Macinaggio (Macinaghju)
France > Corsica > Cap Corse > Macinaggio

Rogliano © Loïc Bazalgette

A port since Roman times, well-sheltered MACINAGGIO, 20km north of Erbalunga, was developed by the Genoese in 1620 for the export of olive oil and wine to the Italian peninsula. The Corsican independence leader, Pascal Paoli, landed here in 1790 after his exile in England, whereupon he kissed the ground and uttered the words "O ma patrie, je t'ai quitté esclave, je te retrouve libre" ("Oh my country, I left you as a slave, I rediscover you a free man") – a plaque commemorating the event adorns the wall above the ship chandlers. There's not much of a historic patina to the place nowadays, but with its boat-jammed marina and its line of colourful seafront awnings, Macinaggio has a certain appeal, made all the stronger by its proximity to some of the best beaches on Corsica. Another reason to linger is to sample the superb Clos Nicrosi wines, grown in the terraces below Rogliano. Of all Corsica's top AOC labels, it's perhaps the hardest to find, but at their little shop on the north side of the Rogliano road, opposite the U Ricordu hotel, you can taste the domaine's famously crisp white and heavily scented muscat.

The least expensive place to stay is the recently renovated Hôtel des Îles, opposite the marina (tel 04.95.35.43.02, fax 04.95.35.47.05; open April–Oct; €40–55), which also has a serviceable restaurant on its ground floor. All the tiny rooms have showers and toilets; those at the front of the building overlook the port but get noisy at night, being above the most popular bar in the resort, so if you're a light sleeper ask for a room at the back. Otherwise try the more modern U Libecciu, down the lane leading from the marina to the Plage de Tamarone (tel 04.95.35.43.22, fax 04.95.35.46.08; April–Oct, obligatory half board July & Aug; €55–70); it's a modern building with no view to speak of, but the rooms are spacious and particularly good value in shoulder season. The three-star U Ricordu, on the south side of the road to Rogliano (tel 04.95.35.40.20, www.hotel-uricordu.com; March–Sept, with obligatory half board Aug; €125–150), is the most luxurious option hereabouts, with a swimming pool, sauna, tennis courts and over-the-top tariffs. Macinaggio's only campsite, U Stazzu, lies 1km north of the harbour and is signposted from the Rogliano road (tel 04.95.35.43.76; May–Oct). The ground is like rock, but it's cheap and there's ample shade and easy access to the nearby beach; particularly good breakfasts are also served in the site's little café.

Besides the hotel restaurants above, commendable places to eat in Macinaggio include the Pizzeria San Columbu, at the end of the port facing out to sea; for a taste of local seafood, try Les Îles, the most dependable of a string of places with tables under awnings on the quayside, with a good-value €16 menu.

North of the town lie some stunning stretches of white sand and clear sea. A marked footpath, known as Le Sentier des Douaniers because it used to be patrolled by customs officials, threads its way across the hills and caves along the coast, giving access to an area that cannot by reached by road. The Baie de Tamarone, 2km along this path, has deep clear waters, making it a good place for diving and snorkelling. Just behind the beach the road forks, and if you follow the left-hand track for twenty minutes you'll come to a stunning arc of turquoise sea known as the rade de Santa Maria, site of the isolated Romanesque Chapelle Santa-Maria. Raised on the foundations of a sixth-century church, the building comprises two chapels, one tenth- the other twelfth-century, merged into one, hence the two discrepant apses. The bay's other principal landmark is the huge Tour Chiapelle. Dramatically cleft in half and entirely surrounded by water, the ruined three-storeyed tower was one of three built on the northern tip of the cape by the Genoese in the sixteenth century (the others are at Tollare and Barcaggio) as lookout posts against the increasingly troublesome Moorish pirates. As Macinaggio grew in importance, the Torri began to be used also by health and customs officers, who controlled the maritime traffic with Genoa. Pascal Paoli established his garrison here in 1761, having been unsuccessful in his attempt to take Macinaggio, and contemplated building a rival port. The tourist office in Macinaggio will furnish you with a free map and route description of the path; otherwise get hold of a copy of IGN #4347 OT, which covers the entire route to Centuri-Port, which can be covered in seven to eight hours.