Erbalunga: France’s hotspot for the earliest summer sunrise

This is the month to make the most of the sunlight: the intense summer heat eases into the languorous warmth of September, and we can still enjoy long, light-filled days. 

If you are heading to Corsica, be sure to travel north of Bastia to find Erbalunga, a tiny village where the sun will rise earlier than anywhere else in France.

This ancient fishing village is at the top of Cap Corse, which is the rocky peninsula in northeast Corsica that looks like a pointing finger.

There is only one road to Erbalunga, and it offers stunning views of the dazzling sea. Head north of Bastia and follow the coastline, carefully navigating the curves until the village pops into view around one of the bends.

Your first sight is a cluster of old buildings crammed in a rather improbable fashion onto a stretch of rock bordered by the sea on three sides.

Once you have parked up, you approach the village itself on foot, and finally get a feel for the magic of the place.

'The artists' nest'

From the 1100s to the 1700s, this was one of the island’s main ports, thriving on its trade exports of olive oil and wine. In contrast to much of Corsica, residents have always lived on the coast throughout the year in Erbalunga, and local families have always fished its waters.

It is such a picturesque spot that it has attracted countless painters over the decades, notably back in the 1930s when it became an artists’ colony.

The village continued to appeal to creative types, and from the 1960s it has been nicknamed the artists’ ‘nest’ or ‘refuge’, unsurprising given the spectacular views and architecture.

In the heart of Erbalunga, you will find the church of Saint Erasmus – named after the patron saint of sailors – and a neighbouring chapel with painted frescoes from the 1300s. But the true charm comes from the arches and alleyways that have organically developed along with generations of local families.

You can easily walk around the village in about an hour. No cars are allowed in the centre, so you can stroll the cobbled streets in safety, quietly sip a coffee or aperitif in a pavement café, then explore the various side streets, snapping pictures as you go.

A 1550s watchtower

You cannot fail to notice the remains of Torra d’Erbalunga, one of the network of around 150 circular watchtowers in Corsica that were built by the Republic of Genoa in the 1500s, when they were used as defensive look-out posts to guard against attacks from pirates.

The original tower in Erbalunga was destroyed by French forces in the 1550s, then rebuilt, and was listed as a Historic Monument in 1927.

Despite being partly ruined – or perhaps because of this – it continues to feature in countless photographs and paintings, a steadfast reminder of the village’s past. 

Walk to the end of the harbour for a great view of the tower with the surrounding rocks that seem to rise out of the waves, reaching towards the structure. Take the path that leads to the harbour where you can explore the docks, then, at the end of the pier, you can take a seat to enjoy the view looking back towards the village and the mountains beyond.

The earliest sunrise in France

If you are visiting Corsica this month, make sure you go to Erbalunga for the sunrise on Monday, September 22. 

This date is the autumn equinox, the day on which the sun rises directly in the east, meaning that the first places to see daylight in France will be this artistic Corsican village and the nearby city of Bastia.

After this date, the days become shorter than the nights, up until the shortest day of the year on Sunday, December 21, the winter solstice. So make the most of the sunny mornings and long afternoons!