Leaving St-Florent by the Bastia road, the first village you come to, after 6km, is PATRIMONIO, centre of the first Corsican wine region to gain appellation contrôlée status. Apart from the renowned local Muscat, which can be sampled in the village or at one of the caves along the route from St-Florent, Patrimonio's chief asset is the sixteenth-century church of St-Martin, occupying its own little hillock and visible for kilometres around. The colour of burnt sienna, it stands out vividly against the rich green vineyards. In a garden 200m south of the church stands a limestone statue-menhir known as U Nativu, a late megalithic piece dating from 800900 BC. A carved T-shape on its front represents a breastbone, and two eyebrows and a chin can also be made out.
|