path leading to Farinole,below San Colombanu. The elders used to stockthe snow fallen during the winter and then sell itto the rich merchants and notables of Bastia, whoused it to keep food and drinks fresh or to makeice-creams. The inside of the Nivere is remarkablefrom an architectural point of view. There are two“apses”, surmounted by vaults on each side of a


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dividing wall. The "ice tubs", constitute two holesof 5 up to 6 metres in diameter and 3 metres indepth. The roof is made of slate stones set incorbelled construction.On the seaside, you will see the Port of Toga, builtin 1989, which may shelter 400 boats. As soon asthe Roman era, in this place, a stone quarry wasworked to make tiles (« tegula » in Latin, whichis probably the cause of the name Toga).

Getting back on B-road 31 and then B-road231 in direction of Cardo, you will get to the laststep of our route: the village of Cardo. This smallvillage which existed before the town of Bastia(Bastia was formerly called Porto-Cardo) offerscalm and rest through its typical alleys. The villagesquare offers an unrestricted view over Bastia andover many splendid buildings which belonged tothe notables of the town. Saint Etienne churchwhich frontage rises above the main square,possesses beautiful organs with neo-gothic cases, as well as two statues dated the 17 thcentury and several paintings coming from Fesch’slegacy. On the square, refresh yourself at thefountain. (The water of Cardo is renowned forits purity, its perfect preservation and its mineralpowers). During last century, the people of thevillage used to go and sell it everyday in Bastia.You also have the possibility of enjoying local

specialities in the Corsican product shop locatedin the heart of the village.A panel located near the fountain will inform youabout the various walks available around thevillage (including the path of Cardo’s glaciers).These two glaciers respectively date from the16 th and 18 th centuries. The Genoese governorswho followed one another, required a dailydelivery of 50 pounds of ice, from spring toautumn (which means approximately 1000pounds per year). These blocks of ice also suppliedthe hospitals which used it to calm sick personspains. In the vicinity of the « Nivere » you may seeseveral sources, remains of an ancient copperfactory chimney, sheep-folds and a curious site ofmill stones extraction. At 1 km from the village(Southway) is set the lovely Vetrice Pisan towerfacing the Genoese cemetery, thus called becauseit dated from the period when only the Genoesefamilies where buried there. Nowadays, thedescendants of these families still get buried there.

Practical Information:Monuments and churches:The church of Lavasina is open everyday from 7.00am up to 7.00 pm. The church of Erbalunga isopen during the day in thesummer. The other religiousedifices are closed to thepublic except during churchservices. If you wish furtherinformation, please contact thetown-halls of the villages in question.The American houses and oldbuildings are private, therefore theycannot be visited.



In the south of Bastia, you will findmany sites worth seeing which may bediscovered within a day.

While leaving the town centre by the mainroad 193 towards Ajaccio, coming out of thetunnel, you will go past the Fountain and the WashHouse of Ficajola. The water of this fountain wasvery famous in the old days for its perfectpreservation qualities at sea. Sailors used to comeand anchor in the cove of Ficajola to shelter fromviolent winds and stock up drinking water. Keepon the main road 193 until you get to theroundabout of Furiani (Casino Hyper-market onthe right hand side).

You will get to the village of Furiani by takingthe road on the right hand side once you get tothe roundabout. Once you get to the village, youshould park at the entrance on provided parkingareas and carry on with the visit, strolling throughthe typical alleys to discover Corsican typical ruralheritage (ovens, wash houses, fountains). TheGenoese tower of defence overlooks the smalltown. This tower used to be the central point ofthe battle carried on by Genoa against theindependent Corsican people led by Pascal Paoliat the end of the 18 th century. History reportsthat this extremely violent battle which lastedseveral months sparked off the definitive departureof the Genoese army out of Corsica and itstransfer to France. From the tower, a splendidpoint of view over the lake of Chiurlinu, the plain,the town of Bastia and the islands of the Tuscan

archipelago. (45 mn walk, Santa Maria Assuntachurch 9 th/10 th century).Discovery and nature:Coming back on the plain, when you get to theroundabout, go in direction of Marana offshorebar (B-road 107)

At about a hundred metres, on the right handside, you will see the famous stadium of Furiani.

When you leave the stadium, turn on theright to get to Pietra Brewery. Visit of theequipments – Free tasting session of the famouschestnut beers (Pietra – Colomba – Serena). Thisfirm also studied History and discovered that itwas a Corsican, exile in New York,who created more than a centuryago, the famous Coca-cola. Asan allusion and a tribute, Pietralaunched a singular productwhich will surprise you:Corsica Cola. And finally,latest creation of thecollaboration with Mavella’sdistillery, Pietra gets closerto its Irish cousin, creating a

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100 % Corsican whisky, called P & M.All theseproducts and their making are to be discoveredduring the visits which take place during thesummer, from Monday to Friday, from 10h30 amto 12h30 am and 2 pm to 6 pm.Tel: 04 95 30 14 70When you leave the Brewery, keep on the righthand side for 500 metres.

