Once considered Corsica's granary, the Agriate is now Europe's only ‘desert’. Unlike sandy deserts, this is a vast expanse of arid scrubland and granite sculpted by the sea air, covering 15,000 hectares, including 5,700 hectares acquired by the Conservatoire in 1979. Access to this area is regulated and limited to certain vehicles.

The scrubland, shaped by past agriculture, includes dense bushes of wild olive, tall scrubland of arbutus and holm oak, and low scrubland of rockrose and rosemary. This area is a haven for a rich avifauna and a variety of majestic predators, such as the Sardinian, Pitchou and Melanocephalus warblers, peregrine falcons and ospreys.

The coastal areas are home to dolphins and fine stands of juniper. The sand dunes near the beaches of Ostriconi, Saleccia and Lotu, with their pristine white sands and turquoise waters, offer landscapes worthy of the Caribbean.

As well as its natural beauty, the Agriate region is rich in history, with agro-pastoral remains and Neolithic archaeological sites. This vast area, listed as a site and part of the Natura 2000 network, bears witness to the human and natural history of the region, offering a unique and unspoilt experience of Mediterranean biodiversity.