From Tamarone to the Tour d'Agnelo

Start from the car park near the beach hut on Tamarone beach.

(S/E) Walk up the beach to reach the point at its northern end. A barrier closes off access to the customs officers' path, which more or less follows the foreshore until it reaches the beach facing the Finocchiarola Islands. This archipelago is a bird sanctuary, and you can hear it! The first Genoese tower stands on the largest of the islands.

(1) Go around the point, climbing up the foot of the hill, then descend towards Santa Maria Bay.

(2) When you reach the edge of the beach, you will see the Tower of Santa Maria. Gutted and standing in the water, it is undoubtedly one of the most photogenic towers in Corsica. Set back from the beach, the roof and bell tower of the chapel rise above the vegetation.
Follow the path along the top of the beach to reach the tower. Its green schist stonework contrasts with the shades of blue of the sea. It was not built in the water; it is the sea level that has risen. And given its condition, there is reason to fear that it will get worse.

(3) The route continues, passing Cala Genovese and then Cala Francese. These are said to be beautiful grey sand beaches. When we visited, they were covered with thick layers of Posidonia seaweed. It's hard to believe that a single storm could wash away such masses of vegetation! In the meantime, it makes for nice bedding for the herds of cows.

(4) Beyond Cala Francese, the path goes around a small hill. Once you've passed it, you can see the Agnellu Tower, standing tall above the waves, and the tower on Giraglia Island, a little further out to sea.

(5) A small stream at the bottom of a steep-sided valley marks the start of the climb up the Crête de l'Agnellu. It takes a good quarter of an hour to reach the summit and discover the plain surrounding the marina of Barcaghju, bordered by a long sandy beach.

(6) Once you reach the small pass formed by the ridge, take the path that climbs to the right and follow the rocky ridge to the Tour d'Agnellu. The descent is quite steep, along the edge of the cliff, and the view of the seabed is dizzying.

(7) The Tour d'Agnellu marks the end of this walk. You then need to pluck up your courage to climb back up what you have just descended. However, the two climbs on the Crête d'Agnellu are the only two real difficulties on this route.
The return journey follows the same route as the outward journey, to the Chapel of Santa Maria.

(8) From the beach, head to the chapel and continue along the path that passes in front of the main gate. This path cuts through scrubland and pastures to reach Tamarone Beach. Shortly before arriving, you will need to open and then close the gate that prevents animals from accessing this beach.
Cross the entire beach to return to the car park where you started (S/E).

To reach Tamarone beach from Macinaghju, take a small road that turns into a track that is barely passable. Be aware of this before setting off if your vehicle is not suited to bumps and dust.

Apart from the beach bar at Tamarone Beach, there are no other inhabited places along the route. You should therefore set off with the necessary equipment and supplies for a return trip.

You can extend the walk by heading to Barcaghjiu marina from the Tour d'Agnellu. It's not difficult, but allow at least an hour and a half for the round trip.

In addition to the Posidonia beds, the beaches may be occupied by herds of cows roaming more or less freely. Avoid cutting across these herds, even though Corsican cows are not known for their aggressiveness.

If you don't go there on foot, it would be a shame not to visit the marinas of Barcaghjiu and Tollare. Both face the island of Giraglia and are real gems.
To get there, head to Botticella, the main town in the municipality of Ersa, and take the small road that leads to Bracaghjui via Granaghjullu. It's a wonderful drive! Each of these villages has its own sandy beach.