Corsica, sea and mountains from Corte to the Gulf of Porto

Walks on good trails with no technical difficulties, though a good level of fitness is required. Between 5 and 6 hours of walking per day. Daily ascent of 200 to 700 metres, depending on the stage. Daily descent of -200 to -1000 metres, 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.

Day 1: Travel up to Corte by train from Ajaccio, Bastia or Calvi. The train ticket is payable locally (approximately 15€). Timetables vary depending on the season.
Day 6: Return bus from Piana to Ajaccio (a 1 hour 30 minute journey). The bus ticket is payable locally (allow around 12 euros). Timetables vary depending on the season.

Minimum 2 people.

6 days, 5 nights.

Depart on any day of your choice from early April to late October. Please note that return travel by bus is not available on Saturdays, Sundays or public holidays in April and October.

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

Accommodation

The hotels in Corte, Evisa and Piana differ depending on the option chosen:

• Standard option: 3 nights in 2*-rated hotels and 2 nights in 3*-rated hotels
• Comfort option: 5 nights in 3*-rated hotels

Accommodation is in rooms for two people, in hotels or guesthouses depending on availability, with an en-suite shower and toilet. Single rooms are subject to availability at the time of booking.

Please note that, due to the practical demands of running accommodation (cleaning, restocking, etc.), properties may be closed or their owners may be absent before 16 or 5 pm. Thank you for your understanding.

Hôtel Scopa Rossa in Evisa ® Hôtel Scopa Rossa

Please note: accommodation photos are for illustrative purposes only. Accommodation may change. Depending on availability, we may book other hotels offering an equivalent standard and level of comfort.

Note: bedbugs

Bedbugs have appeared in recent years. Despite pest control treatments, you should remain vigilant wherever you stay throughout the route, checking the bedding and avoiding placing your bag on the bed.
If you wish, we recommend purchasing a suitable insecticide (e.g. Clako punaises).
At the end of your walking trip, if you have encountered problems with bedbugs, we recommend placing all your clothes in bags (dissolvable bags are available) before machine washing them. These precautions help prevent and reduce the risk of spreading bedbugs to other establishments and your home.

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 using water purification tablets.

Hotel classification

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

Meals

• Continental breakfast (tea, coffee, milk, butter, jam)
• Evening meals at your accommodation, very often featuring local specialities.

- Evening meals on Day 1 in Corte, Day 4 in Porto and Day 5 in Piana are not included.

• Picnic lunches are not included; supplies can be purchased locally along the route.

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

Start

On Day 1 in Corte. By train: on average, 2 trains run in the morning and afternoon from Ajaccio and Bastia. From Calvi, 1 train runs in the morning and afternoon. Find train timetables on the website https://cf-corse.corsica

Finish

On Day 6 in Piana after breakfast. You can take the bus to Ajaccio.

Please note that there are no scheduled buses from Piana to Ajaccio on Saturdays, Sundays or public holidays in April and October.
Local taxi: 06.24.64.54.34; allow approximately 175 € for the transfer.

In low season (April and October), there is one morning bus at 8:30 am; please check the timetable.
From May to September, there are on average 2 buses per day, at 8:30 am and 1:45 pm; please check the timetable.
Website: https://www.isula.corsica/VIA-STRADA-VIA-MARE-Trasporti-di-passageri_a1607.html

By air

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

By ferry

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

* 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 (275 € / per crossing per person: including a cabin berth and meals during the crossing). Departures every day from 01/06 to 13/09, 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 further information.

By car

You can plan your route on ViaMichelin

Parking your car

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

Public transport

Full information is available on the Corsica Bus website
Bus services:

• Les beaux voyages
• Eurocorse voyages
• Les rapides bleus

The Chemins de Fer de la Corse 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).

A number of our trips offer opportunities to swim, either 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 encourage 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 industry adopt more meaningful practices. In practical terms, we focus on:

• Transparency in our practices and pricing
• 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 meaningful encounters.

Travelife Partner

Since 2025, Grand Angle has held Travelife Partner status, an international label that certifies our responsible practices in environmental protection, ethics and sustainable management, both within our company and in our work with partners and the organisation of our trips.

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

In this section, you will find links to products from our partner Alpinstore, a French online retailer specialising in outdoor equipment, based in Annecy.

