Practice
Landscapes

La Conca d'Oru, an iconic landscape

An exceptional landscape setting organised around a powerful and unique relief

Landscapes

remarkable and iconic

The Grand Site de France Conca d'Oru, Patrimonio vineyard – Gulf of Saint-Florent is organised around remarkable complementary landscapes: the Conca d'Oru valley and the Sant'Anghjulu limestone range, the Patrimonio vineyards and the Gulf of Saint-Florent.

The limestone ridge of Mont Sant'Anghjulu (354 metres), with its six waves, forms the junction between land and sea. It is the iconic feature of the Grand Site. This north-south depression is criss-crossed by a dense hydrographic network that opens up narrow passes («strette») to the west towards the coast and the Gulf of Saint-Florent. It is dotted with a string of villages built on the slopes, both for defensive and agricultural purposes. A mosaic of farmland organises the heart of the conch, finely drawn by the geometry of the plots and rows of vines that climb up to the first slopes.

A WEALTH

GEOLOGICAL AND ECOLOGICAL

The limestone ridges create a unique landscape, like a monumental wave rising above the vineyard.

Shaped by marine sediments deposited during the Miocene epoch, this shell-like limestone range forms the Conca d'Oru and overlooks the vineyard. Clearly visible from the east, the six successive hills stand out in the wider landscape thanks to their rounded shape, dominant position and whiteness. They crown the site and constitute its visual signature. This emblematic relief has a strong impact on the landscape and contributes to its mineral identity. The sloping blocks of limestone formations have created a landscape that is unique in Corsica. The fossil-rich reliefs are dotted with numerous caves which, in addition to their importance in terms of palaeontological heritage, are home to several rare and protected species of bats. The low, dry Mediterranean scrub vegetation that covers the slopes is also protected under Natura 2000.

  • In the west, the limestone formations (from the Tertiary period), which give the landscape its exceptional character,
  • In the centre, the sedimentary formations of Nebbiu, displaced by tectonic processes, enliven the plain with a patchwork of colourful soils.,
  • To the east, shiny schist covers the upper parts of the ridges, punctuated halfway down the slopes by granite outcrops, where the wooded areas on the Nebbiu side are mainly found.

This geological richness, linked to a wide variety of petrographic features, is reinforced by the presence of coral reef deposits that reflect the ancient history of the sea and the land.

The geological diversity generates complex soil formations, with many different types of soil, mostly clay-limestone in the west and schistose and stony in the east. As a result, there are several different soil colours across the region. While white-ochre dominates the hillsides, the soil ploughed or combed by rows of vines reveals a patchwork of white, brown and red hues. The colourful mosaic of hillsides and substrates contributes to the richness of the landscape, which is reflected in the traditional buildings constructed from local materials. The landscape thus creates a harmonious mimicry between the buildings and the soil.

A dense hydrographic network runs through a number of narrow, shallow valleys perpendicular to the coastline. These valleys open up towards the sea. These gorges are the outlets for the streams that criss-cross the site laterally. These streams originate on the eastern slopes and quickly converge to form three distinct passes reaching the coastline: the «strette» of Poggio, Strutta and Pont Albino. Their course can be guessed at in places in the landscape by the vegetation that accompanies them (riparian forest).

At the foot of the cliffs and rocky escarpments, the maquis dominates. This low, xerophytic, evergreen Mediterranean vegetation encircles the bay. It forms a dense, continuous cover that is often impenetrable. The maquis covers the steepest slopes and in places blends with the vineyards that are encroaching on it.

The scrubland creates a certain continuity in the landscape compared to the changing foliage of the vines, which marks the passing of the seasons. The grasslands are open areas found on the slopes of the hills. They are generally composed of grasses and annual plants, with numerous remarkable orchid stations in some cases, which have led to these sensitive areas being protected under Natura 2000 (notably the Natura 2000 site of the «Strette de Saint-Florent» located in the heart of the Grand Site). These grasslands are home to a wide variety of flora and fauna, which is under threat due to the abandonment of pastoralism, leading to the closure of these environments. Within the Grand Site, wooded areas remain sporadic and limited.

