Pont de Zippitoli, Bridge in Bastelica, France
Pont génois de Zippitoli is a single-arch stone bridge over a small valley in Bastelica, Corsica, with a humpbacked roadway and no remaining parapets. Its bare masonry and curved profile match the simple construction of other crossings from the same period.
Built between the 1400s and 1500s, the crossing carried travelers between Bastelica and Ajaccio for centuries. It stopped being used for traffic when a newer road replaced the old route, which helped keep its original form.
The humpbacked shape is part of a long Corsican tradition of stone crossings built to link valleys before modern roads arrived. Local walkers still use the old path nearby as a short route between hamlets, making the bridge feel like a working piece of everyday heritage.
The bridge is easy to reach on foot from the surroundings and stands in open ground with uneven stones underfoot, so wear sturdy shoes. Early morning or late afternoon gives softer light and fewer people around the narrow crossing.
Because the revetment and parapets disappeared long ago, visitors can see the bare load-bearing stones and the exact curve of the arch from very close. Walking over it today means crossing the same worn surface that once carried goods and villagers on foot.
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