Corsic With pink-tinged mountin spires, smooth grnite pools of cler wter nd white snd beches, the wild plces of the islnd re unspoilt nd beutiful. Locl rosé nd delicious sefood just dd to the ppel. 45 Gorges de l Vcc 68 Corsic 69
Corsic Gléri Porto Clvi 48 b Évis 46 47 c Asco d-84 b 39 d-147 38 d-623 37 n-197 Corte BASTIA 40 n-193 n-193 n-200 n-198 20km 38 gorges du tvignno A mssive pool with wterflls pouring in from two sides nd mny more pools downstrem. 41 cscde des nglis Impressive wterflls nd lrge bowl-shped rock pools. 41b mngnello A mountin torrent with pretty pools, situted close to gret rustic etery, Bergeries de Toll. 42 cvu & ste-lucie Reltively unknown wild vlley, ccessible long dirt trcks, with brillint pools nd opportunities for wild cmping. 43 gorges de fiumicelle One of the most ccessible nd spectculr cnyons in Corsic, with gret hook rock nd severl deliciously cler qumrine plunge pools. 44 cscdes de purcrcci Smooth white bowls filled with emerld-coloured wter mke this one of the most stunning series of wterflls nd pools in Corsic. 48b delt du fngo You cn hire cnoes to explore this wonderful lgoon nd look for freshwter turtles. Vizzvon n-193 34 c b d-344 Aléri Ajccio d-69 43 44 d-268 Solenzr 45 n-196 42 Proprino n-198 Porto-Vecchio 70 Corsic
37 Restonic 38 Ru d Anit meets the Tvignno 38 Route into the Tvignno vlley Known s the Grnite Isle, rugged Corsic is the ncient core of volcnic mss tht rises steeply out of the Mediterrnn. L Corse Suvge is the wild-swimming destintion for those who yern for brethtking scenery with hot sunshine nd refreshing crystl-cler wters. Our tour begn t Corte, home of Corsicn resistnce to French rule. This citdel upon rocky precipice is set on the edge of some of the islnd s highest mountins: Monte Cinto t 2,710m nd Monte Retondo t 2,625m. Corte is the gtewy to the mountin vlleys of the Restonic 37 nd Tvigno 38. The first hs rod, the second is ccessible only on foot. As dusk fell, we cmped by riverside pools where the wter hd turned deep tourmline-green nd pech-coloured rocks seemed to glow under the moon. The next morning, exploring the bndoned vineyrds nd olive groves bove ribbon Corte & the north 37 gorges de l restonic lt long: 42.2800, 9.1152 wlk in: 3 mins, moderte Green pools, smooth white mrble boulders, nd rod ll the wy long mke the Restonic populr picnicking nd bthing vlley. From Corte hed S over the old bridge nd turn R for D623. Continue bout 3km to find rodside chpel (L) then 2km further on, s the rod climbs nd turns R round huge boulder (wooden sign Nogrio), prk on L nd descend to corner pool. Further pools re 100m downstrem. Tuni br nd! cmpsite ( E 04 95 46 11 65) hs pretty pools, 1km upstrem. After nother 1km, s rod bends nd the Sorbell strem joins from R, there is lrge pool bove dm. Pth on L leds down to footbridge (42.2688, 9.0980). For herty trditionl mel Rl Albdu, situted S of Corte on the old rod (N2193), hs communl tbles, food from the frm nd s much wine s you cn drink ( E 04 95 46 24 55). 38 gorges du tvignno lt long: 42.3024, 9.1146 wlk in: 60 mins, moderte Huge, jde-green junction pool in gint cleft of rocks with two wterflls descending nd more pools bove nd below. Little known, yet only short descent from populr pth. From Corte, prk t the bottom of the populr Vllée du Tvignno tril (500m W of town; tke Chemin de Bliri by the old bridge). Follow footpth signs to Refuge de l Seg (red/ornge wymrks) nd fter bout 3km (50 mins), nd bout 400m (5 mins) before crossing the Ru d Anit strem with hut, the pth forks L nd R. The R fork rises to climbing site but L fork (mrked with purple dot) descends (10 mins) to the river. There is very lrge, long pool here (nd more downstrem) but bushwhck upstrem 250m to the huge cleft pool with wterflls where the Ru d Anit joins from the R bove. Rossolin pools glint temptingly below s the min pth becomes incresingly drmtic over the next 3 4km (60 mins). Access is impossible until you descend to the beches t the footbridge (42.2987, 9.0925) but those with time for exploring cn venture bck downstrem bout 1km long river bed to find some deep wterfll bsins. b Refuge de l Seg is nother 2 hours but you will be rewrded with fine, deep wterfll pool djcent to the hostel (42.2865, 9.0382), nd severl more downstrem 200m. 39 gorges de l sco lt long: 42.4465, 9.0314 wlk in: 3 mins, moderte Beutiful deep pools under ncient Pont Génois. Populr. 