They are found on the granite foundations in the south-west of the site and are mainly composed of oak trees, particularly cork oaks, which were formerly cultivated alongside olive groves and chestnut trees. These trees, which are discreet in the wider landscape, catch the eye with their majestic appearance. Oak trees, like olive trees, reinforce the unchanging greenery of the site's landscape. A number of fairly large isolated trees enliven the landscape of the Grand Site. These trees serve as landmarks.

Whether lined up or standing alone, they mark the edges of paths, dot the vineyards, adorn a casetta, highlight streams or accompany buildings. Oak, olive, chestnut, fig and eucalyptus trees blend beautifully with the landscape. Trees provide rhythm, scale and scent, and contribute to the site's rich biodiversity.

THE VINEYARD

AS A SIGNATURE OF THE LANDSCAPE

The vineyards are set amid a series of curves and slopes in the heart of the Conca d'Oru.

The vineyard plots enliven the geometry of the landscape, structuring the slopes, emphasising the curves of the terrain and opening up the views. Positioned in the heart of the conch, the vineyard marks the landscape, forming a mosaic. It is this harmony between agricultural land and picturesque landscape that motivated the classification of the Conca d'Oru and Patrimonio vineyard site, on the initiative of the AOP winegrowers, who are keen to preserve an area of high agronomic and cultural value.

On a larger scale, the linearity of the vineyard plots alternates with the dense vegetation of the maquis, pastures and fallow land. On a smaller scale, the trellising of the rows of vines establishes perspectives and reinforces the remarkable character of the landscape, particularly when the vines are positioned in the foreground of Mont Sant'Anghjulu.

The vines are in constant dialogue with the vegetation present on the site. Woods and copses, scrubland and fallow land, and trees punctuate the vineyard and give the landscape its diversity. Within this mostly continuous vegetation cover, the vines help to open up the landscape, thus becoming an effective means of limiting the spread of fires. The vegetation, whether spontaneous or accompanying the vineyard plots and estates, gives rhythm to the vineyard, highlights the plots, and marks an estate or the presence of a straw stack («pagliaghiu»). This mixed vegetation in the vineyard, rich in biodiversity, is a real added value for the landscape and the wine-growing heritage.

The wine-growing buildings bear witness to the different forms of viticulture present in the region. They reflect the history of the industry and its dynamics.
Within the Grand Site, only private cellars are responsible for wine production and marketing. They remain relatively discreet in the landscape, mainly concentrated in the village of Patrimonio, along the RD81 road connecting Bastia to Saint-Florent. The wineries are most often attached to long-established houses in the village. They bear witness to the agricultural history of the area.

Scattered among the vineyards, pastures and fallow land, haystacks or « pagliaghji» are small stone structures that bear witness to the history and spirit of the place. Due to their location, layout, shape, size and materials, these cabins blend discreetly into the landscape. The characteristic green roofs of the haystacks further enhance the camouflage of these structures in the landscape.

Dry stone walls can be seen here and there within the existing plots. They form part of the architecture of old pastures that are now little used or newly used for outdoor accommodation. These stone walls can be seen on certain slopes cleared of vegetation following fires. These structures contribute to the heritage dimension of the landscape. They bear witness to an ancient history in which agriculture has always been present.

Two communal paths or «vineyard tracks» run through the vineyard lengthwise. These tracks connect the RD81 road at the village of Patrimonio to the RD238 road in the south of the area. These paths are at the heart of the valley. They cross the sea of vines and allow visitors to discover the fine scale of the landscape. The vines draw the eye. The linearity of the rows of vines accentuates the perspectives, highlights the details of the curves of the relief, hints at the colours of the soil, and guides the eye to the haystacks that come into view. The landscape draws closer and can be read on a finer scale: vines, plot boundaries, roadside verges, embankments, ditches, but also haystacks, trees and copses... This immersion breaks with the views of the wider landscape or the sea. All the landscape motifs are present: the vineyard plots, the scrubland, the trees and copses, permanently associated with the white, undulating and dominant relief of Mont Sant'Anghjulu.

