Barbaggio
Presentation
the soul of a Corsican village
The terraced hamlets of Piazze, Poggio and Gorgaccia, together with the church of San Marcellu, form the heart of the village. The scene of decisive battles during the liberation of Corsica, this area combines historical heritage, natural landscapes and agricultural traditions. Hiking trails reveal the beauty of this commune, and a viewpoint on the RD38 offers breathtaking views of the wine-growing area and the Gulf of Saint-Florent.
A bit of history
The origins of Barbaggio, the historic heart of Nebbiu
The municipality of Barbaggio has been inhabited since prehistoric times, as evidenced by various archaeological discoveries.
Such as the imposing cup-marked slab known as «U Tavulinu di u Vescu» — the bishop's table — which probably had a religious function. These are holes carved into the rock, sometimes extended by channels. It was discovered at a place called Pelosella, at the foot of Mount Sant'Anghjulu.
Barbaggio, witness to the history of Conca d'Oru
medieval period
In medieval times, in the bishopric of Nebbiu, the chapel of San Petru (11th century) stood at the heart of the territory of the ancient parish of Patrimonio, of which it was the main church. Two hundred metres away was a protohistoric village, which is believed to have been inhabited until the Middle Ages. Today, the ruins of a tower house stand on the site (In Torra). On these lands, citron was cultivated on terraces.
from the 13th century to the 14th century
In the 13th century, the region was ruled by the Loreto lords of Nebbiu, then by the Bagnaia family, loyal to the commune of Pisa, and finally, in the 14th century, by the Cortinchi family. These lords owned a dozen towers spread across Nebbiu, Conca d'Oru and the foothills of Serra di Pigno, overlooking Bastia.
During the Genoese period, from the 14th century onwards, the region was an important stopover on the route from Bastia to the Presidium of Calvi.
18th century
The French war of conquest in the early 18th century had a particularly significant impact on Conca d'Oru. The numerous battles between Patrimonio and Barbaggio bear witness to this. Bloody reprisals also led to the destruction of several houses. On 15 May 1769, Marbeuf occupied Barbaggio and Patrimonio so that the king's troops «could communicate freely between Bastia and Saint-Florent».
19th century
At the beginning of the 19th century, imperial roads began to develop. In the Conca d'Oru, a cart road connects Bastia to Saint-Florent via the Teghime Pass. It then descends towards the plain, winding its way beneath the three main hamlets of Barbaggio: Piazze, Poggio and Gorgaccia.
This road, which leads to Saint-Florent via Barbaggio, became a popular tourist route in the 19th century, extensively documented by painters, artists and pioneers of photography.
With its turbulent history and wars, the vicissitudes of a subsistence economy prevailed until the mid-19th century. Then, with the return of peace, a new economic dynamic emerged: viticulture developed in the Conca d'Oru, to the detriment of older crops such as cereals. Estates and large properties began to appear in the region.
During the Second World War, the commune of Barbaggio was the scene of a historic battle for the liberation of Corsica.
(Sources: SIMI Pierre. Regional aspects of Corsica: Nebbio. In: Revue de géographie alpine. 1957, Volume 45 No. 4. pp. 711-762. ; «The parish of Patrimonio» Cahiers Corsica 180 . Bastia 1998; SCALFATI Silvio P.P, Fragment of a medieval cartulary from the Corsican bishopric of Nebbio. In Mélanges de l'école française de Rome. Middle Ages, Modern Times Vol. 105, No. 2, 1993, pp. 605-627; ISTRIA Daniel. Powers and Fortifications in Northern Corsica, 11th-14th Centuries; SILVANI Paul, In Corsica at the Time of Paoli. Albiana; Barbaggio Town Hall.)
Barbaggio, memories of stones and vines
The war memorial at Col de Teghime
The war memorial at Col de Teghime commemorates the battle of the same name, which saw 49 soldiers (the goumiers of the 2nd GTM) fall during three days of fierce fighting, often hand-to-hand, on 3 October 1943.
