Corsica, sea and mountains from Porto-Vecchio to Propriano

Walks on good trails with no technical difficulties, though a good level of fitness is required. Between 4 and 6 hours of walking per day. Daily ascent of 400 to 1000metres, depending on the stage. Daily descent of -100 to -920metres, depending on the stage.

You only carry your personal belongings for the day and your picnic lunch. Your luggage is transported by vehicle. However, you will need to carry your luggage between your accommodation and the bus departure point at the beginning and end of your stay.

Please note that scheduled buses to Porto-Vecchio and Ajaccio do not run on public holidays or Sundays outside July and August.

From Propriano (at your own expense): scheduled bus service to Ajaccio or Porto-Vecchio. Always check timetables before departure, as changes may occur during the season.

Minimum 2 people.

6 days, 5 nights, 5 days of walking.

Depart on a date of your choice from April to October.

For the different seasons, see the dates and prices sheet

A self-guided trip without a guide; we provide a digital travel pack that includes access to our smartphone navigation app, a list of your accommodation, any relevant vouchers and all the information you need for your stay to run smoothly.
If you wish, we can send a printed version of the travel pack to your home, including maps, a route guide and a travel wallet, for a supplement of 35 € per pack. For printed travel pack requests made less than 45 days before departure, and for travellers living abroad, the pack will be available at the first hotel of your stay.

Accommodation

2 options available:

1/ In a hotel (1 night), guesthouses and homestays (4 nights). Private bathroom facilities.
For the room option, the overnight stop on Day 3 may be in San Gavinu di Carbini (if there is no availability in Levie. The hotelier will arrange to pick you up in Levie), and the overnight stop on Day 4 will be in Aullène or Quenza.

2/ In walkers' lodges, 4 nights (dormitory accommodation) and 1 night in a hotel (Day 1); bring a sleeping bag. Showers and toilets are outside the rooms (except on Day 1).

In general, accommodation along the Mare a Mare Sud offers basic comfort and is intended for people who prioritise walking over accommodation. The accommodation options are dictated by the Mare a Mare route, which is managed by Corsica’s Regional Natural Park and offers limited choice. For walkers looking for greater comfort, we recommend choosing one of our hotel-based trips.

Please note: bedbugs

Bedbugs have appeared in recent years. Despite pest control treatments, you should remain vigilant wherever you stay by checking the bedding and avoiding placing your bag on the bed throughout the walk.
If you wish, we recommend obtaining a suitable insecticide (e.g. Clako punaises).
At the end of your walk, if you have encountered bedbugs, we recommend putting all your clothes in bags (water-soluble bags are available) before machine-washing them. This precaution helps prevent and reduce the risk of spreading bedbugs to other accommodation and your home.

Please note: water treatment

The island has many springs along the trails and fountains in the villages. As we cannot guarantee that this water is safe to drink, we recommend chemically disinfecting it with water purification tablets.

Hotel ratings

In France, increasing numbers of hotels and guesthouses are choosing not to have an official rating, including establishments that were still rated a year or two ago. This does not mean their quality has declined—far from it. Many guesthouses offer charming rooms.
If, for example, we indicate a comfort level of “3* or equivalent”, this means that the establishment may not have an official rating, but offers comfort comparable to a 3* hotel.

Meals

• Continental breakfast (tea, coffee, milk, butter, jam).
• Evening meals at your accommodation, often featuring local specialities. The evening meal on Day 1 in Porto-Vecchio is not included.
• Picnic lunches are not included; supplies can be purchased locally along the route.

Please let us know about any food allergies or special dietary requirements when booking; we will do our best to adapt your meals.

Start

On Day 1 at your hotel in Porto-Vecchio.

Finish

On Day 6 in Propriano in the late afternoon.

By plane

Ajaccio Airport.
Then take the shuttle bus to Ajaccio bus station (route 11), approximately 2€.

By ferry

* Corsica Linea: 0825808880 - services from Marseille to the ports of Ajaccio, Bastia, Île-Rousse and Porto-Vecchio
* Corsica Ferries: services from Toulon, Nice, Sagone and Livorno (Italy) to the ports of Ajaccio, Bastia, Île-Rousse and Porto-Vecchio - also serves Sardinia and Elba from Corsica and Italy
* La Méridionale: 0970832020 - services from Marseille to the ports of Ajaccio, Bastia and Propriano

* Sailcoop: A crossing option with a carbon footprint close to 0, thanks to our new partner Sailcoop, which offers crossings from Toulon to Calvi or Calvi to Toulon (240 € / per crossing per person: including a cabin berth and meals during the crossing). Departures every day from 15/06 to 15/09, and every 2 days during the rest of the period. The crossing takes between 20 and 24 hours. If you are interested in this option, please contact us for more information.