24km N of Corte (N193/N197) turn L (D147) to follow course of river to Asco, 20km. Follow nrrow one-wy rod W through villge nd turn L down steep nd potholed lne to bridge. 72 Corsic 73
38 tvignno At the footbridge 38 tvignno Below Ru d Anit 40 vecchio River pools bove Pont de Nocet 74 Corsic
42 42 Pools below the Mel tributry 40 42 Pools bove the Mel tributry of pools long the river Tvigno, we followed tril lined with indigenous Lriccio pine trees nd wtched n egle sor mong some of the most drmtic scenery on the islnd. The Genoese ruled Corsic for more thn 500 yers until 1769, when they sold the islnd to Louis XV of Frnce for 40 million frncs. The Pont de Genois, to the north on the Gorges de l Asco 39, is one of mny bridges built by the Genoese between the 13th nd 18th centuries. These beutiful structures spn the nrrow gorges nd re just wide enough for donkey with sddlebg. Although some were widened to llow crts to pss, others, like the one t Asco, remin nrrow nd elegnt. Just to the south, close to the hilltop villge of Vizzvon, the Cscde des Anglis 41 is testment to the British fscintion with wterflls nd pools. Some of the islnd s erliest explorers were British: they dmired Corsic s gret beuty nd considered it n importnt destintion on the 19th-century Grnd Tour. Beyond Corte, long the wonderful bubbling mountin river Mgnello 41, not fr from the Cscde des Anglis, the remote Bergerie de Toll offers fntstic tste of Corsicn cuisine with distinctly Itlin flvour: rustic pizz, simple pst dishes, nd superb chrcuterie. South & est of Corte 40 pont de nocet lt long: 42.2241, 9.2054 wlk in: 2 mins, esy A deep pool beneth bridge. Upstrem is wild picnic re with riverside pools on the Vecchio. From Corte, tke N200 SE for 14km, then turn R on D143 for 3km, to find bridge t L turn for D43 (dir Nocet). Pth leds down to the pool or continue up D43 250m to find gret picnic nd cmping re on R with river pools. Pont du Vecchio For wilderness dventure follow the N193, 19km S of Corte to the triple bridges. Turn R off N193 onto D723 (not rod to old bridge) nd find pth on L fter 350m leding 250m down to Veriello river bed. Hed downstrem to Vecchio confluence nd the gorges below the bridges (42.1933, 9.1624). Don t miss n opportunity to et oysters on the floting resturnt vernd ( R Aux Coquillges E 04 95 57 04 55) t Étng de Dine t Aléri, N198. 41 cscde des nglis lt long: 42.1195, 9.1052 wlk in: 20 mins, moderte Deep nd perfect pools on the Agnone (upper Vecchio). 600m E of Col de Vizzvon prking (N193), tke signed trck L (100m fter Hotel Monte d Oro) down to the strem for bout 500m then, vi footbridge, 300m upstrem to the min flls. The Mngnello is mountin torrent with pools both up- nd downstrem from the footbridge t Toll, ner rustic nd trditionl etery R Bergeries de Toll (42.1682, 9.1009). Turn off N193 for Cngli nd continue 3km on riverside rod (if open) or GR20 pth. b Cscde de Buj flls down three enormous rock fces into smll but deep plunge pool (41.9870, 9.2494). 5km S of Accini on D245, nd 1km before Sn-Gvino di Fiumorbo, find rod bridge nd follow pth 600m upstrem long the Abtesco. c Gorges de Poggio hides littleknown series of flls nd deep pools with cves, in remote re (42.0263, 9.2829). 2km N of Accini, on Poggio rod (D44), find Murtoli hmlet nd, t tight corner (42.0204, 9.2902), find pth tht descends 700m. Wterflls re 300m upstrem. 42 cvu & ste-lucie lt long: 41.7471, 9.2761 wlk in: 30 mins, moderte A wild, unspoilt river off N198. From Ste-Lucie-de-Porto-Vecchio follow D168A long the Cvu for bout 7km, pssing river pools nd cmping plces, until you rech Pont Mrion (41.7374, 9.2939). Swim here or continue on the trck nother 1.5km, bering L t ech junction, until rod nrrows nd ends. Follow footpth L up, over nd down to the river (300m), then upstrem to Mel tributry nd pools (500m). Continue nother 400m to wonderful, very deep wterfll pool in lrge cleft with jumps. 76 Corsic 77
