The customs trail of Cap Corse

The Cap Corse customs trail is a magnificent hike through impenetrable scrubland and spectacular, completely isolated beaches. The route connects two villages on the Cap, Macinaggio and the port of Centuri, passing through a very wild, protected natural area. The biotopes and landscapes crossed are very varied: scrubland, dunes, river mouths, Genoese towers, beaches, cliffs, and more.

The hike is not particularly difficult, but it is long, 24 km. In addition, the finish point is on the other side of the Cape from the starting point. I recommend starting from Macinaggio and finishing at the port of Centuri. One solution for this route is to have two cars parked at both ends. A second solution is to sleep overnight at the port of Centuri, then repeat the route in reverse. The third solution is simply to do only half of the route there and back (Macinaggio <-> Barcaggio). This is also the prettiest part of the route in my opinion, so you don't miss anything.

On this page, you will find the full description of the route as I walked it, as well as the GPX track. Please note that the GPX route was plotted after the fact (not recorded in the field), so it may be slightly inaccurate. As always, bring plenty of water and good walking shoes. I recommend spring or autumn for this trail, as summer is much too hot for this path without any shade. Enjoy your hike in Cap Corse!

The Cap Corse customs trail, part 1: from Macinaggio to Barcaggio

Leave the village of Macinaggio and walk along the wide beach along the coast. In spring, the beaches are covered in dried Posidonia. They form layers that can reach several meters. It's beautiful, but it makes swimming difficult!

The trail then passes through the Corsican scrubland, between rockroses and lavender. It's very beautiful, and you often have magnificent views of the deep blue sea. After that, you arrive at the 4th-century chapel of Santa Maria. It's one of the oldest chapels in Corsica, and it stands alone in the middle of the scrubland—it's surprising!

Near the chapel is the Santa Maria Tower, one of the highlights of this route. It was built on dry land but now sits with its feet in the water: the sea level has risen!

The trail then continues across several beaches before finally climbing along imposing cliffs. The landscape becomes much rockier. We pass the Pointe d'Agnello, where another Genoese tower awaits us. To the north, we can see the island of Giraglia.

The trail then descends and runs along one last beach before passing the village of Barcaggio. There may be a ford where you'll need to remove your shoes before reaching the village, depending on the rainfall. You can enjoy a well-deserved refreshment at the bar before tackling the second part of the hike.

Part 2: from Barcaggio to Centuri port

We first have a short kilometer along the coast to reach the village of Tollare. After that, we head back into the bush for the rest of the hike. We quickly gain altitude with some beautiful views of the village.

We arrive at a small, windswept road that passes the Cap Corse signal tower. It's a very isolated spot where the vegetation is impenetrable. The trail then climbs 200 meters in altitude into a magnificent little valley far from everything.

Once past the pass, we continue downhill through the maquis. The view of the rocky coast is beautiful. In the late afternoon, the honeyed scent of cistus is everywhere along the path. Swimming is possible in a few small coves towards the end of the trail. We finally reach the port of Centuri to complete this Cap Corse customs trail, which will undoubtedly leave a lasting impression of the pristine and wild coastline of Cap Corse.

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