Go to the Natural Reserve of the Biguglia Pond, a Corsican jewel.
Written on : 20 March 2024 By : Emma Di Gesaro
Corsica, a mountainous Mediterranean island, attracts many tourists every year from the north of France and all over the world. Its magnificent landscapes inspire travellers with its white sandy beaches, its wild nature and its picturesque little villages that amaze young and old alike. Embark on a holiday on the 4th largest island in the Mediterranean and enjoy a stay to discover the fauna and flora that make up the island of beauty. Villanovo takes you to discover a precious natural site sheltered by Corsica, the Natural Reserve of the Biguglia Pond, is an activity to be enjoyed by the whole family to discover the local landscape and its history!
The area of Biguglia is the wettest area in Corsica and is located at the extreme east of the island, south of Bastia in Upper Corsica. Its meteorological conditions are perfect for maintaining the balance of the species that populate this 1,790-hectare area, which since 1991 has been classified as a nature reserve and recognised as being of international importance for the habitat of birds such as the common coot, common scaup and tufted duck. The reserve consists of a shallow pond (1.50 m) which has a history dating back to antiquity when the Roman Emperor Marius established his colony of veterans in this area protected from the wind and with the aim of controlling the island. After the fall of the Roman Empire, the area is abandoned because of the presence of Malaria (a disease carried by infected mosquitoes) and flees from the last inhabitants. It is only in the 16th century that the pond is repopulated and transformed into a commercial area by the Genoese where fishing is the main activity. Years later, the pond was sanitized and the Americans found a solution in the 20th century that would eradicate malaria.
Today, the richness of the depths of the Pond of Biguglia attracts many professional fishermen who collect about 100 tons of fish every year. However, the fishing area is highly regulated, thanks in particular to a no-fishing zone which represents 20% of the pond's surface, enough to leave the wildlife in peace.
On your way to the Biguglia Reserve, you will be surprised by the many animals you can meet on the shores: to the west and south of the pond, you will find European cistude turtles, which will delight children and adults alike! In addition to the turtles, you will be able to observe a great variety of wild birds with bright colours, many ducks, gulls, titmice and gulls without forgetting in summer magnificent pink flamingos.
If you are travelling to Corsica, Villanovo advises you to rent a car so that you don't miss a single moment of the island's beauty and it allows you to diversify your trip as you wish, without chasing your watch. If you have a car, the reserve is :
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