From the 11th to the 12th century, during the Pax Pisana, the coastline was secured and the Corsicans left the hills to occupy and cultivate the plains. Ports were opened and freedom of trade was restored. It was a period of prosperity, in which religion played an important role. At the beginning of the 12th century, Franciscan monks founded the Saint François convent in Oletta. They played a major role in developing agriculture and wine production in the Conca d'Oru.

During the Genoese era from the 15th to the 18th century, the wines of Nebbiu and Conca d'Oru occupied a prominent place. Regulations and organisation of crops were put in place, particularly for viticulture. At that time, wines were loaded onto sailing ships in Saint-Florent and sailed around Cap Corse to be unloaded at Erbalunga, a small picturesque port on the eastern side near Bastia. Once tasted, if they had withstood the rigours of the sea, they could be exported to Genoa or Rome under the appellation «Vini navigati ». Sweet wines (Muscat) were particularly popular during the Genoese period. It is therefore clear that the wine trade contributed very early on and for a long time to the creation of a strong link between the Conca d'Oru and the Gulf of Saint-Florent, to the marriage of land and sea that makes the landscape of the Grand Site so unique.

An inhabited landscape

dotted with villages

The villages of Patrimonio, Barbaggio, Farinole, Oletta and Poggio d'Oletta serve as scenic landmarks in the hills.

Their scattered or clustered silhouettes, as well as their bell towers, two of which are listed as Historic Monuments, are landmarks in the landscape. Historically, villages were built on high ground for security reasons, particularly to protect themselves from incursions from the sea, while benefiting from optimal sunshine and good control of the agricultural land below.

The villages, like their silhouettes, play a key role in the cultural identity of the area. The village buildings feature common and homogeneous architecture across the entire Grand Site. Due to their location, most often on promontories, and their dominant position at the entrance or centre of the territory, the village centres stand out in the landscape. They serve as both eye-catching landmarks and observation points for the wider landscape.
Each village offers those who know where to look a place to stop, a viewpoint from which to observe, contemplate and take the time to appreciate the Conca d'Oru, its vineyards and the Gulf of Saint-Florent from different angles.

The villages of the GSF

From the centres of villages, these everyday views shared by residents offer a glimpse of the neighbouring village's silhouette. This village resonance or co-visibility extends from the village of Poggio d'Oletta to Patrimonio, and from Patrimonio to Barbaggio. The village of Farinole applies this principle of co-visibility on a smaller scale with its various hamlets.

The bright colours of the village houses and churches stand out clearly against the green backdrop of the landscape. From the gulf, the citadel and the old village of Saint-Florent form a focal point in the wider landscape. They blend harmoniously and coherently into the immediate environment of the inhabited landscape and the more distant views of the green hills. The citadel's strategic location, its promontory site and the building's volume position it as a central element in the landscape. Conversely, the citadel and its surroundings remain a belvedere from which one can appreciate the entire Gulf of Saint-Florent and the mineral and vegetal amphitheatre of the Conca d'Oru.

The GSF Charter

While religious architecture dominates throughout the region, particularly Romanesque buildings (chapels, churches, etc.), there is also military heritage (Genoese towers, citadels) and elements of civil architecture (palazzi, houses of notable figures, etc.). This architectural heritage is often protected as historic monuments.

The area also has a significant number of unprotected heritage features, most of which are located on the outskirts of the listed site. The presence of family tombs in Farinole (along the RD333) and also in Poggio d'Oletta reflects the influence of nearby Cap Corse, where these numerous burial sites are part of the architectural heritage. All of the monuments located within the Grand Site retrace the history of the area and contribute to its identity. Due to their often dominant position, they serve as landmarks in the landscape and give it a sense of scale.

