Restonica Valley

The glacially scoured upper Restonica valley west of Corte in Corsica’s northern mountains must be one of the most beautiful spots in Corsica, which is saying something.

The valley is accessible from Corte by road, so you start walking high up the valley on a GR20 access path to the astonishingly sited lakes at the valley head, below cirques gouged into the hash, smashed-up granite ridges all around. 6km, approaching 4hrs there-and-back.

An amazing 2 or 3 day circuit, which has Walko salivating, would be to walk west from the Restonica lakes, either: 

- on the GR20, along the rocky high ridge above the lakes then descending to the Refuge de Manganu in the riverside forest to the west; then traversing back round through a bocca to the eastern slopes of the ridge, then descending the wild and exceptionally beautiful and interesting upper Tavignano valley to the brilliantly sited Sega refuge; or

- on the more direct path to Lac de Goria and down the Tavignano to the Sega refuge in a long day,

 then in both cases either dropping through the superb Tavignano gorge to Corte on the Mare a Mare Nord route, or crossing the eastern high ridge back to the Restonica valley to make a circuit.

Or you could walk on along the GR20, west to the Col de Vergio to make a marvellous 2 day walk. Hard nuts could do this in one long day.

Note: beware of notorious summer thunderstorms, get away from risk areas if one approaches.

Key book: Cicerone’s Walking in Corsica - Find these and other books on Amazon.

SEE OUR CORSICA PAGE FOR DETAILED GENERAL AND PRACTICAL INFORMATION.

ALL PHOTOS AND SUGGESTIONS ARE WELCOME!