The Pond E Monti

At a few hours of ferry of Nice, Toulon or Marseilles, is a little place of paradise, Corsica.
“Corsica” bears its name well: she conceals natural treasures that the development of tourism until today relatively saved.
Corsica is a mountain which plunges in the sea, this is why his landscapes are if contrasted: traverse a few kilometers and you will leave the range to join the mountain on a path clearing a passage in the maquis or crossing hills and orchards. Is paths, Corsica strewn with it, and which best means of discovering an area than randonner of village in hamlet, with the meeting of new sites and new faces?
Most famous of these paths without question the GR. 20 is, crossing the island of North in the South, but it another is run less from there and quite as fabulous because associating sea and mountain: the Pond E Monti.

The Pond E Monti, between Sea and Mountain

Located at the North-West of the island, the Pond E Monti connects Calenzana, in the South-east of Calvi, Cargèse, the North of Ajaccio, in 10 days. Accounting for 5 with 6:30 of functioning, each one of its stages is a new source of amazement: from its advance between sea and mountain, this excursion offers a large variety of landscapes, and makes it possible to discover at its rate/rhythm the fauna and the flora of the area as well as the authentic villages and their populations.
The possibilities of lodging are numerous and often leave the choice between hotel, lodging and camp-site, within frameworks pleasant and far away from tourist agitation.
This excursion does not require exceptional aptitudes for the functioning, but certain stages comprising nearly 1000 meters of uneven, with rather stiff portions, a correct physical condition is necessary. The summer, it is preferable to early leave in order to avoid a too hot summer days, however attenuated on a good part of the path by the omnipresent forest or maquis. With regard to the loading, as it is optional to carry a tent and than the daily supply in vivres and water generally does not pose a problem, the weight of the rucksack can not exceed 10 kg.
Contrary to the GR. 20, the Pond E Monti can be traversed about all the year, the crossed collars hardly exceeding the 1000 meters of altitude, but it should be known that the majority of the lodgings are open only of at the beginning of April with at the end of October. July and August are of course the months during which he is attended the most, and he is imperative to hold for this period.


Outline of the various stages

Without detailing the excursion, here an outline of its principal attractions.
The Pond E Monti generally traverses North in the South; one thus begins the excursion with Calenzana (alt. : 275 m). The first kilometers are common with the GR. 20, but one lets this one quickly S ’ insert in the grounds to continue full South towards a beautiful point of view on Calenzana and Balagne, area formerly called “garden of Corsica” for his olive groves and his almond trees. The path crosses then the forest of Sambuccu, then spans Figarella to gain Bonifatu (535 m).

The Regional natural park of Corsica

With L ’ following stage, the Pond E Monti S ’ engages in the Regional natural park of Corsica, qu ’ it will not leave more. Created in 1972, this Park covers more D ’ a third of L ’ island (350 000 ha). It has like objectives “the revitalization of the areas rural, the safeguarding and the valorization of the natural heritage and cultural, L ’ information and sensitizing”. Its role is essential in protection D ’ threatened species, the such moufflon, L ’ golden eagle or the bearded gypaète, without speaking about the flora which counts tens D ’ species endemic. The Regional natural park of Corsica is managed by a Mixed trade-union gathering 145 Communes, the Corsican General advices and the District council, communities whose L ’ engagement is fundamental to reconcile protection and development of their area.
We here thus with carry Park, walking on towards Tuarelli. After L ’ rise of the most point of the Pond E Monti (1200 m), located not far from the source of Bocca di Bonassa which arrives at named point, the path tumbles down, on 1100 meters of uneven, jusqu ’ with Tuarelli and its natural swimming pools.
In comparison, L ’ following stage seems a walk. It joined the very close sea, in Galéria, borrowing an old path of transhumance, crossing the hamlet of Fangu and finishing in a maquis where it N ’ is not rare to meet pigs, goats or cows in freedom, rather common thing D ’ elsewhere in the Corsican maquis.

The Natural reserve of Scandola

Comes then L ’ stage making it possible to rejoin Girolata, one of most beautiful Pond E Monti, crossing the peak of Lucciu then Punta Literniccia (778 m), for which the splendid panorama on the gulf of Girolata and the Natural reserve of Scandola rewards a constant rise. This Reserve, created in 1975 with L ’ initiative of the Regional natural park of Corsica, includes/understands 1000 hectares marine and 1000 hectares terrestrial; it is registered with the World heritage of L ’ UNESCO since 1983 and shelters, inter alia, ospreys, peregrine falcons and cormorants, thus qu ’ a fauna and a marine flora rich person and abundant.