By car

You can plan your route on the website.

Parking your car

Ajaccio
Unattended paid parking: approximately 15€/day
Margonajo public car park (station roundabout)
Sampiero public car park (Boulevard Sampiero)

Porto-Vecchio
Unattended paid municipal parking:

• St Catherine car park
• Rue St Vincent car park

Propriano
Unattended municipal car parks:

• Port car park
• Post Office car park

Public transport

All information is available on the website.
Bus services:

• Les beaux voyages
• Eurocorse voyages
• Les rapides bleus

The Corsican railway company.

The towns of Ajaccio, Bastia, Corte and Porto-Vecchio have shuttle services for getting around town and reaching transport terminals (bus stations, ferry terminals and airports).

Please note: timetables are provided for guidance only and are subject to change. We accept no responsibility for them, and they must be checked.

A number of our trips offer opportunities to swim during a day’s route or at the end of the day. It would be a shame to miss out. However, we stress that you alone must decide whether it is appropriate to swim; you therefore swim under your own responsibility and at your own risk.

Member of Agir pour un Tourisme Responsable (ATR)

Since 2012, Grand Angle has been a member of ATR, the leading association for more responsible tourism. We design our trips – on foot, by bike and on snow – to invite everyone to discover the world differently: with curiosity, respect and kindness.

As a member of the board of directors since 2018, we actively help the sector adopt more meaningful practices. In practical terms, we focus on:

• Transparency in our practices and prices
• Respect for our partners and local communities
• Protecting the environment on every trip

We also share the values of the traveller’s ethical charter, which encourages everyone to take simple steps to protect the places they visit and foster rewarding encounters.

Travelife Partner

Since 2025, Grand Angle has held Travelife Partner status, an international certification recognising our responsible environmental, ethical and sustainable management practices, both within our company and in our work with partners and the organisation of our trips.

This label, the second level of a demanding international certification scheme, recognises our concrete actions to support responsible tourism. We are actively working towards the next level, Travelife Certified, in line with our sustainability policy

For carrying your belongings

• A comfortable small backpack of 40 to 50 L with a hip belt for carrying your personal belongings and picnic lunch during the day
• A bag for luggage transfers: a backpack, a travel bag in good condition or a suitcase that is not too bulky. One bag per person, limited to 15 kg.

For hiking

• Waterproof hiking boots with ankle support, a sturdy heel counter and soles with good grip
• Comfortable hiking socks (at least 3 pairs)
• A fleece
• Comfortable walking trousers (quick-drying technical fabric)
• Shorts, T-shirts and technical underwear (quick-drying fabric)
• A long-sleeved shirt (quick-drying technical fabric)
• Walking poles (telescopic), very important for making walking easier

Note: synthetic technical clothing performs very well. New merino wool clothing is also available; it performs very well, is comfortable to wear and has the advantage of resisting sweat odours! (Brands include Icebreaker, Ruka, etc.).
As a general rule, avoid cotton, which makes you cold when wet.

For your picnic lunch

• A plastic bowl, container or plate
• Cutlery (spoon, fork, knife)
• A water bottle holding at least one litre (mandatory); an insulated flask for winter
• Water purification tablets

For protection from sun and rain

• Sunscreen (high protection) and sunglasses
• A hat, cap or bucket hat
• A rain poncho or Gore-Tex jacket, and possibly Gore-Tex trousers

After your hike

• A pair of running-style trainers for the evening
• A change of clothes and underwear
• A sleeping bag liner
• A small toiletry bag and towel
• A small first-aid kit: personal medication, Elastoplast, Biogaze or “2nd skin”, gauze, disinfectant, arnica pellets and aspirin for minor aches and injuries… (quite a list! But rest assured, your first-aid kit often comes home untouched after your week of hiking)
• Remember your swimsuit, as there are often opportunities to swim

Country: France
Capital: Paris

Corsica

Area: 8748 km2; Length: 183km; Width: 83km; 1000km of coastline.
12km from Tuscany and 160km from Provence.
Corsica is surrounded by islands and islets such as Elba and Capraia.

• Crystalline Corsica: this covers the largest part of the island and includes its highest peaks, aligned along a north-northwest to south-southeast axis. These include the volcanic rhyolite massif of Monte Cinto, also Corsica’s highest point at 2710m, the granite massif of Rotondo, and Monte d’Oro. Further south, the Aiguilles de Bavella form some of the island’s most distinctive and rugged terrain, ending at the southern tip with the unusual jumbled granite formations of the Cagna mountains. Finally, in the northwest, extending from the Cinto massif, the Calanche de Piana merge into the sea.