43 fiumicelle The lower gorge with hook rock 78 Corsic 79
43 Pont de Gglioli 44 44 Polischellu pools, below the bridge, with views of the Aiguilles de Bvell Beyond Corte nd Vizzvon, in the southern prt of the islnd, the key mountin ttrction is the Col de Bvell. Mostly grnite, but with limestone surfcing from time to time, the lndscpe rnges from soft to very rugged, such s t the mzing Aiguilles (needles) de Bvell tht led up to Corsic s highest pek, Monte Incudine, t 2,136m. From here, mny gorges form nd the wter cscdes down through pools nd jcuzzi-like tubs. Gining ltitude longside the Solenzr 43 you will see mny pools from the rod. Once in the mountins you cross the Fiumicelli 43, populr cnyoning gorge with sublime rock formtions, including hooked clw, plus perfect infinity pool. Up nd over the first pss, Purcrrci 44 offers perhps the most visully striking of the swims: deep white mrble tubs resembling gint dew drops hve been scooped out of the mountin, with one infinity pool sitting on the edge of its precipice. Meeting its sister, the Polischellu 44, the two wterwys join nd flow deep into the hert of the wild Vcc cnyon 45, n hour s trek down through stunning scenery, to form series of lrge pools beneth the needle-like peks. If you relly wnt to get off the beten trck, hed for the lesser-known cnyons nd pools on the est cost. The Gorges de Poggio 41c nd Cscde de Buj 41b re little gems which Col de Bvell 43 gorges de fiumicelle lt long: 41.8419, 9.3060 wlk in: 20 mins, moderte Populr, ccessible nd beutiful cnyon. Mny pools nd gret hooked rock towering in nrrow gorge. From Solenzr (N198) follow D268 9km to Pont de Gglioli (see below), then 3km beyond to Pont de Fiumicelle. Follow river bed 15 min upstrem to the first of severl pools before deep gorge with hook rock nd finlly deep infinity bowl. You cn lso explore the upper Fiumicelle on good 2km pth from lyby t Rocchiu Pinzutu, 2km further up on R (41.8430, 9.3004). Pont de Gglioli is en route long the Solenzr nd is one of the best of mny good pools long this stretch (41.8381, 9.3310). 1.5km before! Rosumrinu hs fun vi ferrt with rope bridge nd ldders bove deep pool in the river. 44 cscdes de purcrcci lt long: 41.8375, 9.2645 wlk in: 45 mins, hrd White mrble nd perfect bowls of cler, blue-green wter. The pth is tricky nd steep in plces. Continue on D268 nd bout 2.5km beyond Col de Lrone (the plteu nd viewpoint on the route to Col de Bvell) find cler pth on R, 100m before the bridge over the Purcrcci. Follow the vlley, circumnvigting grnite boulder on the pth hlfwy, ignoring steep side pths down to L, nd eventully rech the river bed (20 mins). Continue long the river bed pst n islnd nd boulder cve, but keep to R nd find pth gin to climb up bove min wterfll for the best pools nd slides (20mins). More pools further upstrem into the cnyon. Polischellu river pools re nother 1km, t the next bridge (41.8215, 9.2602). 75m beyond the bridge steep pth leds down L. Or follow the pth up from the bridge 200m (on river s R bnk) to find mny pools. 45 gorges de l vcc lt long: 41.8206, 9.2858 wlk in: 60 mins, moderte Grnd cnyon in remote terrin with needle-like mountins towering bove. Accessible vi long, beutiful wlk through chestnut forest. The two exit pools re ccessible to swimmers: one lrge round pool with flt rocks; the other very deep cleft pool with jumps. 1.25km S of Col de Lrone, descending t hirpin corner to the R, prk nd find good pth though the bush on L. After bout 15 mins ignore pth off to R (this leds down to the strt of the cnyon for cnyoners, bout 20 mins wlk) but continue up, round rock spires nd then down, for 30 45 mins the pth gets steeper but is clerly mrked to rech the gorges nd the pools t the cnyon s end. This pth is used by cnyoners. 80 Corsic 81
