Barcaggio Beach (Cap Corse): tips and photos

Why go to Barcaggio beach

Barcaggio beach is also called Cala beach (A Cala): that is the name on maps and used by the Cap Corse tourist office. It stretches below the hamlet of Barcaggio, at the very end of the Cap Corse road. The hamlet and the car park are in the commune of Ersa, but the sand is in Rogliano.

You will find nearly a kilometre of sand between the mouth of a stream and a lagoon, a high dune protected by the Conservatoire du littoral, the public body that protects the French coastline, and, a little over 2 km offshore, the island of Giraglia and its lighthouse. Cows often wander along the beach. It is also the end of the customs officers’ path from Macinaggio: you can walk out and come back by boat.

Type of beach: sand, water and swimming

It is a sandy beach (Cap Corse tourist office), often edged with banks of Posidonia. These heaps of dead leaves come from Posidonia seagrass meadows, a marine plant: they are natural and part of the beach.

The beach faces north-north-west, straight towards the Giraglia. It is open to wind and swell from the north and west: on those days, the sea can be rough and the water cooler near the shore. According to recent averages (2023-2025) from the Open-Meteo Marine dataset, the sea offshore is above 22 °C in June, reaches 26 °C in July and August and stays around 23 °C in September.

The tourist office lists supervised swimming only at Padulu beach, in Macinaggio: nothing is listed at Barcaggio. You swim at your own risk; stay close to the shore when there is a swell. In an emergency: 112, the European emergency number, from any phone; 15 for the SAMU (emergency medical service), 18 for the fire brigade, 196 for sea rescue.

The parts of the beach

To the west, right next to the car park, the Acqua Tignese flows into the sea. The sand is narrow here, often covered with Posidonia, and you often see cows lying on the leaves. The Conservatoire reports chaste trees at the river mouth.

In the centre, the curve of Cala beach proper widens in front of the dune. The beach restaurant is on this side.

To the east, a lagoon closes off the beach. Beyond it the rocky coast begins, leading in about 900 m to Punta d’Agnellu and its tower. The coves of Cala Francese and Cala Genovese are separate beaches, about 3 km away as the crow flies, reached only on foot or by boat.

The Giraglia, the Agnellu tower and the dune

The Giraglia is the islet on the horizon, with a lighthouse and a Genoese tower. It is part of the réserve naturelle des Îles du Cap Corse, a nature reserve: landing is banned, so you look at it from the beach or from a boat.

The Genoese tower of Agnellu stands on the point east of the beach. The customs officers’ path passes at its foot: coming from Macinaggio, it is the last landmark before Barcaggio.

Behind the sand, the dune is covered with marram grass and then Phoenician junipers. Damaged by trampling, it has been restored by the Conservatoire du littoral: chestnut sand fences in front, a fence behind, marram grass replanted. Keep to the paths. Further on, a seasonal wetland and the lagoon are home to unusual plants, including Lippia nodiflora and Cressa cretica, according to the Conservatoire; the whole area is listed as the ZNIEFF “Zones humides de Barcaggio” (Barcaggio wetlands).

The beach and the dune lie within the Conservatoire’s “Pointe du Cap Corse” site, a listed landscape site and the Cap Corse nord et île Finocchiarola, Giraglia et Capense Natura 2000 site. The sea in front of them belongs to the Parc naturel marin du Cap Corse et de l’Agriate, a marine nature park. As on all Conservatoire land, fires, camping and motor vehicles are banned. If you come by boat, avoid anchoring on the seagrass meadows and check the maritime prefecture’s orders.

When to go

In June and September, the sea is already or still warm and the road is quieter. In July and August, set off early: the D253 is narrow and passing other cars is slow. The shuttle boat from Macinaggio runs from April to early October. For the path, choose a day without strong wind: the beach is calmer and the fire risk lower. Check the Météo-France forecast the day before.