Couple Degustation Epicerie Fine Antigu BonifacioCouple Degustation Epicerie Fine Antigu Bonifacio
©Couple Degustation Epicerie Fine Antigu Bonifacio|Sebastien Leroy
Winter gastronomy and heritage

A living, gourmet heritage

Are you a gourmet who loves the great outdoors? Then you’ve come to Bonifacio at just the right time. It’s easy to think of Bonifacio as a sleepy town during the winter months, but in reality it’s full of little treasures to be discovered, corners of nature where it’s as if you’re all alone in the world, typical and comforting dishes that can only be tasted in winter… And what about picnics on the beach even in the middle of January? Thanks to the mild Mediterranean climate! All aboard for a dive into a heritage that’s sure to surprise you.

Choosing the right ride

Sea and countryside in the same day!

The hardest thing about being in Bonifacio in winter is deciding which walk to take… Explore the lighthouses? Discover the little Sperone? Take a break at Fazziò? Stroll around Trinité? Discover the fishing village of Sant’Amanza? The choice can be difficult, we agree. But the big advantage is that it’s easy to enjoy several of these places in the same day by following the sun, and with a little organization, you can watch the sun rise and set in breathtaking locations while having driven only a few minutes and taking a big breath of fresh air. A change of scenery guaranteed!

Between edible flowers and herbs

A tour of an extraordinary vegetable garden

When I say “local produce”, what comes to mind? Well, there’s the obvious: brocciu, figateddu, chestnut flour, clementines… And just in time: it’s the right season. Bonifacio is also fortunate to have a number of market gardeners who are committed to organic farming and, above all, respect for nature. You’ll meet some of them at the Friday morning farmers’ market, and sometimes in boutiques like Potager en herbes. Its creators, Marc and Charlène, have a garden where they grow all kinds of flowers and herbs, as well as often rare varieties of fruit and vegetables. And they create recipes for condiments to add to any sauce. Come and see them at Acqua Peruta or in the garden, and they’ll tell you how to put flowers on your plate!

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The ideal place to discover producers? The Friday morning market. Few and far between in winter, these enthusiasts will be delighted to talk to you about their work and their products.

Exceptional products that aim for excellence

Get your taste buds tingling

If you’re a gourmet who likes to make tasty discoveries, the region’s producers are sure to delight you. Take a look at the black and yellow signs on the “route des sens authentiques”: they’ll point you in the direction of farmers committed to excellence. Give them a call and you won’t be disappointed. Others have more confidential addresses, but will welcome you in the same way. As these professionals are first and foremost lovers of their land and the know-how they have acquired over several generations, they won’t hesitate to show you around, guide you during tastings and advise you according to your desires. Honey, cheese, olive oil, homemade liqueurs, beer and wine will all be appreciated and convince you that you’re definitely in the right place to play the game of a thousand discoveries with your taste buds. And you’ll also have the pleasure of taking home as a gift some exceptional products in which you and your loved ones will find all the tastes of Bonifacia’s terroir.

Discover goat brocciu

Goat or sheep?

You’re bound to have heard of brocciu, the fromage frais eaten fresh from the last days of November until spring. Most often, you’ll find brocciu made from sheep’s milk – a delight to be enjoyed with a drizzle of lemon juice and sugar, or with brandy. But there’s also an enduring tradition of brocciu made from goat’s milk. This is particularly true in the far south, where people like the slightly stronger taste of fresh cheese. In Bonifacio, two breeders-producers make brocciu according to ancestral know-how, one from ewe’s milk, the other from goat’s milk. Both also produce excellent cheese. Tasting their products is a true taste of the Bonifacian terroir, which permeates the flavors and makes each bite unique. Visit the town’s grocery stores and supermarkets to find these uniquely flavored broccii, but also the restaurants where chefs sublimate them in traditional or innovative recipes.

A blend of rarity and beauty

A living, protected heritage

Bonifacio’s beauty also lies in what you don’t see at first glance, what’s hidden or not immediately revealed. Fauna and flora can be discovered along the countless trails that criss-cross the micro-region. If you go to Rondinara, Testa Ventilegne, Balistra or Capicciolu, you’re guaranteed to see protected species of flora that feed the many birds and amphibians that populate the shores and wetlands: antinorias, forget-me-nots, myrtles, isoetes, sea rushes and other heathers share the spot with grey herons, egrets, lizards, Hermann’s turtles and hedgehogs. Of course, it’s common sense not to pick the flowers or disturb the animals, whether they’re hibernating or not. All the places where they can be found are part of areas protected by the Conservatoire du Littoral, and it is therefore quite logically forbidden to leave any trace of one’s passage there.

Did you know?

Bonifacio’s municipal tourist office has initiated an eco-responsible and collaborative approach, “Produit local”, which is displayed in many restaurants and stores. This label indicates that products have been grown and processed in Bonifacio.

The Mediterranean's most beautiful treasure

Protected plant and animal species

Bonifacio’s greatest natural asset is undoubtedly the surrounding sea. The area is protected as a nature reserve between the communes of Porto-Vecchio and Pianottoli. The Bouches de Bonifacio Nature Reserve represents 13% of the natural marine protected areas in the Mediterranean, and is the second largest in mainland France. It is rich in a unique biodiversity of flora and fauna. Imagine, then, that beneath these crystal-clear waters, in which the most courageous will slip a toe even in winter, hide sea turtles, dolphins and groupers strolling between posidonia meadows and gorgonian sea fans. Raise your eyes to the sky, and you may be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of grey shearwaters.

This reserve is home to an essential Mediterranean living heritage, which has helped shape the Bonifacian landscape over the years, with its limestone cliffs and white sandy coves. You can discover it thanks to enthusiasts who know the place and the animals, and who also raise awareness of the protection issues that are essential if these species (which were here long before us) are to continue to prosper peacefully.

The pleasure of the senses

Taste and be guided

Producers and liqueur makers: enter the wonderful world of tasting and come away with a basketful of flavors! Le Potager en herbes welcomes you to its Acqua Peruta boutique and to the Halle de l’Arsenal in Haute-Ville during the markets. L’Orée du Maquis opens the door to its incredible cellar, where the owners bottle the perfume of your choice before your very eyes. Finally, the Maquis distillery invites you to discover its products between stills and pots.

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