CAP CORSE.
[Bastia to Rogliano and Morsaglia.]
See [General Map], p. 1.
By diligence, fare to Rogliano, 4 frs. and 3 frs., distance 27½ m., 6 hrs. To Morsaglia, 5½ and 4½ frs., distance 37½ m., 8 hrs. By the road skirting the eastern side of the peninsula of Cap Corse, the best cultivated part of the island, and containing the tidiest villages. The best Cap Corse [wine], mostly white, is produced around Luri and Rogliano. The quality used as table wine is drunk the first year. It improves till the fifth year, the better qualities till the tenth and twentieth year. Cap Corse is traversed by a rugged mountain range or serra, of which the
culminating peaks are Mount Alticcione, 4230 feet; Mount Stello, 4536 feet; and the Serra de Pigno, 3640 feet. From the east side of this rugged serra little fertile valleys extend to the sea.
Mr. Freshfield thus describes the “Cap”:—“Down a promontory 8 to 10 m. wide runs a range 3000 to 4000 ft. high, with the crest towards the western coast and the valleys towards the eastern. Hence the western Cornice road is a terrace along an always steep, sometimes sheer, mountain side, while the eastern crosses a succession of low maquis-covered spurs, which beyond Cap Sagro flatten and become monotonous. Pino is one of the most beautiful sites on the western coast. It is also important as the spot where the cross-road through the vale of Luri, under Seneca’s tower, falls into the western Cornice. Half-way on this road the village of [Luri] groups itself in the most picturesque way imaginable on a hill-side broken by a deep ravine. Down on the seashore above the little Marina or port is a large convent; a church occupies a projecting brow 200 ft. above it; higher still, and right and left, every vantage-ground is occupied by groups of well-built villas and sepulchral chapels. The slopes are terraced into orchards of citron, lemon, peach and almond trees, olive groves and vineyards, sheltered from the gales of winter by high palisades.”
Farther south, 5¼ m., is [Nonza], with inn, 479 ft., pop. 550. Coach to St. Florent. This is one of the most curious villages of the island. It stands like an eagle’s nest, perched above the sea on a black rock on the mountain side. Its houses, built level with the edge of the cliffs, formed in olden days a sufficient rampart against marauders.
The diligence having passed Lavasina 4½ m. from Bastia, Brando 7 m., and [Erbalunga] 6¼ m., halts at Sisco-port 9¼ m. To visit the cave of [Brando] take the steep narrow path left, near a mill, just before arriving at Erbalunga. Seats in shady places are placed here and there. The keeper’s house is close to the entrance. The diligence then proceeds by Pietracorbara 11½ m., and the [Torre all’Osse] 13 m.; one of the best remaining specimens of the 85 towers built by the Pisans and Genoese to ward off the attacks of the Saracens. From the Torre the diligence proceeds other 2 m. to Perticciolo, where it halts.