The Balange in the northwest of the island can be divided into two parts. On the one hand to the Balange Fertile between Calvi and L ́lle Rousse and on the other hand to the Balange Déserte between Calvi and Galéria. The port city of Calvi with its picturesque citadel is located directly on the Gulf of Calvi.
Calvi is surrounded by white beaches and the view extends to the 2706 m high Monte Cinto. The city can be divided into two parts, the upper and lower town. The upper town is dominated by the citadel. The fortress consists of the Citadelle, the Governor’s Palace, the Church of Saint-Jean-Baptiste and the Oratory of Saint-Antoine. There are many small alleys in the fortress, in one of which Christopher Columbus is said to have been born.
Otherwise, the Governor’s Palace houses the Foreign Legion and you have a great view of the harbor, especially at night it is beautiful. In the lower town you will find the church of Sainte-Marie-Majeure, the Hôtel de Ville, the market and of course the port for yachts and ferries. Calvi is an ideal holiday destination in Corsica. The city and landscape is very beautiful and ideal as a starting point for tours.
The Balange Fertile begins in the basins of the coast and extends over the hilly mountains to the high mountains. In the past, fertile soil predominated in the Balange Fertile, where cereals, figs, almonds, oranges, lemons, wine and olives were grown. In the meantime, the maquis overgrows the fields and terraced crops and many a fire has destroyed many areas of the Balange. But there are still olive groves, chestnuts, almond trees, holm oaks, agaves, palm trees or prickly pear cacti. When you drive through the Balange Fertile, you will notice the many small mountain villages that captivate with their churches, monasteries or chapels. They are usually very small and adapt picturesquely to the mountains.
Within the villages you usually have a great view either of the mountains and other villages or of the Mediterranean Sea. The villages of Calenzana with its baroque church of Saint-Blaise, Montemaggiore or Speloncato stand out, for example. There are well over 30 villages to explore. Of course, there are very beautiful beaches on the Balange. Worth mentioning are the white beaches in Lille-Rousse or Algajola, which invite you to swim.
The Balange Déserte stands out, especially on the coast, with its cliffs and the promontory with the maquis. On the D 81 you meander by car through breathtaking landscape. You can admire either the cliffs with the surf or the maquis. In between, you will always encounter cows or goats on the road.
The beach at Galäria should also be mentioned, because there on a pebble beach the river Fango flows and a great surf invites you to go camping here as well. In between, you should visit the chapel of Notre-Dame-de-la-Serra near Calvi.