For carrying your belongings

• A comfortable 30 to 50 L backpack with a hip belt to carry your personal belongings and picnic lunch during the day
• One piece of luggage for transfer: a backpack, a travel bag in good condition or a suitcase that is not too bulky. One piece of luggage per person, with a 15kg limit

Read our magazine’s guide to packing your hiking backpack properly.

For hiking

For maximum comfort, choose a layered clothing system: warm base layers (leggings + top) such as “Carline” or “Capilene” (hollow fibres that wick away perspiration) + a sweatshirt or fleece jacket + a mountain jacket and overtrousers with a waterproof, breathable membrane (such as “Gore-Tex” or equivalent) for bad weather. In general, except in hot climates and countries, avoid cotton, which holds moisture close to the body (and takes a long time to dry), and choose suitable synthetic fabrics instead.

• Hiking boots with ankle support, a good treaded sole, a reinforced heel and good waterproofing
• Comfortable hiking socks (at least 3 pairs)
• A fleece
• Comfortable walking trousers (quick-drying technical fabric)
• Comfortable shorts in technical fabric
• T-shirts or base layers (quick-drying technical fabric)
• A long-sleeved shirt
• Walking poles (telescopic), very important for making walking easier. Discover all the benefits of hiking poles in our dedicated article or how to choose your hiking poles

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!

For your lunchtime picnic

• Your eating kit: a plastic bowl, container or plate, and cutlery (spoon, fork, knife)
• 1 or 2 water bottles (a total capacity of at least 1,5 L) – mandatory –; an insulated flask for winter

For protection from sun and rain

• Sunscreen (high protection)
• Sunglasses
• A hat, cap or bucket hat
• A rain poncho or a waterproof jacket such as a softshell or Gore-Tex jacket, and possibly waterproof trousers

After your walk

• A pair of running shoes for the evening
• A change of clothes and underwear
• A toiletry bag and a small towel
• A sleeping bag liner
• Swimwear and a towel for wellness facilities (where specified) or swimming
• A small first-aid kit: personal medication, surgical masks, hand sanitiser, plasters, sterile dressings and a bandage, gauze, disinfectant, arnica granules and aspirin, etc. (Please note that this list is not exhaustive and should be adapted to your own medical needs.)

Find these tips in our article #“what to take on a hike”.

This list is provided as a guide and should be adapted to your trip and the season in which you travel.

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 Monte Rotondo and Monte d’Oro. Further south, the Aiguilles de Bavella form some of the island’s most distinctive and rugged terrain, followed at the southern tip by the unusual jumbles of granite boulders on the mountain of Cagna. Finally, in the northwest, extending from the Cinto massif, the Calanche de Piana merge into the sea.

• Alpine or schistose Corsica: this covers the northern and eastern parts of the island and is characterised by gentler, lower slopes than 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 mistakenly state. Further south, Castagniccia, a fertile region rich in chestnut woodland, includes the San Petrone massif.

• The central trough: marking the boundary between Alpine and crystalline Corsica, this forms a central depression running from L’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 given rise to 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.

Luggage storage in Ajaccio:

Brasserie du marché (next to the tourist office), 3 boulevard du Roi Jérôme. A food or drink 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 Bastia
Hôtel Sud Hôtel **: 0495302061
Hôtel le Forum **: 0495310253
Hôtel Ostella***: 0495309770

For additional nights in Corte
Hôtel de la Paix**: 0495460672
Hôtel du Nord**: 0495460068
Hôtel Les Jardins de la Glacière**: 0495452700
Hôtel Dominique Colonna***: 0495452565

France: +33.

No time difference: GMT +1.

Corsica is, above all, an island, so moisture is ever-present. The Alpine foothills affect the local climate, and rainfall varies considerably depending on the wind direction. To put it simply, when the libecciu blows (a wind from the southwest), it brings heavy rainfall to Corsica’s entire western flank, 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. The frequency of rainfall is typical of a Mediterranean climate, with little rain in summer, although violent thunderstorms can break out, particularly in mountainous areas.

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

General reference – 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)

Richard edition at a scale of 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 there is a severe risk.
The prefecture publishes a map, updated at 18:00 for the following day: visit the website http://195.221.141.5/Portail/corse.gouv.fr/.
If a mountain area is closed, we will do everything we can 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.