Barbaggio brings together different periods in history: an 11th-century chapel, church art, winegrowing and traces of old mills. Hiking trails open up views of the Conca d’Oru and the Patrimonio vineyards. From Bastia, Barbaggio is considered the gateway to the Grand Site de France Conca d’Oru; the village is reached by descending from the Col de Teghime.
Village Center and Sacred History
The village center includes the terraced hamlets of Piazze, Poggio and Gorgaccia, as well as the church of San Marcellu. The parish church of Saint-Marcel is, in its main parts, an 18th-century church. Older features include 16th-century gravestones; its domed bell tower is also noteworthy. Inside the church is the 17th-century painting “Saint Jerome in the Desert,” which is classified as a protected object.
The chapel of San Petru dates from the 11th century and was the main church of the former Pieve of Patrimonio. Archaeological excavations at San Petru uncovered a bell-casting pit and fragments of clay molds. The craft production structure discovered there is described as unique in Corsica.
Hiking Among Views and Architectural History
The Sentier panoramique des Balcons is a difficult 10 km loop hike with an elevation gain of 175 m. It starts at the Barbaggio Belvédère or on the RD 238. Check the route details before setting out. Along the entire trail, there are views of the Conca d’Oru and the Patrimonio vineyards; the view also extends to the limestone range of Mont Sant’Anghjulu.
The Maison de l’évêque, with its medieval walls, stands along the trail. It served as a second residence for the bishops of Nebbiu. A Pagliaghju offers another glimpse into rural architectural history: this Corsican agropastoral building was once used to store straw and occasionally sheltered shepherds or their livestock.
The Serra di u Pignu / Glacières de Cardo hiking trail runs from the Serra di Pigno television relay station along the Barbaggio ridge to Cima di Gratera at 1,024 m. The hike offers views of the bays of Bastia and Saint-Florent. As conditions on the route may change, check them before setting out.
Winegrowing and Craft History
The Mlle D – Marie-Françoise Devichi winery in Barbaggio offers tours and wine tastings. It produces Muscat du Cap Corse with AOC status, as well as AOP Patrimonio wines, and represents the sixth generation of family winegrowing in Barbaggio.
The 18th-century Molinaccio grain mill stands on the Quarcetto stream. It preserves structural features of a mill for wheat and chestnuts, as well as a surviving limestone millstone measuring about 120 cm in diameter and 15 cm thick. These dimensions make the surviving millstone fragment a tangible detail of local milling history.
Places of Remembrance at the Col de Teghime
Restored in 2022, the casemate at the Col de Teghime allows visitors to walk through an underground section of a former trench system. Above ground, the route passes through an area with an observation post and the site of a former gun. The war memorial at the Col commemorates a three-day battle in which 49 soldiers of the 2nd GTM lost their lives on 3 October 1943.
The landscape is also part of the area’s character: the Type 1 ZNIEFF site “Défilé des Strette et Collines Calcaires de Saint-Florent” includes Barbaggio and the limestone hills and cliffs of Monte Sant’Angelo.
Discover more destinations: Centuri, Patrimonio, Figareto, Vescovato, Erbajolo, Borgo, Cateri, Santo-Pietro-Di-Tenda.
See the regional travel overview: Haute-Corse.