The Heritage of the GSF

SLOPES

PANORAMIC VIEWS

The Grand Site de France is criss-crossed by scenic roads, and its topography naturally lends itself to the presence of lookout points and remarkable vantage points over the vast landscape.

Each village offers more intimate views, allowing you to observe the vineyards, limestone hills, Gulf of Saint-Florent and neighbouring villages from different angles. These schistose heights mark the beginning of Cap Corse to the north and the Tenda massif to the south, with Haut Nebbiu. The etymology of the latter (Nebbiu – mist) is a name evocative of the fog that frequently clings to the schist ridge, contributing to the unique and changing atmosphere of these landscapes with their striking relief.

The network of roads within the Grand Site greatly contributes to the quality of the landscape experience. The roads showcase the landscape. They offer changing and varied views with a play of interlocking landscape scales from the «high» roads with their «balcony» views over the wider landscape, or from the «low» roads at coastal level, passes and «entry points» into the territory.

These roads, which are mostly owned by the county council, are used both for their efficiency and for the views they offer of the surrounding landscape. Carefully laid out, they are relatively discreet in the landscape. The «corniche» road route, which takes the RD38, RD81 and RD33, connects the village of Poggio d'Oletta to the village of Farinole via the Teghime Pass and Patrimonio, allowing visitors to discover the exceptional landscape of the Grand Site.

This situation offers a view of the site's landscape with longitudinal or frontal views depending on the direction of the gaze as the road curves. The perspectives vary along the route, while remaining marked by the characteristic features of the Grand Site landscape, namely: the network of vineyard plots, which form the basis of the landscape, and the limestone ridge with the Gulf of Saint-Florent in the background, which is constantly visible. This road contributes to the discovery of the Grand Site landscape while highlighting it through its position in the landscape base. It is a balcony overlooking the vast landscape, where the gaze can wander far without ever being separated from the Conca d'Oru, the Patrimonio vineyards and the Gulf of Saint-Florent.

Crossing the listed site from east to west, the RD81 road linking the Col de Teghime to Saint-Florent and the RD238 between Poggio d'Oletta and Saint-Florent are gateway roads to the Grand Site and the vineyards. Crossing the Col de Teghime from Bastia towards Saint-Florent offers a panorama that has been enhanced by landscaping. Due to their position within the listed site, these roads reveal numerous «natural» viewpoints that could be developed.

The GSF viewpoints

LAND/SEA INTERFACE

AND THE GULF OF SAINT-FLORENT

The Gulf of Saint Florent lies at the junction of the northern coastline of the island, Balagne, Agriate, and the western coast of Cap Corse. Its amphitheatre shape facing the sea is outlined by a coastline, a link between land and water that converges in a perspective formed by the citadel of Saint Florent in the foreground of the Conca d'Oru.

The coastline is characterised by a seaside landscape which, after concentrating around the citadel and the old town of Saint-Florent, extends along the coastline and the slopes of the limestone hills. Part of the Conca d'Oru and Patrimonio vineyard conservation area extends to the Patrimonio coastline, along the Vecchiaia trail, which offers remarkable views of the limestone coast. To the north of the Grand Site, the formation of steeper cliffs at Farinole heralds the entrance to Cap Corse.
The limestone chain's relief is cut by three «strette», narrow natural valleys criss-crossed by streams. The «strette» link the wine-growing and agricultural heart of the Grand Site with its coastline.
The dialogue between land and sea is evident in every panorama offered by the Grand Site's landscape. The Gulf of Saint Florent and the conch shell echo each other in a constant interplay of blue and green, rock and water, horizontality and verticality. Through the coastal window of the Grand Site, the land and sea come together in a unique way. The union of these two environments forms unique, attractive and largely unspoilt landscapes. From west to east, the coastline of the Gulf of Saint Florent runs between the schist cliffs of Cap Corse and the granite reliefs of Agriate. The beaches, like the citadel and the old town of Saint Florent, form a focal point, a landmark in the wider landscape.

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