In an olive grove in the hills above the Taravo valley stands a group of menhirs two to three metres high. Some have faces — fine noses, eyes, a sword belt around the waist. Nobody knows for certain who made them. What's certain: they're older than Stonehenge, older than the pyramids, and you stand right next to them.
What Filitosa is
Filitosa is a prehistoric archaeological site in Corse-du-Sud, about 5 km west of the village of Sollacaro and 30 minutes north of Propriano. It sits on a low plateau above the Taravo valley, looking out at the mountains on the horizon.
The site spans 3300 BC through Roman times, with the most dramatic period around 1500 BC when the famous menhirs were raised. Filitosa has since been one of the Mediterranean's most significant prehistoric sites — not just because of the number of menhirs, but especially because many of them carry faces and weapons, something rare elsewhere.
Tip Filitosa isn't Pompeii in scale. It's a small, quiet site you walk through in 1.5 to 2 hours. The charm is in the combination of the stones themselves, the ancient olive tree, and the stillness of the surrounding landscape.
What you see
The site breaks down into a few clear zones:
Central monolith (Filitosa V) — the most famous menhir, with a finely worked face and a sword on its chest. Almost two metres tall. The one you see in every guidebook photo.
Circle of menhirs — five upright menhirs in a circle around an olive tree estimated to be 1,200 years old. The stones were probably reused in a second life by a later culture (the Torreans) as building material for their fortifications — some show traces of reworking.
Castellu (the Bronze Age stronghold) — a stone roundhouse from around 1500 BC, built on a rocky outcrop. This torre is a type of structure found only in Corsica and Sardinia, and probably had a religious or governmental function. You can walk around it and partly inside.
Quarry — a stone-cutting area where you can still see how blocks were freed. A strange feeling: people used their tools here five thousand years ago on stone that's still right there.
Museum — a small museum at the entrance with finds from the excavations: pottery shards, arrowheads, jewellery, and finds from the Neolithic period (before the menhirs).
The history: three layers
What makes Filitosa so special is that you see three eras side by side:
- Neolithic inhabitants (3300-1800 BC) built the first structures and left pottery and tools
- The menhir culture (around 1500 BC) raised the stones with faces and weapons. Who they were is unclear, but the detailed depictions suggest these are portraits of warriors or leaders
- The Torreans (after 1500 BC) were a new population, probably from Italy, who overthrew the menhir culture, toppled their monuments, and built their own torre structures — often using the broken menhirs as construction material
That last layer explains why some menhirs now stand in a wall instead of upright: the original purpose was forgotten or deliberately desecrated.
How it was discovered
The site was found in 1946 by the then landowner, Charles-Antoine Cesari, who came across large stones while farming on the hill. British writer Dorothy Carrington visited him and recognised the archaeological value, after which systematic excavations began under Roger Grosjean in 1954.
The Cesari family still runs the site, and you feel it in the tone: not a tourism industry but a family operation with a museum, a ticket booth and a watchful calm over the terrain.
Tip The ticket gives access to both the museum and the archaeological site. Start at the museum for context — it makes the menhirs much more legible afterwards. The audio guide comes in several languages including Dutch.
Practical
- Getting there: from Ajaccio about 1 hour via the N196 and D57. From Propriano half an hour, from Sartène also about half an hour. Follow signs for 'Filitosa' from the N196
- Parking: free at the entrance
- Hours: daily April to November, roughly 09:00-19:00. More limited in winter, check before going
- Entry: around €8 for adults, discounts for children and students
- How long: 1.5 to 2 hours is enough to walk the site at a calm pace
- Combine with: lunch in Sartène or the southern wineries, or a drive to Bavella in the afternoon
- When: avoid the hot midday in July and August — there's little shade on the site. Early morning or late afternoon is nicer for both the light and the temperature