Customs officers' path starting from the port of Macinaggio

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The trail starts at the northern end of the long beach of Macinaggio, covered with a thick layer of Posidonia leaves. The route, marked in yellow, follows the rugged coastline and is punctuated by two Genoese towers. Superb views of the neighbouring islands of Capraia and Elba. Some Corsican specialities, the Filles du Cap on the beach (see photos). Caution! This is an extremely fragile area with a wealth of flora and fauna.

Details

n°1064150
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 11.16 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 50 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 225 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 222 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 46 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 0 m
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Photos

The neighbouring island of Elba
The Genoese tower Santa-Maria-della-Chiapella
Les Filles du Cap à la Plage
The well

Description of the walk

The hike starts at the car park at the port of Macinaggio next to the Tourist Office (opposite the "U San Paulu" shuttle boat pier, which runs between Macinaggio and Barcaggio during the season.

(S/E) Follow the road towards Rogliano until you reach the port jetty.

(1) Then continue along Macinaggio beach and follow the footpath

(2) The path splits; take the right and follow the coastline (for a more pleasant view) to reach Punta di a Coscia. Boat masts and cannons, beautiful view of Macinaggio Bay. Continue along the path (yellow markings)

(3) At Tamarone beach (protected area - see information boards on the beach), there are places to eat. At the end of the track, two restaurants await visitors on the beach. The customs officers' path continues along the beach.

(4) Just before reaching the end, the path branches off to the left. Keep to the right to follow the coastline (the view is more beautiful).

(5) You will arrive at Plage des Îles, a narrow strip of sand just opposite the Finocchiarola Islands. The Santa Maria Della Chiappella Chapel is now about 15 minutes away.

(6) The path splits, take the left. This is my choice, but either way, right or left, it's the same.

(7) Turn left for a round trip to the Santa Maria Della Chiappella Chapel, founded between the 11th and 12th centuries.

(8) Retrace your steps and continue left towards the Genoese Tower of Santa Maria.

(9) Continue along the path on the right along the coast to reach the Genoese Tower of Santa Maria.

(10) Return along the same path to the car park at the port of Macinaggio (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 1 m - Car park at the port of Macinaggio
  2. 1 : km 0.28 - alt. 1 m - Macinaggio beach
  3. 2 : km 0.93 - alt. 3 m - Keep right along the coastline
  4. 3 : km 2.35 - alt. 2 m - Tamarone beach
  5. 4 : km 2.86 - alt. 7 m - Turn right along the coastline
  6. 5 : km 3.83 - alt. 2 m - Beaches of the Islands
  7. 6 : km 4.05 - alt. 4 m - Path on the left
  8. 7 : km 4.86 - alt. 3 m - Fork
  9. 8 : km 4.98 - alt. 7 m - Chapel of Santa Maria Della Chiappella
  10. 9 : km 5.28 - alt. 4 m - On the right
  11. 10 : km 5.69 - alt. 3 m - Santa Maria Genoese Tower
  12. S/E : km 11.15 - alt. 1 m - Car park at the port of Macinaggio

Notes

Warning! Bring water in hot weather, as there are no water sources.

Caution! This route is not recommended in strong winds due to the risk of fire. Check the opening times of the mountains in Corsica: haute-corse.pref.gouv.fr

Good walking shoes, walking stick and water.

Route mapped using a Twonav Sportiva 2 GPS device. To avoid getting lost, we strongly recommend that you bring an IGN map: 4347OT

Worth a visit

(8) Santa Maria Della Chiappella Chapel.

(10) Santa Maria Genoese Tower.

(5) The Finocchiarola Islands

Mount Bughju, a Roman presence in this strategic area, including an oppidum dating from the 2nd century BC.

Reviews and comments

4.7 / 5
Based on 28 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.8 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.6 / 5
Chis Coach
Chis Coach

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 12, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very beautiful hike, well signposted and easy to access 😉👍

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User 23086670

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 06, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

great trip! Beautiful scenery and splendid weather. Done in early October, out of season.

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eljo91
eljo91

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 04, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike from Tamarone in May.
Magnificent colours, few hikers.

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Christophe Tanneux
Christophe Tanneux

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 07, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A tip: start from Tamarone, as the hike is long enough without adding an extra section! Do it in April in 7 hours to reach Lotus Beach. A nice, easy hike for the route itself rather than the destination.

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M.Christine
M.Christine

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 17, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very beautiful hike with access to two magnificent beaches. We took much longer than expected because we stopped to enjoy the superb views.
A must-do to discover Cap Corse

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Anne-Valerie
Anne-Valerie

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 12, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A lovely walk along a path overlooking the sea, with beautiful views and a few ruins along the way

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EMCI13
EMCI13

A lovely walk along the customs trail. Beautiful flower-filled landscapes. Opportunity to swim at a beautiful white sandy beach. We thoroughly enjoyed it.

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Incantesimu
Incantesimu

Hello Pubol,

Indeed, there is nothing more to add, you have said it all.

Incantesimu

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PUBOL
PUBOL

i think that barriers serve, as they often do, to limit the range of certain animals.
If you are on a marked path,
If the barrier can be opened AND there is no prohibition on passing (or private property sign)
there is every reason to believe that passage is permitted with the usual precautions,
- close the gate properly after passing through,
- be as discreet as possible around wildlife or other animals
- follow any instructions provided
best regards

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Aschanti13
Aschanti13

...because Corsicans don't assert their property rights? Seriously? Or are you joking? Incidentally, what you say is also true in Auvergne, the Cévennes and other regions of the continent. There are differences between regions, but not particularly between Corsica and the mainland. Enjoy your hikes, my friend.

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Incantesimu
Incantesimu
• Edited:

Hello,

Corsica is not the mainland, so if there are barriers for animals on a route, whether on private property or not, you simply need to close them behind you when you pass through. There is no problem, that's the whole difference! Whether you're supposed to or not...

PS: If you follow the route as described, there are no problems. The routes are not designed to be modified or bypassed. This one isn't complicated, but if you bypass other routes that I've done, you risk getting lost and misleading other hikers.

Incantesimu

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Aschanti13
Aschanti13

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 14, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Nice walk. Be careful, the signposts on the beach/car park at Tamarone towards the chapel, cutting across the land, are at ground level in the dunes... and therefore very difficult to see. In addition, this section of the path has wooden gates for animals and it is not clear whether you are entering private property or not... There are no markings in the opposite direction (from the chapel towards Tamarone). This rather unpleasant path is a serious shortcut that may be of interest to those who are tired on the way back (and anyone who has to catch a bus back to Bastia). This section takes half the time. Otherwise, following the beach is obviously very easy and much more pleasant.

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PUBOL
PUBOL

thank you for your opinion
best regards

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francois stéphane
francois stéphane

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 10, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

the appeal of this walk is that you can go to Barcaggio and return by shuttle boat. It's a beautiful 14 km hike, although the second half is steeper and the descent is long, but the view is spectacular!

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cadieu
cadieu

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 01, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A beautiful hike along the Cap Corse coastline. We walked from Macinaggio to Santa Maria and back under a blazing sun! There is no shade, but there are beautiful beaches to cool off on, so remember to bring your swimsuit and plenty of water! Best to do this outside of the summer months.

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