The nature reserve of Chiurlinu lake,commonly called lake of Biguglia. This lake, totallynatural is made of brackish water, mixing Bevincowater, river which has its source in the mountains,and Tyrrhénienne water which comes in througha gully in the North of the lake. There are manyways to discover this exceptional site, in particularby the richness of its fauna, 240 species live there,or its flora, with more than 300 vegetal listedspecies. You will discover many species of fishes,birds, batrachians, reptiles or insects, from the mostfamous ones to the most unexpected ones. For

those who are fond of sports, the cycle track willallow you to go along the lake, on bikes or rollerskates. For the stroller ones, there are two walkingpaths along the site. At last for the most assiduous,and fond of nature, during the whole summerperiod, from Monday to Friday, visits areorganized starting from the place known asTombulu Biancu. These recreational andenriching visits will delight children as well asadults. The visits take the full morning in order todiscover the site quietly, without being exhaustedby the sun and the heat. For further information,please contact the lake of Biguglia.Tel: 04 95 33 55 73


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Marana Lido: All along Marana Lido road,you will discover splendid sand beaches borderedwith pinewoods. Many of them are equipped andoffer many sport and nautical activities. Severalrestaurants offer the possibility of tasting localspecialities, among which the Boutargue: (driedfish eggs (mullets)). And to finish, this idealvacation resort counts many hotels, holiday centresand camping sites.Culture and heritage:By taking the Marana Lido road southwards, weget to the Mariana archaeological site and theancient Canonica cathedral.

The Canonica roman cathedral was solemnlyconsecrated in 1119 and dedicated to Santa MariaAssunta (Assumption of the Virgin Mary), by thearchbishop of Pisa, papal legate. Small-sized withits 33 metres from East to West, this church wasbuilt according to a basilica plan, with a centralnave wider and higher than the side naves and asemi-circular apse covered with a cul-de-fourvault. Construction material is polychrome, startingfrom grey-yellow to pale green, even passing by

blue and orange shades. It is in fact shale, akind of marble, coming from the quarriesof Brando in the Cap Corse. The door ofthe west façade is decorated withinterlacing running onto the monolithlintel and on the archivolt which outlines abare tympanum surmounted by sixvoussoirs sculpted with animals: from leftto right a lion, two winged griffins face toface, a lamb carrying the Cross (symbol ofvictory over evil), a wolf and at last, a stag

chased by a dog. Surrounding the cathedral,the excavations of Mariana’s early Christian site, arethe most complete ever achieved in Corsica. It wasMarius who, in 93 before J.-C. founded and gaveits name to a colony constituted by the veterans ofhis campaigns against the pirates. August (27before J.-C.- 14 before J.-C.) created a port andMariana then became an important bridge-headfor he Roman expansion in the North of theisland. The excavations allowed the discovery ofthe bases of an early Christian basilica, dated the4 th century, with three naves as well as a baptisteryof the same era. From the original rich decoration,remain some mosaics and granite columns,witnesses of the initial splendour.

Taking the main road 193from Lucciana crossroadstowards Bastia.

Return to Bastia by themain road 193. On theseashore, a parking area onthe right hand side offers alovely view on Ficajolacove, the Citadel and theTuscan Archipelago.


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Someusefulinformation!

Water Sports

Boat RentingToga Location Nautique

Port de Plaisance de Toga20200 Bastia33 (0) 4 [email protected]

LocoLieu-dit Menta20290 Borgo33 (0) [email protected]

Croisier’a33 (0) 6 81 05 63 19www.croisiera.com

Fishing

Team Corsica Fishing20200 Ville di Pietrabugno0609512118www.teamcorsicafishing.com

Swimming poolPiscine de la carbonite

20200 Bastia33 (0) 4 95302881

Piscine du Fango20200 Bastia33 (0) 4 95324215

SkindivingThalassa Immersion

Ker Maria Les Minelli20200 Ville di Pietrabugno33 (0) 4 95317890thalassa.immersion.free.fr

Club de Plongée Bastiais20200 Bastia

[email protected]

U Marinu20200 [email protected]

SailingClub Nautique Bastiais

33 (0) 4 95326733

Base Nautique Arinella33 (0) 4 95318703

Cercle Nautique Mare e Vela33 (0) 4 95314183www.ifrance.com/marevela

Others Activities

Outdoor SportingActivities

In Terra CorsaGare SNCF - BP 3920218 Ponte Leccia33 (0) 4 [email protected]

