Bonifacio : a staircase built into the rock

Bunifaziu : U scaleghju ind’a petra.

A vertiginous descent of 187 steps plunging into the sea:, a staircase worthy of a King

Bonifacio: Stairs cut into the rock!

Today is challenging day for me: to go down (and then reascend, of course) the 187 steps that make up the King of Aragon’s staircase! Legend has it that it was dug in one night by the troops of the King of Aragon, Alfonso V the Magnanimous, during the siege of Bonifacio in 1420.

The vertiginous descent seems endless, but the incredible spectacle on offer is worth all the efforts in the world. The white cliffs stand out in the blue of the sky and the sea, hovering gulls dance in front of me, and the ever-present breeze carries the marine scents.

Arriving at the bottom, it’s a winding path skirting the rock that leads me to the well of Saint Barthelemy. The climb won’t be painless, but what a pleasure and source of pride to have climbed these steps!