On 4 October 1943, Corsica became the first French department to be liberated.
Parish Church of Saint Marcel, known as San Marcellu – 16th century
In 1686, the Church of San Marcellu had a women's confraternity of the Holy Rosary and a Holy Cross Oratory, to which a confraternity dressed in white was attached. It houses the painting «Saint Jerome in the Desert», probably from the former Fesch collection and classified as a historical monument.
In the sacristy, there are three joined tombstones (two made of schist with inscriptions, one made of marble with a skull motif) under which a bishop from Nebbiu is said to be buried (according to oral tradition). The date MDLXXII (1572) can be read on the central tombstone. According to G. Moracchini-Mazel, some of these slabs may have come from the citadel of Saint-Florent.
To the west of the church, you will find a beautiful little cemetery.
Molinaccio flour mill (wheat and chestnuts) – 18th century
The mill is located on the banks of the Quarcetto stream and is built of roughly hewn schist rubble stone. The entrance is through an opening originally topped by two monolithic lintels, one of which is still in place inside, while the other lies inside. The ground floor is covered by a barrel vault in which three wooden beams are embedded. There is a skylight covered with a slate tile, as well as a small window without frames overlooking the river. A limestone millstone (approximately 120 cm in diameter and 15 cm thick) remains.
On the lower floor, a lime-plastered semi-circular arch opens onto the river-side wall: this is the horizontal wheel room. There are two axle holes in this room, suggesting that there were probably two millstones above, one for wheat and the other for chestnuts. At the back of the room, you can see the end of the penstock that must have connected to the diversion channel further up.
Agricultural shed known as pagliaghju - Early 19th century
The building is a typical example of a "pagliaghju", a small agricultural shed characteristic of the region. It is located on a vineyard, in the middle of the land. It has a rectangular floor plan. The masonry is made of schist and limestone rubble. The interior is covered by a barrel vault on which there is earth and vegetation. On the front elevation, there is a slightly off-centre door and a small niche.
It could be used as a farm shed. An industrial heritage survey carried out in 1991 counted 88 such buildings in the municipality.
Chapel of Saint Peter, known as San Petru – 11th and then 17th century
The Church of San Petru overlooks the mule track that leads from Barbaggio to the plain. The building has a rectangular plan with a semicircular apse. This church features a wide variety of masonry styles, showing that the different phases of construction took place over several centuries. It was originally a baptismal church, the principalis of the entire ancient pieve of Patrimonio. In 1359, it was known as the plebania of Patrimonio.
Archaeological excavations carried out by INRAP in 2019 uncovered a bulb-shaped bell casting pit and fragments of terracotta moulds. It was a double mould system with a reservoir into which molten metal was poured. The terracotta mould then had to be broken to remove the bell. Finding a craft manufacturing structure is unique in Corsica.
Casemate
While the Teghime Pass site offers incredible views of the landscape today, this was also the case during the Second World War.
In 1920, the French Navy installed a radio relay station there between Corsica and Nice: this marked the beginning of the militarisation of this territory, already perceived as a strategic location.
During the Second World War, Corsica was first occupied by the Italians, then by the Germans from 1943 onwards. In 1942, the Italians reinforced the defences of the Teghime Pass by building a dozen casemates there. So it was they, enemies of the French, who consolidated the armament of the pass.
In 1943, after Italy's surrender, the casemates passed into German hands. The machine gun installed in the centre of the casemate was then replaced by a German weapon.
Today, vegetation has reclaimed its rights, and the casemates of the Teghime Pass have gradually been covered by scrubland. Their location is now known only to a few enthusiasts.
One of the casemates on the site was restored and showcased as part of the Teghime Pass landscaping project in 2022. This restoration preserves and passes on the memory of the events that took place there, retracing the different stages of the Battle of the Teghime Pass in October 1943, which led to the liberation of Corsica (see Battle of Teghime – link). Visitors can walk through an underground section – a former trench – and an above-ground section, including the observation post and the site of the former cannon.
