Sunflower Books: Landscapes of CORSICA: WALKS AND CAR TOURS

Corsica, 4th edition (2005), updated 06/06/08

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Updates for walks and car tours (drives) on Corsica given below supplement those provided in the guidebook. It is vital that this Update is read in conjunction with the text of the book, but note that the Update applies only to the edition stated and not to any earlier editions. (If you have an older edition of this book and want to "upgrade" to the latest edition at half price, click here.)

Information has been forwarded to us by users of the book, and Sunflower Books offers the data in good faith but cannot be held responsible for any misleading or inaccurate content in the Update. Unless indicated otherwise, what appears here has not been verified by the author or publisher, so please allow due caution when new or amended routes are suggested. Each piece of information is dated; bear in mind that some of the older observations may have since been overtaken by events or further changes. If, during your holiday, you are using the current edition of the guide and are able to provide any additional updating to add to this page, we will be pleased to hear from you. Please send information, preferably in hard copy, by post, to Sunflower Books, PO Box 115, Exeter EX2 6YU (or if you prefer, by e-mail, to mail@sunflowerbooks.co.uk).

WALKS

page 118, panel 'tip': the text is badly worded; the Vecchio viaduct is 100m above the river, and about 30m above the old road. (Sunflower)

Walk 16, Longer walk: The time of 3h40min is correct, but the distance should read 15km/9.3mi. (Sunflower, 8/05)

Walk 17: Done on one of the better days in November, with sun in the valley, but cloud enshrouding the summit. My only comment is that in such conditions, where visibility is only a matter of yards, the advice for the descent ("heading in the direction of Monte Cinto, find the orange waymarks"), is not particularly helpful. I was fortunate to have the IGN map 4149 and a compass with me and was able to take a bearing (roughly 140 degrees), which give me an indication as to which direction I should be looking for the orange waymarks, and even then they were not obvious immediately. I think it would be helpful to offer some better guidance for the ascent as the summit was very desolate and potentially dangerous if the correct descent route could not be found. (User, 11/07)

Walk 18: I would suggest some changes to the wording: 1) at the start take the signposted mule trail at the right of the garage and 2) from San Giovani (30min) take the track. Important: the original path from Notre Dame de la Stella is changed. The text sould read: '... Notre Dame de la Stella (1h). 10m before take the cart track at the right of the wall. After 100m go right, uphill. Keep left and ignore a path to the right. (The original path is no longer maintained; there is a new path marked with orange paint.) ... From the building dated 1785 in Occi, walk towards a stone wall and then left, away from Occi, to a path that leads straight towards Calvi and the lighthouse on La Revellata. (At first the path leading away from Occi rises a little; I found 'left downhill' very confusing.) Past the Calanche, the waymarking is now all orange. (User, 10/05) + The church at Occi has been restored. (Sunflower, 2008)

Walk 19: At the start, take the dirt track 100m to the left of the church... some 200 m along the signpost to 'Couvent de Corbara 1h25min' is gone... You pass an old ruined convent (40min) on an S-bend; 50m past the convent you can take a small path down to the right (to the road leading to Occiglioni). (User, 10/05) + We don't think the path just past the convent (40min) is worth taking - far better to take the old mule trail described in the book, which has recently been cleared. There is no longer a cairn, but the path is just opposite a signpost pointing back to Sant'Antonino. (Sunflower, 6/08)

Walk 20: The map wrongly indicates that the D81 (where you park) later heads due south and rejoins the N1197; it does not; it ends 10m before the main road. The D81 is a cul-de-sac. After the Anse de Vana, you can follow the path as long as you like, or follow a path (arrow carved in stone) inland along a pretty streambed and past an abandoned village; return the same way... On the return from the Anse de Vana it took me 55min to get back to the 'sandy inland track waymarked with an arrow carved in stone', so the times from 1h10min seem too short. (User, 10/05)

Walk 21: The start of the walk has been re-routed: With your back to the 17th/18th-century church of St-Blaise and its baroque campanile, go up the alley at the right of the bar/tabac (the chapel of Ste-Croix is on your right). Pass a boucherie on the right and rise to a higher square with the mairie and a war memorial. Follow the orange (Mare e Monti) and red (GR) waymarking past the poste on the left and up into the Quartier de l'Evêque (it's worth looking around this area, with its beautiful old wooden doors and bookbinder's atelier. Signs and waymarks guide you to the right along a narrow street, then left up to the little Oratoire St-Antoine de Padue on the left. The waymarked footpath proper begins here. (Sunflower, 6/08)...