44 cscdes de purcrcci Upper pools nd slides 82 Corsic 83
46 Above Pont de Zgli 48 46c Cscde d Aitone 48 Gorge section of Fngo you re likely to hve completely to yourself. By the Cvu 42, just south of Bvell, there re rough trcks tht tke you into the bush longside deep river pools, culminting in gret wterfll plunge pool set mong frgrnt juniper, hether, myrtle nd sweet chestnut. The mountins of the west cost re lrgely grnite nd yield wide rnge of semi-precious stones, while the river pools re filled with lrge green pebbles. There re lso mgnificent crystls to be discovered if you know where to look, especilly ner Porto on the west cost. You will see lot of strnge shpes in the rock nd mny holes, clled tfoni. Here the gorges of Spelunc 46 nd Fngo 48 offer gret opportunities for exploring nd you will see more of the beutiful Genoese bridges, the ncient crossing-points for trvellers nd merchnts whose donkeys crried lods of olives nd wine high up into the mountins. Nerer the cost the ir is hevy with the scent of myrtle nd prched mquis scrub so hedy tht Npoleon, who ws born in Corsic, swore he could smell it from the minlnd. Where the Fngo 48 reches the cost gret freshwter delt hs formed t Gléri 48, perfect for gliding silently by cnoe, or for freshening up fter dip in the Mediterrnen. Porto & Gléri 46 gorges de spelunc lt long: 42.2505, 8.7759 wlk in: 30 mins, moderte A populr nd beutiful wlk tking in the wild gorge of Spelunc nd leding to Pont de Zgli. 10km E of Porto, 2.5km E of Ot, on D24, find the two bridges. Follow river Aitone on Sentier Tr Mre e Morti (dir Evis) for 2km (30 mins) to beutiful Pont de Zgli 2km. Continue 200m further upstrem (no pth) nd find severl pools. There re pools visible in the river gorge ll the wy long this pth but ccess is difficult except t the very beginning. One option is to mke the entire journey long the river bed scrmbling nd swimming. Ponte Vecchiu Follow the river downstrem, vi the R side of the footbll pitch for bout 500m, nd find very lrge pool beneth the bridge (42.2563, 8.7610). Excellent R Chez Félix resturnt with terrce nd views of Cpo d Orto in Orto villge bove ( E 04 95 26 12 92). The Lonc is the smller strem tht joins the Aitone under the two bridges. You cn swim in the pool below the bridge (42.2560, 8.7651), or follow the river bout 5 mins upstrem to find more pools mong huge boulders nd green pebbles (42.2571, 8.7667). Better pools nd wterfll cn be ccessed 2km upstrem t the upper Pris d Eu, vi the pth from Ot, 90 mins wlk (42.2704, 8.7658). b Cscde d Aitone is further up into the mountins on D84. About 4km beyond Evis find wide trck bering off to L (wooden bord Mre et Mre Nord) nd follow for 1km (20 mins) through woods, then down to the river by ruined mill, to lrge beutiful pool with wterfll (42.2679, 8.8309). 47 gorges de trtgine lt long: 42.5044, 8.9776 wlk in: 2 mins, esy Smllish pools in wild loction beneth n ncient bridge. Tke the rod from Belgodere (N197, D963). 48 fngo, ponte vecchiu lt long: 42.3968, 8.7144 wlk in: 2 mins, esy Rocks of stunning pink mrble nd deep pools long stretch of open rodside gorge, up- nd downstrem from the Ponte Vecchiu. Continue on D351 NW from Gléri for pprox 6km to find bridge on immedite L. Continue long D351 500m s rod bends to L (some prking on R) to find further deep pools nd interesting gorge section with slide below rod. Vrious short pths down (42.3925, 8.7188). Delt du Fngo is bck in Gléri on the cost wonderful, huge pool behind the bech, with turtles nd ll kinds of wildlife (42.4195, 8.6598). Prk in cr prk 1km N of the town, wlk up to the wtchtower nd descend to the bech by steps. Cnoes cn lso be hired by the hour to explore the lgoons ( E 06 22 01 71 89 ). Excellent orgnic home-mde fre t R L Artigin t entrnce to Gléri ( E 04 95 62 00 03). 84 Corsic 85