Hikes in Venaco

From Refuge de Manganu to Bergerie de l'Onda (GR 20 North)

From Corte station, follow the Mare a Mare route towards Porto until the junction with the GR20. Then follow the GR20 south to Vizzavona station.

Cascade tour in a fairy-tale landscapeThe varied hiking trail through the Manganello Valley has something to offer for everyone: families will enjoy the lively stream accompanying us, and fit hikers will not want to miss the long ascent to the Petra-Piana hut at the foot of Monte Rotondo, the island's second highest peak.

The GR 20 leads through breathtaking nature. Past mountain lakes, over mountain ridges with views extending to the sea, and with magnificent natural swimming pools along the way. In most hiking guides, the route is divided into 16 stages. This track describes the GR20 in 12 stages. The stage plan is located below the media. To walk the route, very good fitness and mountain experience are necessary.

Attractive Circular Hike at the Foot of Monte CardoEvery year on August 29th, the Santo Eliseo Chapel is the destination of a pilgrimage. It is located in a magnificent vantage point at the foot of the mighty 2453 m high Monte Cardo and can be reached on a beautiful circular trail that passes by several wildly romantic mountain huts.

Challenging circular hike to the Refuge de Petra Piana hut via the Bocca Tribali saddle and back.

GR20 North

A varied hiking route winds through the green landscape—which is folded like a cloth—along the eastern edge of the central mountain range between Corte and the pass near Vizzavona. The route follows a variant of the Mare a Mare Nord long-distance hiking trail, which is why orange markings guide us in some places. The charming little village of Vivario, located directly on the N 193 and the Ponte Leccia–Ajaccio—nestles into the undulating landscape on the eastern slope of the central mountain range, with the tower of the Church of Saint-Pierre rising from the green fringe of the wooded hills. In the spring, the treeless slopes take on the yellow of the broom, as if coated in gold, while the air is filled with the scent of essential oils. This hike is one of the few where we can use the train as a means of transportation, as the route begins and ends at a “Micheline” train station. Today, modern railcars operate on the line, and train frequency has also increased significantly following the complete overhaul of the tracks. On tours like this, it’s always advisable to take the train first and then hike back to your car; this saves stress and prevents the schedule from becoming a source of pressure while you’re hiking. This way, you can better enjoy the charms of the tour. We start in Vivario at Station 01, which is located slightly north of the village, and begin by hiking south along the village road, with a view of the church tower behind us. Drivers will likely recognize not the village itself, but the wide, sweeping road bridge a bit to the north, which crosses the deeply incised Vecchiu River and is flanked in the background by the railroad viaduct. We follow the winding road through the village and, after a tight left-hand curve, turn left onto a side street. After a right-hand curve, this street takes us out of the village and into the green slopes, which are initially covered with macchia. Soon we cross the railroad tracks, which follow the valley of the Forcaticcio River and make a so-called hairpin turn to negotiate the elevation difference. That is why, after a few hundred meters, we encounter the tracks again, which now run slightly lower down the valley. Across from it, our trail enters the shady oak and beech forest and heads toward the valley floor 02, where the two branches of the Santa Maria Stream converge. After crossing, we follow the sunken path, which, with many small switchbacks, marks the start of the first ascent. The route leads us to the Santa Maria d’Arca Chapel 03; shortly afterward, at a fork in the trail, we turn sharply to the left and follow the path northward. Soon we pass the hamlet of Arca, which has been abandoned and is falling into disrepair. After that, the trail emerges into treeless terrain and heads toward the scenic Bocca Murella Pass 04 (824 m), which is also the highest point of this tour. Here, the view opens up to the island’s highest mountains, which rise to the west and form the backdrop to the gentler landscape of the foothills. On the eastern slopes of Pointe d’Occhio Vario, the trail descends briskly through maquis terrain toward Noceta. After crossing a strip of forest, we hike through the old cultural landscape, heading steadily north. After a good 45 minutes, we take the left path at a fork, which cuts across a hairpin bend. At the next intersection, we turn right onto the road leading to Noceta 05 (520 m). Just over 60 Corsicans live in this secluded village; its only point of interest is the fountain bearing the Corsican coat of arms, which is made of round pebbles.We cross through the village parallel to the main road. We cross the D 43 and, after a few hundred meters on the western edge of the village, come to a house with a mailbox. Here, a narrow, partly overgrown path branches off to the right and descends into the Cardiglione Valley. Hiking parallel to the river at the foot of a mountain range, we continue northward through a beech forest toward the Pont de Noceta. Before reaching it, the dirt road joins the D 43 at a wooden gate; we follow it to the right and cross the Vecchiu via the Pont de Noceta 06. The river, deeply carved into the granite rock, has formed magnificent rock pools here, which are also popular with locals for swimming. Following the D 43 for a short distance, we reach the intersection on the north side of the river valley, where we turn onto the D 143, which runs to the left. A short while later, the orange-marked trail branches off to the left from the road, soon crossing wooded terrain and then old farmland above the Vecchiu. After a right turn, Venaco comes into view for the first time; nestled on the slopes at the foot of Monte Cardo, it is our destination. We still have a little over 2 kilometers to go, with the now partly shaded path leading down to the Piobico Stream 07. After crossing it, the final ascent up to Venaco begins. At a wooden sign reading “Pont de Noceta,” we reach the D 43 at the lower edge of the village. After a few meters, we turn right onto an uphill alley that takes us past old stone houses and up into the village. We don’t even notice that the railroad line runs under the village through a tunnel. The concrete path leads to the right toward the access road to the Venaco 08 train station (650 m), which we reach after turning right again following an S-curve.

