Is the Agriate Customs Officers’ Path accessible to everyone?

This hugely popular route remains a challenging one. Whilst the elevation gain is modest, the route takes three days to complete and offers very little shade. This means that careful planning is essential: accommodation must be booked well in advance and sufficient water must be carried.

Is there a footpath between L’Ile-Rousse and the beaches at Bodri and Ghjunchitu?

Despite what some guidebooks may suggest, there is no signposted route linking L’Ile-Rousse to these beaches. The existing paths cross the beach tram tracks, posing a real risk of collision. Furthermore, walking on these tracks is strictly prohibited and liable to a fine.

Are these walks along the water’s edge suitable for families?

It depends on the children’s walking pace. The Lisula Outdoor app allows you to filter routes by difficulty and duration, so you can choose the most suitable one.

Where can I find the routes mentioned?

The Lisula Outdoor app brings together all the walking trails in Lisula and Balagne. It allows you to go for a walk without a mobile connection and provides guidance throughout the route.

Water course

Walking and swimming

Walks along the water’s edge

In Balagne, water is never far away and has something to suit every taste. Salty, with its deep Mediterranean blue, it runs alongside some coastal paths and occasionally splashes walkers with its stinging sea spray. Fresh, with hues reflecting the inland vegetation, it offers a refreshing respite during the hot season. Walks along the water’s edge invite you to take a dip in Lisula, for a peaceful immersion in this unspoilt setting.

1. The Customs Officers’ Path

Balagne is renowned for its jagged coastline, its coves and its fine sandy beaches. However, there are very few signposted coastal paths that can be walked on safely. In this respect, the Agriate Customs Officers’ Path is an exception.

Starting from Ostriconi Beach, the path runs along the coast, through dense scrubland, and winds from cove to cove until it reaches the beaches of Saleccia and Lotu. It takes three days’ walking to complete the route, over exposed terrain that is often in full sun. It is therefore a demanding hike that requires careful planning and organisation.

2. Seaside

The paths around Lisula do not always run alongside the coast. However, it is quite common for the blue expanse of the sea to come into view as you round a bend. The effort is suddenly eased by the cool sea breeze, and the horizon – where sky and sea merge – encourages the traveller to look further afield and keep their mind set on the open sea.

3. By the river

Inland, the steady flow of rivers running over pebbles takes the place of the ceaseless ebb and flow of the waves, immersing walkers in a kind of auditory meditation. From Feliceto and Muro to the forests of Tartagine and Bonifato, the path occasionally crosses the course of a river or stream spanned by a Genoese bridge. Large boulders overlooking crystal-clear pools invite you to take a refreshing break, go for a swim or have a nap, before setting off again.