Our first stop this morning was a hike around the Tour de la Perata, the Genovese watchtower sitting atop the black granite headland known as the Pointe de la Perata. This tower was built in 1608, around which time over 60 such towers, both square and round, were built around the perimeter of the island of Corsica by the Genovese to keep a watch out for invading pirates and other bad guys. They are mostly all still standing in one form or another, some in much better shape than others, and some in nothing more than ruins. Apparently, there are some nice hikes starting from this point, but we just toured around the tower and took in the views of the sea and the beautiful Îles Sanguinaires before continuing on our way.
Our drive along the northwest part of the island today took us through the beautiful, colorful granite rock formations of the Calanques de Piana. The interesting formations and all the nooks and crannies, known as tafoni, are the result of the effects of water and sweeping winds over all these years.
Some of our stops today included a swim and a picnic on the beach, a photo op for a large flock of goats crossing the street, short visits to the villages of Cargèse and Piana, and several breaks for taking in the beautiful views all along the way.
Les îles Sanguinaires
Genovese Tower Beyond the Beach
Goat Crossing
The Road through Les Calanques de Piana
Unusual Rock Formation in Les Calanques de Piana
Vista Point in Les Calanques de Piana
I'm going through a few of your posts and can't contain my excitement. I went to corsica to rate their beaches and got to discover the island had so much more to offer. The calanques de piana is a wonderful place. I wish i can go back to corsica soon
Posted by: Brice | Thursday, 19 August 2010 at 09:20 AM