 This hike connects the two routes to the Petra-Piana Hut (Route 30) and to Monte d’Oro (Route 28), offering the opportunity to embark on two- or three-day hikes in the mountains of Vizzavona. The first part of the trail is identical to the hike to the Petra-Piana Hut. About 10 minutes past the Cascade de Meli, we reach, so to speak, the starting point, the Pont de Tolla 01. While the route to the Petra-Piana Hut veers right across the river, we take the mountain trail that ascends to the left. We leave the Manganello Valley and now follow the valley of the Ruisseau de Grottaccia. This is a section of the GR 20 that, coming from the upper Manganello Valley, returns to the mountains via this route. After a few minutes, we cross a forest road and follow the trail as it moves closer to the stream. We hike uphill through the magnificent pine forest at a moderate incline. At an elevation of 1,190 meters, we pass a spring on the left side of the trail. We continue to gain elevation beneath massive Laricio pines as the path moves away from the stream. After a few switchbacks and crossing two streams ( 02 ), we pass through a beech grove about 20 minutes before our destination and arrive at the Bergeries de l’Onda, just below the Refuge. After another 5 minutes, we reach the small Refuge de l’Onda 03 (1,430 m), which offers 16 beds and also rents out small tents in the summer. Here, you’ll need to decide which route to take to continue the hike. Those wishing to undertake an extended day hike can ascend steeply from the refuge in a southerly direction to Punta de Muratello (2,064 m), thereby following the standard route of the GR 20. The trail soon transitions into rocky terrain and heads toward the saddle, where the junction for the ascent trail to Monte d’Oro is also located. The descent from the saddle is identical to the second half of the Monte d’Oro ascent, which is described in Tour 28. The lengthy descent winds through a bizarre valley dotted with boulders and rugged granite ridges left behind by glaciers from the Würm glaciation. Passing numerous pools, cascades, and the 30 m high Cascades des Anglais, the trail finally enters the Forêt de Vizzavona.Alternatively, the Refuge de l’Onda also offers the option of following the alpine variant of the GR 20 northward and hiking to the Refuge de Pietra Pana. The shorter but more strenuous route, which runs over hilltops, offers beautiful views of the mountains south of Monte Rotondo, but snowfields may persist well into the summer. On a clear day, the highest point of the route—called “Pointe de Pinzi Corbini” in French—even offers a view all the way to the sea. Furthermore, there are neither water sources nor shade, so an early start is recommended. The shorter but more strenuous mountain route includes two ascents and two descents and should not be chosen in bad weather. From the hut, we follow the orange-marked trail northward and climb steeply to the Bocca d’Oreccia (1,427 m). From there, the route follows the ridge via the Crête de Murata 04 (1,928 m), the Bocca a Meta 05 (1,890 m), and the Punta de Pinzi Corbini 06to the Punta Murace (1,921 m) and on to the Bocca Manganello, which is already at the same elevation as the Pietra Pana Hut. After a few minutes, we reach the beautifully situated Pietra Pana Hut 07 at 1,842 m above sea level, passing through some boulder fields and crossing small streams.After spending the night, you can climb Monte Rotondo from the south side (4–5 hours round trip, alpine trail with slightly exposed sections) or head back to Canaglia via the route of Tour 30. In any case, it’s well worth taking the time to enjoy this prime vantage point in the heart of the Corsican mountains—or even staying here for a day or two.

