Bastia or the endless summer

With the sun, the light and the mildness of the still long days as its faithful companions, the Indian summer is settling in the heart of Bastia to exalt its charm and grace. Let yourself be carried away...

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Bastia won't turn you down!

From inspired shopping to cultural immersion, from contemplative breaks to active strolls...

Decked out in gold and amber, Bastia is returning to school more beautiful and serene than ever, reconnecting with an essential part of itself: appointments late season all of which offer real encounters, deep and sincere. Firstly, with the heart of the town, its unique shopping streets, its sacred treasures, its sites linked to history, both great and small. But also with unspoilt nature and an entire gastronomic heritage shared by those who are responsible for it, opening the doors of the island to you.

As the weather is particularly warm, the first step is to explore the town on foot, as close as possible to Bastia and its people.

The Boulevard Paoli and the Rue César Campinchi, with their chic shop windows at the foot of small Tuscan-style buildings, are characteristic of 19th-century Bastia architecture, and are waiting to welcome you with their delicious little tables. a subtle and inventive brunch break.

For a trip with character, head for rue Napoléon. Here you'll find trendy shops, passionate craftsmen's showrooms, period stalls and jewels of Bastia's religious heritage, such as the oratory of the Saint Roch brotherhood, decorated by Ligurian masters, and the oratory of the Immaculate Conception, with its pebble mosaic forecourt.

From here, you can explore all the crossroads before a choice stopover just a stone's throw away: the large Place Saint Nicolas, with its family-friendly Mediterranean atmosphere, the small Place du Marché, crowned with old houses and the "Place d'Orsay", where you'll find a number of shops and restaurants. renowned bar-restaurants, or the picturesque Old Port, which itself leads through the delightful Romieu Gardens to the majestic Citadel, or to the Aldilonda, an incredible balcony overlooking the water that brings this seasonal stroll to a beautiful close.

Nature cocoon

During the long summer, Bastia and the surrounding area are always open to the sea, with the guarantee of a peaceful swim in clear, mild waters.

At this time of year, a stopover on the sands of L'Arinella or the Marana lagoon is highly recommended. Just like a trip to the heart of the Cap Corse Marine Park, to a nearby cove, or even to the heavenly beaches of Lotu and Saleccia, in the Agriate, options that are still available in September via rental boats and various offers of sea outings, from scooters to water shuttles.

Grains, pebbles or rocks, treat yourself to THE seaside break: the one that belongs to you alone! Not forgetting the small, well-guarded streams just a stone's throw away and all the other nature sanctuaries. The Bastia region is full of them: from the largest lake in Corsica, U Chjurlinu, a veritable bird paradise whose silhouettes and colours some painters and lovers of the arts like to capture on canvas, to the hilltop villages.

As for the mountains, the timing is just right too, with the Bastia region and its breathtaking views on display in all their splendour.

As you gain height, you can reach Furiani, Cardu, Ville di Petrabugnu, San Martinu and Santa Maria di Lota, who have not finished with the best of summer, highlighting, through their invigorating undergrowth, a unique environment, to be discovered at the same time as a whole section of local life told by the ovens, wash-houses and fountains of yesteryear.

In the Corsican autumn, all these natural settings are dressed up in their magician's clothes, and the treasure hunt is on. A Chi Cerca Trova, organised by the Bastia Tourist Office, along the paths of these hilltop villages, playing with their heritage treasures as you try your hand at a series of riddle-based challenges every Sunday from 11 September to 9 October.

A bouquet of flavours

October is a month to tantalise the taste buds, with the return to Bastia and the rest of Corsica of key products that were impossible to find from June to July!

Figatellu, brocciu... Typically Corsican charcuterie and cheese are once again available at the right addresses, in restaurants dedicated to culinary traditions, or in the city centre delicatessens.

While the Bastia food market, Every weekend, you can once again sample one of the specialities made directly from fresh cheese, which is also in season: buglidicce and migliaccioli, Some have round doughnuts, while others have local pancakes, with savoury recipes that are the exclusive preserve of Haute-Corse.

With a bit of luck, as you stroll between the stalls ofIf you visit one of the local producers, you might even come across the precious island chestnut flour used by Corsican families and their friends to make the famous Corsican chestnut soup. pulenda, It's a dish that used to replace bread and is now a gastronomic ritual. It is best enjoyed sliced with brocciu, figatellu, And don't forget the glass of wine that goes with it!

At the heart of a terroir

To round off this summer holiday after the summer, all the roads are open leading to the skills of excellence and their craftsmen.

The best bottles are to be found along the prestigious wine route, On the Patrimonio side, very close to Bastia, the village where San Martinu is celebrated in November, a great popular festival combining religious ceremony, procession and new wine tasting.

It's a not-to-be-missed event, just like the Salon du Chocolat et des délices de Corse (Chocolate and Corsican Delicacies Fair) which precedes it in Bastia in October, a major tasting event where Corsican master chocolatiers work their magic!

But don't wait until then to meet the producers who make up the salt and flavour of the Bastia region. The road to their farm is clear! It's a place of authentic senses and orchards, where the famous Corsican clementine is preparing to become the queen.

It's a route worthy of Corsica: lively, human, warm and eternally sunny.