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Itinéraires par région

Dominated by the Cardu massif at an altitude of 2,453 m, the villages cling to the ridge of the Serra which descends from the mountain. Riventosa, Poghju di Venacu and Casanova are remarkable built-up areas, offering beautiful views over the Cortenais and the Tavignani. At the end of the 19th century, Ardouin Dumazet, passing through the region, was struck by these magnificent landscapes and saw these villages "as the protrusions of a formidable natural citadel, commanding the deep valleys of the Tavignani and the Vecchio". The villages are extended by ancient agricultural terraces whose dry stone retaining walls can still be seen. A testimony to a laborious past when every square centimetre of land was sown. ARCHITECTURAL HARMONY In a beautiful harmony, the buildings blend in with the landscape. The houses have been built one behind the other, from the oldest parts. They follow the slopes and unevenness of the land. The buildings, simple and sober, use local granite and schist. In general, the buildings do not exceed three floors. In the past, the ground floors were used as sheds. The upper floors were accessed via a staircase. The facades are often lime plastered in pastel shades, without ever standing out. Some of the roofs are made of teghje (schist), which gives them a grey-green glow. The others are made of canal tiles. Only the bell towers stand out distinctly from these mineral masses. The paths are paved with stones. Shaded squares alternate with narrow streets. Some covered passages are built under the houses, while the fountains give pride of place to water. Bread ovens remain in good condition. Their lighting now rhymes with moments of sharing and conviviality between inhabitants. Connected by paths, numerous dry stone farm buildings (chestnut dryers, pagliaghji, palmenti, mills and stables) are scattered around the villages. BETWEEN GRANITE AND SCHIST The diversity of building materials used in the villages of the Venacais reflects a rich geological history. The micro-region is located at the junction of the island's two main geological units: granite Corsica in the south and schist Corsica in the north. Thus, two types of materials have been used: granite (Venaco pudding) or schist for the construction of the walls; canal tiles or lauzes for the roofs.

Poggio-di-Venaco

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