La Balagne, to the north-west of Corsica, has long been considered the orchard of the island. Today, it offers tourists the twin identity of a lively coastal resort and the vibrant cultural heritage of its hanging villages.
La Balagne is one of the most open regions in Corsica. It faces both the North and the Mediterranean and benefits first and foremost from the fame of its coastal towns of Calvi and Île Rousse. These two ports, which allow access by sea to the Isle of Beauty, are very busy when the weather is fine; the first is a citadel town, the second a modern seaside resort. Calvi juts out on a promontory over the sea and offers several kilometres of immaculate beach. Île-Rousse offers the stroller its Place Paoli and its old town. It also boasts a fine sandy beach for those who want to do just nothing. And each town is proud of having the liveliest terrace cafes as part of their contribution to the summer festivities.
However, La Balagne is also a place of tradition and secrets, once you have made your way into its hidden folds. What a pleasure to follow the narrow roads from village to village with their age-old reminders of the activities of a rustic era... mills, threshing floors, crops planted on terracing, craftsmen’s workshops. From Calenzana to Zilia and Cateri, in the west, from Belgodère to Speloncato, in the east passing through the little lost hamlets of the Ghjunsani and the dark forest of Tartagine, the visitor can appreciate the sense of isolation of these lands and the sheer courage of their inhabitants who cling on to these parcels of lands and their traditions which come to life in the summer months when French and foreign tourists flock to this area to share in the living memory of the island.
