The Island of Beauty offering surprises and viewpoints at every turn of the trail, from demanding treks to day loops, and from must-sees to off-the-beaten-track routes.
While the GR20 is the holy grail for any hiker, this trek across the island from north to south is quite challenging: 200 km, significant elevation gains, alpine sections, and via ferratas suspended high above the void, but above all, high-mountain conditions. It's well worth the effort if you have the necessary physical fitness, especially since the route can be split into two sections, north and south, the latter being the easier of the two. They meet at the Vizzavona Pass, in the very heart of the island, a stop that offers the opportunity to refresh yourself at the delightful Cascade des Anglais (English Waterfall), where officers of Queen Victoria's Indian Army used to come to recharge. The river has also carved the Restonica Gorge, which can be followed from the imposing town of Corte to Monte Rotondo and its high-altitude lakes of Melo and Capitello. Still in Upper Corsica, the Bonifatu cirque is best reached by taking the trail and crossing the "Monkey Bridge" at Spasimata. After waiting for a wild sow lying in the middle of a mountain road to finish nursing her piglets, head south to Bavella and its breathtaking granite peaks. The most experienced will tackle the climbing routes, while others will admire them at sunset. The island can also be explored from east to west with mid-mountain trails, the Mare e Monti and Mare a Mare. The southern route offers the chance to lose yourself in the enchanting Ospédale forest. At the refuge, after dinner, you might be lucky enough to hear a polyphonic song. For an immersion in traditions, nothing beats the remote and wild Niolu region, dominated by the 2,709-meter Monte Cinto. To be discovered during the summer grazing season, from sheepfold to sheepfold, when fragrant nature offers its floral perfumes, which the men will transform into cheeses. A mountain planted in the sea, Corsica is an island of a thousand faces and multiple flavors, to be discovered at the pace of the hiker.
Sophie Reyssat