Office National des Forêts33 (0) 4 9532 81 90www.onf.fr

Objectif Nature3, rue Notre Dame de Lourdes20200 Bastia33 (0) 4 95325434

Flying club

Aéro-club de Bastia St Ex-upery33 (0) 4 95362485

Bicycle and motocycleToga Location Nautique

(motocycles)Port de Plaisance de Toga20200 Bastia33 (0) 4 [email protected]

Cycles 20 (cycles)33 (0) 4 95323064

Objectif Nature (cycles)33 (0) 4 95325434

Riding centersCavallu di Brando

Glacières de Brando20222 Brando33 (0) 4 [email protected]

École d’Équitation deHaute-Corse33 (0) 4 95302382www.eehc.org

Golf

Minigolf de San Damiano33 (0) 4 95336802

Tennis

Tennis Club Open33 (0) 4 95396632www.ligue.fft.fr/corse/

Tennis Club de Miomo20200 Santa Maria di Lota33 (0) 4 95339832www.ligue.fft.fr/corse/

Détente Sports et Loisirs(squash)20200 Ville di Pietrabugno33 (0) 4 95320809

Tennis Club Ville dePietrabugno20200 Ville di Pietrabugnowww.ligue.fft.fr/corse

ArcheryClub Omnisport Arinella

20200 Ville di Pietrabugno

Compagnie d’Arc de Villede Pietrabugno33 (0) 4 95322570

ASPTT de Bastia33 (0) 6 81547398

Cyber caféFive Café

5 bd Giraud20200 Bastia33 (0) 4 95323012

Oxy1, rue Salavatore Viale20200 Bastia33 (0) 4 95582796

Arob@seavenue Maréchal Sebastiani20200 Bastia

CinémaStudio Cinéma (2 salles)

1, Rue Miséricorde20200 Bastia33 (0) 4 95311294www.studio-cinema.com

Régent Cinéma (4 salles)5, Ter rue César Campinchi20200 Bastia33 (0) 4 95313031www.leregent.fr

7e Art Cinéma (1 salle)20600 Furiani33 (0) 4 95311294www.studio-cinema.com


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Crédit photos : Editions Corses – [email protected] – Shutterstock LLC images – T. Gruaist

Activities - Leisures

Little train toursVisit the town on a little

train to see the most typicalparts of the town : RueNapoléon, the Citadel andthe Old Port.

Departure : Place Saint Nicolas(opposite the TouristOffice)Length of the visit : approx.45 minutesPrice : € 6Group price : € 5(20 persons and more)(up to 12 years)The little train runs from8.30 am to 7.00 pm (fromapril to october) Tickets are available fromthe train driver.During the season, drivercontact :Tél. : 33 (0) 6 09 37 00 54

Free shuttlesIn the town center from

8.15 am to 7.45 pm (frommonday to saturday). Formore information, pleasecontact Tourist Office.

Guided visitsBastia, town of art

and historyDiscovery of Bastia byqualified regional toursguidesThe national Guide-Interpreters will give youaccess to the Corsicancultural heritage, thanks totheir knowledge of theimportant places for art inthe island. High-qualitytours guiding you to adiscovery of what shapesthe island identity :- Coach excursions,- Themed excursions,- Baroque Bastia, GenoeseBastia…- Visits to buildings, accessto unusual places…Languages : French,German, Italian, English,Spanish, Russian, Arabicand Portuguese.

Association Cogitour :Casa Bella - BtB - QuartierRecipello - 20200 Bastia33 (0) 6 1511149933 (0) 6 1466923533 (0) 4 [email protected] tours of Bastia -From Bastia, excursionsthroughout CorsicaGroups only.

Association Contact :5, Place de l’église20214 Calenzana33 (0) 4 9560480933 (0) 6 8696365733 (0) 4 [email protected]

Découverte du patrimoinede la CorseGuides InterprètesDiplômés

Association Via CorsicaEurotourisme :CapizzoluMaison Valery20217 Nonza33 (0) 4 9531797533 (0) 6 2426596633 (0) 4 9539082733 (0) 4 [email protected]

BeachesArinella Beach

To the south of the town,this sandy beach has aSailing Centre.

Marana BeachSituated on the lagoonstrip, these pine-fringedsandy beaches begin 5 kmsouth of BastiaSeveral of them providemany services to visitors(restaurants, tennis, mini-golf, sports activities etc.)

Beaches of Cape CorsicaThese delightful stonybeaches begin at the northexit of the town, along thecoast road on the east sideof Cape Corsica.- Grigione beach 2 km- Miomo beach 4 km- Lavasina beach 5 km- d’Erbalunga beach 7 km



Documents

Excursions in Bastia