Walk 22: After the small stone hut (2h) go go straight ahead uphill past the hut and follow the orange paint marks until you a signposted junction. [It appears that the sign at the stone hut has gone, Ed.] (User, 10/05) + The Carrozu hut only sells refreshments to those walking the GR20. (User, 2007)

Walk 23: The Monti and Mare has been rerouted: it is now the path that runs from the bridge at Bonifatu. The text should read: Begin at the Auberge de la Forêt at Bonifatu. Walk back along the D251 (spring on the left just by the bridge) for 10 minutes. Some 150m/yds short of the Bocca Reza, take the path heading half-left up the bank (red waymark). You meet the Monti and Mare at the pass of Bocca di Bonassa, from where there are both red and orange waymarks. (Sunflower, 6/08)

Walk 24, short walk: There is a sign, 'Tuarelli' by Ponte Vecchio now; I found this confusing. The gîte on the north side of the river at Tuvarelli is fantastic. (User, 10/05) [Editor: The sign by the bridge (in orange paint) is just a walkers' sign, showing that you can walk to Tuarelli from Ponte Vecchio. Distances between the two bridges are clearly shown in the book. Yes, the gite at Tuarelli is idyllic! (Sunflower, 6/08)

Walk 30 (Alternative 2 day walk): At the 2h45min-point you now cross the Tavignano on a sturdy bridge with wooden railings. (Sunflower, 6/08) + There is now a telephone at the Refuge de la Sera! Tel 06 10 71 77 26 (took reservation over phone and offered B&B or Half Board). (User, 6/06)

Walk 40: Timings are a bit underestimated, so allow a good 3h. (Sunflower, 6/08)

NEW WALK FROM AJACCIO: A new walk, the Sentier des Cretes, has opened; it runs from Ajaccio town along the line of low hills to Parata. It starts on the road rising northeast above the Place d'Austerlitz at the 'Bois des Anglais' bus stop. The first 30 minutes are steep, but after that it's very easy. It is very well signposted, but the signboard timings are very conservative. They say 5-6 hours in all. I reckon 3 hours at most. Three alternative endings are signposted at various points on the Parata road. (User)

NEW WALK FROM BONIFATU
To the Refuge Ortu di Piobbu
8 miles, 4h30min
Fairly strenuous, with an ascent of approx. 1000m/3300ft lasting 2.5h. Not suitable in cold, wet or changeable weather.
Equipment, Access: as Walk 15
Follow Walk 15 for 15min, but then fork left for the Refuge Ortu di Piobbu. At this point you ford the river, jumping from boulder to boulder. You immediately commence a steady ascent up a rough track which is concreted for a couple of sections. The river is in a deep gorge on your left. After brisk 1h10min you ford a stream with a partially-concreted bed. After 1h30min ford another stream; here a sign tells you that it is another 1h30min to the rufuge. From now on follow yellow pain daubs. The track gets progressively steeper and winds through Corsican pine forest. After 1h55min you ford another stream. Continue up through pines and then a birch forest containing large boulders, before reaching the tree-line of the pine forest. Once above the treeline you ascend through rocks and grass. After 2h05min the refuge is visible up a steep pasture and is reached at 2h15min. The refuge is for the use of overnight visitors only and sits in a natural amphitheatre of pasture and crags, with some birch forest nearby. Return the same way. You can swim in the large pools near the auberge at Bonifatu. (User)

NEW WALK FROM CALENZA
I walked from Calenzana on the GR20 to a ridge about 1000m above Calenzana. Even on a very hot day this took 3h and 2h down the same way. The path continues above this ridge, but the ridge itself is a very rewarding spot. (User)

NEW WALK FROM CALVI
Take the train towards Ile Russe and alight at St Ambroggio or Cocoody Village (Club Med). From there it is possible to follow a coast path back towards Calvi, near the train line. You can stop when you like. From St Ambroggio to St Restitude takes about 3h. Plenty of beaches en route. (User)

NEW WALK FROM CORTE
Info. in Corte have the full details.
Waymarked (orange) circular route from Corte starting just to the right of the start of the Travignano valley path. Steep climb up towards the ridge, firstly up open hillside then up through shady chestnut and pines before very steep final path to the top. Fabulous views into the Travignano gorge. Had no time to complete the circuit which continues anticlockwise along the mountainside before returning downhill, but no doubt the waymarking is more than adequate to return into Corte. (User)