The Fango Valley

On the edge of the Balagne region, in the Pieve di Falasorma, the Fangu Valley links the Monte Cintu mountain range with the shores of Galeria. Designated a UNESCO biosphere reserve and protected under the Natura 2000 network, it offers one of Corsica’s most diverse landscapes: over a stretch of nearly 39 km, the Fangu river flows through a succession of landscapes before reaching the Mediterranean. Here, water, rock and vegetation have found a rare natural balance.

Getting there

A river in the heart of the valley

A tour of the valley often begins at the Cinque Arcate bridge – Five Arches – which marks the entrance to this unspoilt area. U Fiume di u Fangu – the River Fango – rises at Capu Tafunatu, in the foothills of Monte Cintu, at an altitude of over 2,000 metres, before flowing down towards the sea through granite gorges and wooded valleys. Over time, the water has carved out gorges and formed natural pools of clear water. To discover them, simply follow the course of the river and choose where to stop next according to your mood: the cool water on hot summer’s days, the depth of the pools for acrobatic dives, and slippery rocks to experience the thrill of canyoning for the first time.

The river’s renowned ecological quality has earned it the ‘Site Rivière Sauvage’ label, a distinction awarded to Europe’s best-preserved watercourses. It is here that many species have found refuge, such as the European eel, the river blenny and the Corsican macrostigma trout, a species endemic to the island’s rivers.

A biosphere reserve between the sea and the mountains

The Fango Valley is one of seven French biosphere reserves recognised by UNESCO. This status highlights the site’s ecological importance and the coexistence of traditional human activities with the conservation of natural habitats.

The reserve covers the entire Fango catchment area, from its delta at Galeria to the mountainous terrain of Monte Cintu, Corsica’s highest peak. This wide range of altitudes offers a great diversity of landscapes and ecosystems: maquis, forests of holm oak, Laricio pine and maritime pine, right up to the rocky habitats of the mountain peaks.

The valley is home to remarkable biodiversity. Nearly fortyspecies of birds nest there, whilst the neighbouring hills are home to the Corsican mouflon, the golden eagle and the bearded vulture, the iconic bird of prey of the Corsican mountains.

The Fango Delta

As it approaches the sea, the valley opens out into a vast delta where the river slows before flowing into the Mediterranean. This landscape combines marshes, wetlands and dense Mediterranean vegetation comprising rockroses, mastic trees, arbutus and holm oaks. In the shadier areas, alders and ferns grow along the water’s edge, whilst the marshes are home to water turtles and numerous species of birds.

From Riccinaccia beach, near the Genoese tower of Galeria, when your gaze moves away from the horizon, it takes in the entire scene perfectly: the delta, the plain and the valley’s contours, which lead towards the highest peaks of the Corsican mountains.