ABOUT AREA
Spread over the banks of the River Regino, Feliceto is a charming village surrounded by rugged mountains. The village is renowned for its produce of glass, wine and olive oil as well as being famous for the purity of its water. Views are truly magnificent and there are ample walking trails in the area.
BEACHES
Arinella
The beach at Lumio, Arinella Plage, is small and personal and has stunning views of Calvi Citadel across the bay. Sheltered between rocky headlands there are opportunities to swim, paddle or snorkle.
Aregno
This beach is a kilometre-long curve of coarse sand beneath a picturesque Genoese citadel. During the months of July & August, the beach is extremely busy, but out of high season, you can have this beach pretty much all to yourself! There is a good selection of cafés, restaurants and water sports.
L’lle Rousse
The town beach of L'Ile Rousse can be very busy and has excellent facilities with cafés, restaurants and sunloungers lining the beach. If you're prepared to wander a little further, you can generally find a quiet spot. Another benefit of its size is that it is generally patrolled. It's a fine yellow sand beach and the water is a gorgeous clear blue. There are good opportunities here for water sports.
Bodri
Just west of L’Ile Rousse, Bodri Plage is an unspoilt beach, a walk through the maquis and over the railway line. The walk is worth it, as the beach has almost white sand and a turquoise sea.
Baie de Giunchetu
A short walk further west, around the rocky Punta di Genebre you will find this beach. It is slightly less picturesque, but larger.
FESTIVALS
Estivoce in Pigna
Estivoce is a celebration of Corsican music and arts with concerts of polyphonic music from June to September with many of the celebrations being in July.
Fiera di San Petru
Held in Lumio in mid July, this is a village festival with exhibitions celebrating stone-masonry and stone-related crafts made in the village from iron ore mined on Cap Corse.
Foire de l'Alivu in Montegrosso
Around 10,000 visitors honour the olive in July, in a delightful olive grove setting with exhibitions demonstrating olive production over the years and artisans selling refreshments and local produce.
Foire de l'Amandier in Aregno
Held in the Balagne village of Aregno every August, the Foire de l’Amandier includes tastings, painting exhibitions, events for children and cooking contests all based around the almond and its trees.
Fiera di l’Artigiani in Felicetu
The craftsmen of the Strada di l’Artigiani congregate to celebrate their crafts every August.
Fiera di u Sumere in Sant’Antonino
Celebrating the donkey in August, the only form of transport in the cobbled winding streets of this mountain village. Take a donkey ride around the village to view the picturesque surroundings and magnificent views.
Rencontres Polyphoniques in Calvi
Polyphonic singing is at the heart of Corsican culture every September in Calvi and singers from around the world perform in the Citadel at the Rencontres Polyphoniques.
THINGS TO SEE & DO
Strada di l’Artigiani
Follow the craft trail 'Strada di l’Artigiani' through the villages of la Balagne and sample the local specialities en route.
Visit Calvi Town & The Citadel
Calvi Towns social life focuses on the many restaurants and cafés of the Quai Landry which is a large seafront walkway that links the marina and the port effortlessly. To get the best possible feel of the town, this is the place to be! A walk up through the narrow passageways off Quai Landry will take you to rue Clemenceau where you will find an array of restaurants and souvenir shops plenty. Each week held at the Cathédrale Saint Jean-Baptiste, which stands at the highest point of the citadel you can experience Corsican Polyphonic singing with the concerts of 'Chansons polyphoniques'.
L’lle Rousse
This popular Corsican Town has a lazy, peaceful charm and yet the ‘buzz’ of a Riviera resort. Wander the streets and make sure you take a trip to the market held every morning in a majestic covered market place. The produce is local and fresh and includes fish, vegetables, local honey, charcuterie and cheeses. There are ample restaurants to choose from in the narrow streets and around the main square beneath the plane trees and the silver sand of L’Ile Rousse beach is very tempting.
Sant’Antonino
Explore the narrow streets of Sant'Antonino, the oldest inhabited village in Corsica and labelled as 'one of the most beautiful villages in France'. The village affords 360° views of the surrounding countryside and coast, has several restaurants, a local produce shop and the famous ‘maison du citron’ (run by Mr Antonino), which serves excellent citron pressé.
Pigna
The pretty blue shuttered village of Pigna is well worth a visit, just 2km from Aregno, its home to some fabulous craft shops and the irresistible setting to the Festivoce, a festival of Corsican polyphony.
Tartagine Forest
Escape to the Tartagine Forest and discover a fantastic area of wild countryside in Corsica's National Park region with stunning mountain lanscapes, snow-fed rivers rushing over granite boulders and pine trees.
Bonifato Forest
At the very end of the Calvi airport road the Bonifato Forest is a haven of cool and shade during the heat of the summer. There are a plethora of picnic spots, rock pools and walks of all levels. For an easy two hour circuit try the Boucle de Figajola, or for a more strenuous climb hike up to one of the GR20 refuges at Carozzu (where there is also a fantastic mountain top rock pool). During the season, the car park charges a flat fee for the whole day approx €2) which helps to finance the Office National des Forêts protection scheme. The Maison Forestière, in the car park serves drinks and has a simple menu.
Domaine Renucci
Visit the winery next to the Grand Hotel Mare e Monti, which produces a good range of quality AOC wines.
