Some of the most memorable trails in Corsica are found in the region bordered by two river valleys, the Restonica and the Tavignano, located near the town of Corte.

Corte is an old town in the center of the island with cobbled streets and a wide range of accommodations, shops, and restaurants. The Citadel of Corte houses a museum of Corsican history and provides amazing views of the town below and the surrounding countryside.

If you only have time for one hike, you should begin by exploring the Restonica Valley (Vallée de la Restonica) and the lakes Melo and Capitello.

The Restonica Valley
From Corte, road D623 leads to the Restonica Gorges. Driving on D623 several campsites can be seen on the left side of the road as well as the renown Dominique Colonna Hotel. This area offers several places to walk, picnic or bathe in one of the many pools and streams fed by the Restonica river, as it rushes down through the valley. (View Map)

A little further down the road, is Chez Cesar, a bar/restaurant that serves meals from noon until about 4:00PM. Diners can eat outdoors and enjoy a magnificent view of the mountain streams below.

About 15km from Corte the road dead ends into a parking lot where there’s a small cafe. This spot, known as, “Bergeries de Grotelle”, marks the start of the trail (1370m) that leads to the twin glacial lakes of Melo (1711m) and Capitello (1930m).

A striking feature at this location is the magnificent granite ridge named “Capu a Chiostru”. Standing at the foot of this giant early in the morning light, with the Moon still visible, is quite an experience.

Hiking to the Glacial Lakes Melo & Capitello
Reaching Lac de Melo from the cafe takes from 1 hour to 90 minutes. This trail (marked in yellow) is considered easy but the final approach to the lake requires holding on to chains and vertical iron ladders bolted into the rock. It is important to be careful if there’s ice or snow as it can get slippery.

Lake Melo is the source of the Restonica river and it resembles a green mirror surrounded by grassy slopes. Often horses and cows can be seen grazing near the lake and the scene resembles an alpine postcard. There’s also a drinking water source next to the lake.

The hike to Capitello requires a steeper climb (200m+), mostly over rocks, and also takes about 1 hour to 90 minutes. Before reaching Capitello it is a good idea to turn around and photograph Lac de Melo from above.

The indigo blue colors of the water and the views from lake Capitello lake are magnificent. It is common to see rock climbers clinging to the granite walls that surround this lake. There is no shade whatsoever near this lake though so be sure to wear a hat and sunscreen lotion.

Practical Information

Driving - Corte is 90 minutes away from Ajaccio, and about the same driving distance from Calvi and Bastia. From Bonifacio in the far south, Corte is about 2 hours away.

Bus Service – Eurocorse Voyages departs Monday through Saturday from the bus station next to the port in Ajaccio.

For other bus routes and train timetables and for bus service from Corte to the Restonica visit http://www.corsicabus.org/.

Tip: Unless you have a car, avoid traveling on Sundays as bus service may be limited or not available (except in the Summer months).

The Corte Tourist office, located at the entrance of the citadel, provides information on hiking excursions in the area.

Click here to read part two of this series…

Filed under: Hiking in Corsica