Mare a Mare North from Moriani to Porto

Your journey begins at 9am in Bastia, followed by a transfer to the village of Moriani. Leaving this small seaside resort, you'll pass through time, past the Romanesque church of San Nicolao and the Acqua Acitosa spring, then a lush valley of chestnut groves to reach the hamlet of I Penti in Santa Reparata.

In the heart of the Castagniccia, you'll notice the distinctive architecture of the region's villages, with their sumptuous grey-green slate buildings. You can drink from the remarkable ancient fountains of Mezzo and Chiostro, then follow the Piada stream to Alesani.

This hike follows ancient mule tracks through large chestnut forests, ending in the magnificent village of Pianellu.

From the village, you'll head towards the Boziu micro-region, where exceptional views await you at the highest point of the stage (1051 m). You will then begin the descent to Mazzola, home to a very pretty chapel, before continuing on to the village of Sermano.

You'll change scenery as you go, gradually leaving behind the chestnut groves, Romanesque chapels and Castagniccia, to enter the maquis and Restonica, and finally arrive in Corsica's historic capital, Corte.

As you make your way up the Tavignanu gorges, you'll be following a sumptuous and very wild itinerary. The old paved path overlooks the river, and from the Russulinu footbridge, you can take a dip in the natural pools. The Sega refuge, where you'll be stopping off, is nestled higher up, in a wooded, relaxing mountain setting. You will carry your personal belongings for the night, with the rest of your luggage following you to Calacuccia.

PS: if you wish to avoid the night in a refuge, please contact us to modify your programme.

Leaving the refuge, you climb to Bocca Arinella, where the path leads away from the Tavignano state forest to the ridges overlooking the Niolo valley (U Niolu) and Lake Calacuccia. This high valley is overlooked by Monte Cintu (2706 m), the highest peak in Corsica. This is the land of the shepherds...

Climb up to Corsica's highest road pass along an ancient transhumance trail. From sheepfold to sheepfold, you'll discover what life was like for the shepherds. You will then join the legendary GR 20 to reach the Vergio pass.

From the Col de Vergio, you begin the descent into the Aïtone forest. The path runs alongside the Aïtone river and its large boulders, some of which have been hollowed out by the force of the water to form veritable natural pools, including the famous natural pools. The route then follows the chestnut trail to the village of Evisa. 

The path drops in altitude to reach sea level, following the old mule track through the Spelunca gorges, in the heart of a pink granite massif: it's a spectacular sight! It crosses the river several times on ancient Genoese bridges, passes through the typical village of Ota and reaches Porto.