• Alpine or schistose Corsica: this occupies the northern and eastern parts of the island and is characterised by gentler, lower slopes than those of the central mountain range. Cima di Follicie is the highest point on Cap Corse, at 1322m, rather than Monte Stello (1307m), as guidebooks so often incorrectly state. Further south, Castagniccia, a fertile region rich in chestnut woodland, includes the San Petrone massif.

• The central trough: forming the boundary between alpine and crystalline Corsica, this is a central depression running from Île-Rousse to Solenzara via Corte.

• The eastern plain: extending from Bastia to the mouth of the Solenzara River, this area consists of alluvial deposits that have formed lagoons such as Biguglia.

• Limestone Corsica: one of the most distinctive features of Corsica’s geology is its limestone outcrops. Although small in extent, these areas are nevertheless remarkable. Examples include the cliffs of Saint-Florent and Bonifacio.

Documents

Travellers, including minors, must carry a national identity card or passport (EU nationals).

Health

Bring your Carte Vitale health insurance card and enough of your usual medication for the duration of your stay.

Left luggage in Ajaccio:
Brasserie du marché (next to the tourist office), 3 boulevard du Roi Jérôme. A purchase is required.

For additional nights in Ajaccio

Hôtel Le Dauphin (HT): 0495512996
Hôtel Le Kallisté **: 0495513445
Hôtel Fesch***: 0495516262
Hôtel Les Mouettes ****: 0495504040

For additional nights in Porto-Vecchio

Hôtel Holzer **: 0495700593
Hôtel Le Goéland **: 0495701415
Hôtel Shegara ***: 0495704031
Hôtel Alcyon ***: 0495705050

For additional nights in Propriano

Hôtel Bellevue (HT): 0495760186
Hôtel Beach Hôtel **: 0495761774
Hôtel Claridge ***: 0495760554
Grand hôtel Miramar **** luxury: 0495760613

France: +33.

No time difference: GMT +1.

Corsica is above all an island, so it has a humid climate. The alpine foothills influence the climate locally, and rainfall varies considerably depending on the wind direction. To put it briefly, when the libecciu blows (a wind from the southwest), it brings heavy rainfall across Corsica’s western side, drenches the island’s highest peaks, and becomes a cold, dry wind over eastern Corsica.

The highest recorded rainfall is in Vizzavona and the surrounding area, at 1498 mm. The lowest figures are recorded along the coast, on the Îles Sanguinaires near Ajaccio, at 450 mm, and on the Bonifacio plateau, at 481 mm. Rainfall patterns are typical of the Mediterranean climate, with little rain in summer, although violent thunderstorms can occur, particularly in mountainous areas.

From November to mid-April, it is not unusual to see snow-covered mountains above 1000m. Average coastal temperatures range from 5° to 8° in winter and from 22° to 25° in summer. Naturally, temperatures in mountainous areas vary with altitude. Hikers should be aware that sudden drops in temperature are not uncommon, even in summer, above 1200m, owing to abrupt changes in the weather. Hikers are therefore strongly advised not to rely on coastal weather conditions and to be prepared for any sudden drop in temperature.

General books – tourism – gastronomy

• Corsica, by A and F Rother (Arthaud)
• Blue Guide to Corsica (Hachette)
• Practical Guide to Corsica, by Olivier Jehasse (Éditions de la Marge, Ajaccio)
• Good Corsican Cooking, by Christine Schapira (Éditions Solar)

Geography – nature

• Corsica Regional Natural Park: Plants and Flowers Encountered, by Marcelle Conrad
• Rocks and Landscapes of Corsica, by A. Gauthier (Regional Natural Park and BRGM)

History – archaeology – art

• History of Corsica, by Michel Vergé Franceschi (Éditions du Félin)
• Traditional Arts of Corsica, by Loviconi (Edisud)

• Éditions Richard, scale 1/60000, no. 09 Southern Corsica
• IGN Top25: 4254 ET Porto-Vecchio, 4254 OT Sartène

Wildfires and mountain area closures

From mid-June to mid-September, access to certain mountain areas may be dangerous, depending on weather conditions. Mountain areas may be closed to the public at any time of day if the risk is severe.
The prefecture publishes a map, updated at 18:00 for the following day: visit the website.
If a mountain area is closed, we will do our utmost to inform you and work with you to find a solution so that you can reach your next accommodation.
Remember: from 1 July to 30 September, lighting fires and smoking are prohibited in forests, maquis scrubland and mountain areas.