Aregno () is a commune in the Haute-Corse department on the island of Corsica, France. The village was previously part of the piève of Aregnu in the former Genovese province of Balagna.
The inhabitants of the commune are known as Aregnais or Aregnaises
The commune has been awarded three flowers by the National Council of Towns and Villages in Bloom in the Competition of cities and villages in Bloom.
Geography
Aregno is located immediately to the east of Algajola and extends from west to east between Algajola, Lavatoggio, Cateri, Sant'Antonino, Pigna, and Corbara. Its highest point is 326 metres above sea level and it has a total area of some 930 hectares. Access to the commune is by National Route N197 from Algajola in the west and continuing to Corzo to the north-east. Access to the village is by road D551 which branches off the N197 and continues south through the commune by a circuitous route to the village. There is also the D151 road from Pigna in the north-east, passing through the village and continuing south to join the D71 south-east of Cateri. The CFC railway from Algajola passes through the commune near the beach with the Aregno-beach station an important stop for the summer "beach tramway" along the coast and the beaches between Calvi and L'Ile-Rousse.
Between the sea and the village, the Aregno plain is crossed by the Teghiella stream, which joins the Pozzi stream, and the Migliani stream later on. It flows into the Mediterranean at the east end of Aregno beach, at the edge of the Calcinaiu Natural Site in Corbara.
Aregno has a narrow sea front, mostly sandy beach, which extends between Corbara and Algajola.
Localities and Hamlets
The commune includes the following inhabited areas: Aregno village, old and traditional, dominated by the Trinity Church located forty metres above it, an architectural jewel from the 11th century, located in the middle of the cemetery. Praoli hamlet located just north of the village with the small chapel of Saint-Michel Torre, north of the village, which also has a chapel Aregno-beach between the seaside resort of Algajola and the industrial area of Corbara. The area has been developed for tourism with the construction of holiday homes, shops, and hotels. The chapel of the Annunziata is at Aregno-beach. The D551 road connecting to the village intersects the N197 at Aregno-beach.
Amenities
Although it has a coastline, the commune has no marina. The nearest is the small fishing port of San Damiano in Algajola.
There are 3 water treatment plants: in the village of Aregno and in the hamlets of Praoli and Torre. The pumping station is located near the N197 at Aregno beach.
The commune has no petrol station. The nearest is located at the edge of Corbara commune on the N197 at Aregno-beach.
Neighbouring communes and villages
History
Antiquity
Evidence that Aregno was already occupied in Roman times has been proven by discoveries of bronze plates from the armies of the emperor Vespasian have been found at the site of San Marcellu.
It has been established that in the 9th century, during the reconquest from the saracens, Roman knights led by the Roman prince Guido Savelli (Count of Balagne since his victory over the Saracens) chose successively the Moorish cities of Corbara (the Castle of Guido was founded in 816), then Sant'Antonino for the capital of the County of Balagna, named after the coastal city which has disappeared.
According to the work of Pierre Savelli de Guido (Count Savelli de Guido, former mayor of Corbara and historian, member of the Archaeological Society of Lorraine), the site is that of the ancient city of Balanea founded by the Phoenicians (?) and mentioned by Ptolemy, Strabo, and Pliny the Elder which was abandoned due to insecurity.
Stones from ancient Roman shrines have been reused in some houses and barns.
Modern Times
In the 16th century, around 1520, Aregnu was the centre of a Pieve with about 500 inhabitants. It was part of the Balagna region which included at the time the pieves of Tuani, Aregnu, Santo Andrea, Pinu, and Olmia.
The Pieve of Aregnu included the following inhabited places: l'Arpagiola (or Gabiola), la Corbaia, lo Monticello, Santo Antonino, Santa Riparata, Piaza, Pragola, le Torre, Regno, li Catari, lo Lavatogio, Lacona, Spano, Hogio, and Aquapessa.
In the 18th century, after the transfer of Corsica to France, Aregnu merged with the pieves of Santo Andrea and Tuani to form the Pieve of Regino. The Pieve of Regino became, with the Revolution in 1790, the Canton of Algajola.