Corsica has nearly eighty abandoned villages. Places where families once lived, children played and goats grazed, but which are now slowly being swallowed by the maquis and the forest. Visiting one of these ghost villages is one of the most extraordinary experiences the island has to offer -- and one that most tourists miss.
Why they were abandoned
The story is the same everywhere. Villages built in inaccessible spots, originally chosen for the safety the mountains offered against pirates and invaders. For centuries they functioned: farming, livestock, chestnuts, a chapel and a community that sustained itself. But in the twentieth century, the young left -- for the coast, for the mainland, for a life with roads, electricity and work. The elderly stayed until they could no longer manage, and then the last resident closed the door.
Fiuminale: the best-known ghost village
The most visited abandoned village is Fiuminale, situated at 550 metres altitude in the Castagniccia, on the edge of the Costa Verde. It consists of two hamlets: Fiuminale Suttanu and Fiuminale Supranu, the first in the valley and the second higher on the ridge.
There's no road to it. You can only get there on foot, via a walk of one and a half to two hours. The most beautiful route starts at the Pont de l'Enfer (Devil's Bridge) on the D330. The path follows the Petrignani river through a magnificent forest of chestnut and strawberry trees, with several river crossings over large boulders. The orange markers are easy to follow. The first section along the river is flat; after that the path climbs steeply through the forest.
Then, suddenly, the village appears behind the trees. Stone houses with collapsed roofs, overgrown with ivy and ferns. In the heart of Suttanu stands the Chapel of San Ghjiseppu, restored by a local association, with the inscription "Semper Fidati" -- always faithful -- on the door. The second hamlet, Supranu, clings to the ridge and offers sweeping views over the mountains of the Castagniccia.
The last resident was Zia Devota, a woman who lived here alone with her goats, pigs and chickens until she left in 1981 at the age of 83. The Corsican singer Antoine Ciosi wrote a song about her: "Fiuminale dies despite her presence, Fiuminale dies and no one knew." When she closed the door of her house, she closed an entire era.
Occi: the ghost village near Lumio
Closer to the tourist routes lies Occi, an abandoned village on a hill above Lumio, not far from Calvi. The walk is shorter -- about forty minutes -- and the view over the Bay of Calvi is spectacular. Occi was abandoned in the nineteenth century and is now a collection of ruins among the maquis, with a restored chapel and an almost otherworldly silence.
Practical tips
Visiting an abandoned village is no ordinary walk. Bring plenty of water -- there are no facilities. Wear sturdy shoes, as the paths can be steep and rocky. The buildings are fragile: admire them, but don't go inside. And respect the silence -- these places have something sacred about them that you won't want to disturb.
The walk to Fiuminale is also suitable for older children who are used to walking. The river section is adventurous enough to hold their attention, and the abandoned village sparks the imagination at any age.
The feel
There's something deeply moving about a house whose door is still shut but where nobody comes home any more. A bread oven gone cold, a church wall slowly collapsing, a path growing over. Corsica's abandoned villages aren't ruins in the tourist sense -- they're places where everyday life simply stopped. That makes them quieter and more haunting than any museum.