Battle of Teghime
The liberation of Corsica: 9 September – 4 October 1943
On 9 September 1943, as the Anglo-Americans landed at Salerno, the Corsican resistance rose up. Italy collapsed and called for support for the Allies. A Liberation Committee was set up in Ajaccio, while in Bastia, the population rose up. On the 12th, Hitler ordered the evacuation of Sardinia and Corsica, but not without allowing for a transitional period to enable German forces to regroup and evacuate their supplies. This plan required regaining control of Corsica's road network. For the patriots, the situation was critical. They therefore sought the support of the Free French forces based in Algeria. Mobilised by the landing in Italy, the Allies nevertheless agreed to provide General Henry Martin with French ships to support the insurgents and establish a bridgehead around Ajaccio.
During the night of 12 to 13 September, disembarked from the submarine Casabianca, A detachment of 109 men from the 1st Shock Battalion seized strategic points in the city and the Campo dell'Oro airfield. They were quickly followed by 400 other commandos and the 1st Regiment of Moroccan Riflemen (RTM). Within ten days, elements of the 2nd Group of Moroccan Tabors (GTM), the 4th Regiment of Moroccan Spahis, the 69th Mountain Artillery Regiment and the 82nd Engineer Battalion landed. The French navy deployed sixteen ships, including the cruiser Joan of Arc or the destroyer Whimsical. Soon, French fighter planes appear in the Mediterranean sky: a squadron of Spitfires arrives on 24 September at Campo dell'Oro aerodrome and provides protection for the port.
German General von Senger prepared to evacuate his 30,000 men from North Africa. On 13 September, Bastia was occupied once again. The eastern coast was in German hands. Raids and acts of sabotage against enemy columns increased to such an extent that the Germans accelerated their retreat. On the 18th, Sartène and Zonza are liberated. After fierce fighting, the commandos and resistance fighters then liberate Bonifacio and Porto-Vecchio before heading north. In the centre of the island, the enemy is constantly harassed.
General Martin wanted to enter Bastia as soon as possible to prevent the German rearguard from re-embarking. While some elements of the 1st RTM were sent to Corte, the bulk of the troops were sent directly to the north of the island, particularly to the Saint-Florent region, which had been liberated on 30 September. The offensive on Bastia can begin. Its objective is to outflank the Germans holding the roads and passes leading to the mountains. In the north, the Moroccan goumiers were to attack along a west-east axis, from the Farinole marina towards the San Leonardo pass, then from the south towards Serra-di-Pignu and Cima Orcago, overlooking the Teghime pass, while the 1st RTM, starting from the San Stefano pass, was to reach Furiani and Monte alla Torre south-west of Teghime.
On 30 September, the goumiers, led by a young shepherd named Ernest BONACOSCIA, reached the San Leonardo Pass. Descending southwards, they arrived at Serra-di-Pignu, which overlooks the Teghime Pass. General Martin obtained artillery support, trucks and Italian sappers from General Magli. On 2 October, at the cost of significant sacrifices, the 1st RTM held the San Antonio Pass and prepared to take the Teghime Pass from behind and then rush towards Furiani. The shock battalion took control of Cap Corse, but not without a skirmish with the Germans at Cagnano. At 5:45 a.m. on 4 October, the tricolour flag flew over the front of Bastia Town Hall.
Corsica was the first department to be liberated by its inhabitants, French soldiers (many of whom were from Africa) and Allied forces. The Germans suffered heavy losses: nearly 1,000 killed, 400 prisoners, and the destruction of around 100 tanks, 600 artillery pieces and 5,000 various vehicles. On the Allied side, 637 Italian soldiers, 3 American soldiers, 72 French soldiers and 175 patriots lost their lives.
Following these operations, Corsica became a strategic asset for the Allies. Nicknamed the’U.S.S. Corsica, it becomes a veritable unsinkable aircraft carrier housing twenty-five Allied runways, thus enabling control of the sea and air links to northern Italy and southern France.