Two sections of long-distance hiking trails allow you to venture deep into the mountains of central Corsica without having to complete the entire GR 20. This long but easy hike can even be turned into a circular route in part if you follow the alpine variant of the GR 20 and plan for two days with an overnight stay at the Refuge de Petra Piana. Not far from the Col de Vizzavona, a narrow side road branches off near Tattore toward Canaglia, a small hamlet in the Agnon Valley. Shortly after that, the Manganello River joins the route; we follow it through the beautiful valley to its source. The public road ends in Canaglia 01—where a few parking spaces are available—but continues as a forest road that runs along the south side of the Manganello Valley. Just past the village, the forest road begins with a “No Vehicles” sign and information signs pointing to the GR 20 and a variant of the Mare a Mare Nord long-distance hiking trail, which we follow for a while. After one kilometer on the forest road and passing through an iron gate, the hiking route branches off to the right in a left-hand curve and initially continues as a wide path down toward the stream. We hike steadily through sparse pine forest, with the beautiful stream bed—featuring numerous rock pools and eddies—in view. Occasionally, sections of the trail are covered in stream debris, but for the most part we consistently follow the right bank of the Manganello. The trail then runs for a few meters over bare rock before, in a side valley, the Ruisseau de Meli flows down a rock face in a veil-like waterfall, forming several cascades. A short while later, we reach the fork in the trail where we meet the GR 20 route. The long-distance hiking trail comes from the Manganello Valley and now runs along the Ruisseau de Grottaccia uphill toward the Refuge de L’Onda. We follow the GR 20 to the right and cross the Ruisseau de Grottaccia just before it flows into the Manganello Stream on the Tolla Bridge 02. Below the bridge, magnificent turquoise-blue rock pools have formed. Passing through wooded terrain, we reach the entrance to the upper Manganello Valley after a 1:15-hour walk and arrive at the Bergeries de Tolla 03(1,011 m), a former alpine pasture that has been converted into a snack bar. The former meadow is now densely overgrown with eagle ferns, yet a few horses and a donkey still graze here. From there, the wide trail leads along the left bank of the Manganello into the magnificent pine forest. The easy route climbs only very gently for quite a while, passing stream pools and cascading basins again and again. A little over an hour after leaving the Bergerie, a small spring 04 emerges to the right of the trail, collected in a small stone basin. From here, the incline begins to increase, and the route veers northwest as it follows the course of the valley. The forest thins out, the terrain becomes rockier, and is dotted with boulders. We pass a small stone hut, after which we must cross shallow side streams. We are now at the head of the Manganello Valley 05, which is dotted with massive solitary pine trees and surrounded by bare granite cliffs. The trail leads uphill to the right to cross a side stream and then begins the ascent up a steep slope to the Bergerie de Gialgo 06 (1,609 m). The trail is equipped with stone steps and numerous switchbacks; finally, a stream must be crossed through dense green spruce undergrowth. The Gialgo alp serves as an alternative lodging in the summer when the Refuge de Petra Piana is too crowded. Now comes the final ascent to the hut, which leads steeply upward through rocky terrain and gains nearly 250 meters in elevation. The hut, situated on a rocky terrace high above the Manganello Valley and at the foot of Monte Rotondo, remains out of sight until the very end. Once you reach the rocky terrace, a traverse through green alder leads over to the Refuge de Petra Piana 07 (1,842 m). It consists of a main building with a dormitory, a service building resembling an alpine hut where meals are prepared, and a shower and restroom building—with cold water only, of course. The hut is a popular stop for hikers on the GR 20, as well as for those climbing Monte Rotondo. The return trip follows the same route. Those who spend the night at the hut can follow the alpine variant of the GR 20, which runs along the ridge west of the Manganello Valley. This involves two ascents to peaks such as Punta Murace (1,921 m) or Pinzi Corbini (2,027 m). The route meets the main GR 20 trail at the Refuge de L’Onda; from there, follow it downhill through the Grottaccia Valley to the Tolla Bridge and return to Canaglia via the Mare a Mare Nord variant.