In the heart of the island, you'll encounter a culture and a wild nature of lakes and torrents, and continue your journey in Balagne to discover the "garden of Corsica", starting from Calvi.

Your journey will begin in Vizzavona, following the red and white tracks of the GR 20, before turning down the valley towards Corte, the historic capital of the Corsican Enlightenment. You can explore the narrow streets of the old town around the citadel-museum, then set off on a hike through the Tavignano gorges and the Restonica valley, the starting point for reaching the Melo and Capitello lakes. Take the train to Calvi and its citadel for an intimate discovery of the Balagne region.

Highlights

An itinerary from the historical center to the Balagne
Travel with the train
Point to point - 6 days walking
** and *** hotels
Start in Corte and end in Calvi

Duration

7 jours / 6 nuits

Type of holidays

Hiking-Walking

Accesses

Ajaccio

Bastia

Calvi / Ile Rousse

Level

2 - Moderate

Carrying

Without bags

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Itinerary

Day 1

Ajaccio to Vizzavona

Transfer by train to Vizzavona station. Check into your hotel for two nights on a half-board basis, then hike along the GR20 towards the Cascade des Anglais and the Tortetto sheepfolds.

Distance

10 km

Duration

4H00

Ascent / descent

+450 m / -450 m

Night

Night in Vizzavona

Day 2

Loop on the GR 20 South

You will leave the small hamlet of Vizzavona for the old "chemin de ronde", now known as the "sentier de la femme perdue". It winds its way up through a beech forest, following the foothills of the ridge that runs from Punta Oriente to the Col de Palmente. Once you reach the pass, the panorama of the east coast, the sea and ponds to the east, and the high peaks to the north, is superb. Below are the Alzetu sheepfolds.

Distance

13 km

Duration

5h30

Ascent / descent

+830 m / -830 m

Night

Night in Vizzavona

Day 3

Vizzavona to Corte

Take the train to Corte, then check into your hotel for two nights. This hike will take you to the Tavignano gorges. The paved path winds its way between immense granite walls in the heart of a beautiful forest. This route was used for centuries by men and their animals to reach the summer pastures. Refreshment stops can be made along the way.

Distance

12 km

Duration

5h00

Ascent / descent

+310 m / -310 m

Night

Night in Corte

Day 4

The Restonica Valley and its lakes

We suggest you set off to discover the magnificent Restonica valley. In a mountain setting, a path leads to the first lake, called Melo, but a greater effort is needed to reach Capitello, wedged in a deep rocky basin amid peaks topping 2000 metres.

2024: Due to the damages caused by the severe storms in November 2023 the access road to the Restonica valley is closed. A shuttle bus will take you to Frassetta bridge and from there you can hike to the Melo sheepfolds or Melo lake for the sportiest.

Distance

6 km

Duration

5h00

Ascent / descent

+560 m / -560 m

Night

Night in Corte

Day 5

Corte to Calvi

The train winds its way through the mountains before reaching the seaside and the most beautiful beaches of Balagne. Check into your hotel in Calvi for two nights. You'll set off on a hike along the coast to discover the Revellata peninsula. This natural seaside area is unique for its vegetation and its views over the bay of Calvi and the island's highest mountain range.

Distance

12 km

Duration

4h00

Ascent / descent

+300 m / -300 m

Night

Night in Calvi

Day 6

The villages of Balagne

Balagne is considered to be the "garden of Corsica", with its stone villages clinging to rocky outcrops, surrounded by fields of olive and almond trees, the scent of lavender, orange blossom and scrubland. You'll take the tram (at your own expense) to Algajola, before setting off on a hike to discover the villages of Pigna, San Antonino and Corbara, before descending to Ile Rousse. Return to Calvi by tram (own expense).

Distance

17 km

Duration

6h00

Ascent / descent

+580 m / -540 m

Night

Night in Calvi

Day 7

Calvi

Holiday ends after breakfast in Calvi.

Programs have been drawn up according to the latest information available at the time of writing: imponderables are always possible and situations beyond our control may alter the course of the program.

Dates and prices

Departure on request every day from May to end of October.

Please select your departure date from the calendar below to find out the rate and begin your booking.

Pick a date

Price includes

Breakfast accommodation, evening meals in Vizzavona, train tickets, shuttle bus to the Restonica valley, travel dossier with A4 copies of IGN maps, walking notes and access to our guidance application.

Price does not include

Drinks, picnics, evening meals in Corte and Calvi, the tram between Calvi and Algajola and between Ile Rousse and Calvi, reservation of 5€/ person, insurance, visits to sites and transfers not included in the programme, guide.

Supplements/Discounts

Insurance

We offer comprehensive multi-risk insurance specifically adapted to our adventure trips (contract no. 7482 Assurinco). The rates are as follows: 4.00% of the price of the trip for French residents, 6% of the price of the trip for residents from the European Union (EU) outside France. For non-EU residents, the rate is €90 per person.

Group discount

Groups of 3 people or more can benefit from a discount. Please contact us for details.

Technical informations

Starts

At Ajaccio, Bastia or Calvi railway station.

Ends

Hotel in double/ twin rooms: 4 nights in ** Hotels (Corte and Calvi) and 2 nights in *** Hotels (Vizzavona).
Single room supplement to be requested when booking.

Access

Ajaccio, Bastia or Calvi port or airport.

Accommodation

** and *** hotels in a double room.
Single room supplement to be requested at time of reservation.

Meals

Continental breakfast (tea, coffee, milk, bread, butter, jam).
Evening meal, often based on local specialities, including a starter, main course and dessert. Dinners in Corte and Calvi are not included.

Number of participants

Reservations for minimum of 2 participants.

Level

Moderate, with few technical difficulties.

Guiding

Self-Guided Walking. We provide you with a Travel Dossier complete with A4 copies of the IGN maps and a walking guide created by our team. During your hike our 24-hour assistance service will also be able to answer all your questions and, if necessary, assist you with the smooth running of your stay.

Luggage transfers

During this walk you will carry only a small day sack with a water bottle, camera, picnic, trailfood, sun and wet weather gear. You will need to take your luggage with you when you travel by train.

The digital roadbook

Once you have confirmed your holiday, you can download our application. It's easy to use and it offers a number of functionalities:

Precise route guidance with alerts in the event of deviations.
View your starting point, accommodation, current position, mileage.
Discover points of interest via interactive content with descriptions, photos and audio.
In an emergency, send an SOS alert with your GPS coordinates.
Contact function to share messages, photos and videos with our team during your stay.

Extensions

Take advantage of a stay extension during your tour with Corsica Aventure.

If you'd like to discover Corsica before or after your holiday, our team can offer you ideas for accommodation and activities. If you prefer to arrive a few days earlier or extend your stay for a few days, we can book your extra nights on the island, depending on your arrival city.

Here are a few hotels we recommend for those of you who would rather organise their extra days themselves:

Ajaccio