Girolata

Located in edge of the reserve, Girolata is charming a small port only accessible by the sea, in particular from Oporto, or by the path of the factor of Partinello, qu ’ borrows an alternative of the Pond E Monti. This one offers superb points of view on the gulf and reached the road in Bocca Croce has (collar of the cross, 269 m), where much D ’ estivants leaves their vehicle in order to join with foot the pretty range of Tuara (1 H) and Girolata (2 H), or simply to go up to the table D ’ orientation (0. 15) to admire the gulf of Girolata and Punta Scandola in North, and the gulf of Oporto in the South Through the maquis, the alternative recovers then the “normal” way with the collar below located Capo di Curzu (852 m), before going down again on Curzu (290 m), term of L ’ stage.
The following day could be one day relatively resting since the Pond E Monti joined Serriera (30 m) in 3:30 (only stage of less 5:00). Blow, certain hikers choose to continue jusqu ’ in Ota, but with less D ’ to be in a hurry, it is wiser and relaxed to leave L ’ stage Serriera – Ota, long and escarpée, for the continuation. Moreover, C ’ is a stage full with charm, and the points of view on the gulf of Oporto with L ’ Ouest and on the nodes of L ’ Are, snow-covered jusqu ’ in June, the advance between the chestnuts and the pines laricio of the national forest of Sabinetu, and the descent on Ota in the ravine of Vitrone, deserve qu ’ one takes time to appreciate them.

Creeks of Piana

Since Serriera, one can then benefit from it to go to sea (2,5 km) to take a rest deserved well on the range of Bussaglia. Another alternative, that I advise you, is to make stop jusqu ’ with the splendid creek of Piana. The road of Oporto with Piana crosses these astonishing red porphyry concretions dominating the sea of more than 300 meters. The beautiful ones stroll, in particular on L ’ old path of the Muleteers or towards the locality of the Strong Castle, the extravagant forms of the tafoni (holes dug in the rock by L ’ erosion allow D ’ to admire) and the gulf of Oporto, whose navy blue contrasting with L ’ ochre red of Punta Scandola and of Assembles Senino leaves dreamer.
To leave D ’ Ota, L ’ following stage goes up the fames throats of Spelunca, skirting the river of Oporto and crossing it twice on bridges génois.

The rock D ’ Ota

In S ’ moving away from the village, one notices L ’ imposing rock located at the node of Capu D ’ Ota (1220 m), seeming on the point of S ’ to cut down on the peaceful residences but fortunately retained by monks taking turns to maintain it with L ’ assistance of chains (C ’ is at least what the legend tells!).
The Pond E Monti leaves then the river for S ’ to raise jusqu ’ in Evisa (850 m) by a mule track rich in point of view on the throats and Capu D ’ Orto (1294 m).

The Corsican chestnut grove

Taking the direction of Marignana (730 m), one crosses then part of L ’ immense chestnut grove D ’ Evisa, in which regale themselves the “wild” pigs. The chestnut grove dies; some of its trees are several times centenaries, and only a reduced portion is still exploited. However, the sweet chestnut was during centuries the base of L ’ feeding Corsican, eaten pulp, roasted or used in flour. Recently, the Corsicans show some interest again to him, and L ’ one frequently finds products of which it is L ’ principal ingredient in the trade or with the card of the restaurants.

Always in the mountain, L ’ stage Marignana – E Box is rather constant but quite shaded; the path climbs, among the chestnuts, in Bocca Acquaviva (1102 m), then descends, under cover of the maquis, to E Puts (605 m), inaccessible hamlet by the road.

Cargèse

The excursion touches at its end; crossing the plate of Petracqua (650 m) and passing near the sheep-folds of Santa Lucia and the village of Lozzi, the last stage offers many panoramas on the gulfs of Chiuni, Peru and Sagone, and joined the coast with Cargèse (96 m). Before the return on the continent or the continuation of the voyage, it is good to stroll in the lanes of this village, where a Greek colony S ’ installed shortly after that L ’ island became French (1769). The village comprises D ’ elsewhere an orthodoxe church, dealing with L ’ Latin church. Corsica was génoise when this colony immigrated, in 1676.

The turns génoises

After having been a possession of Pisa, Corsica passes under domination génoise in 1284 and will remain to it jusqu ’ in 1768. On the architectural level, it preserves this period the bridges evoked in connection with L ’ stage Ota – Marignana, but especially the famous towers génoises present on its littoral. These buildings from 10 to 15 meters height were built with 16th and 17th centuries so as to prevent D ’ possible attacks: when enemy ships were in sight, the soldiers occupying the turns gave L ’ alarm by lighting visible fires of the closest turns. There remain aujourd ’ about it today an about sixty on L ’ island; much D ’ between them can be visited and that of Oporto was even arranged in bearing museum on L ’ history and construction … of the turns génoises!

Corsica, a country where it makes good things in life

This accessible excursion makes it possible to discover at its rate/rhythm a splendid corner of Corsica.
One crosses many hikers there, in the lodgings and the camp-sites where the ease of use is always with go, around D ’ a good dish of local kitchen or to enjoy a beer of the country. One meets the Corsicans of course there, sometimes bourrus but always generous, liking their area and eager to preserve it, and, through them, one discovers the strong regional culture which characterizes Corsica.
Extremely from these multiple experiments, one falls under the charm, because in Corsica continent N ’ is not far, but expatriation is ensured and gets the enchantment of the directions. The sight is subjugated by turquoise water of its littoral and the reddish hues of its granitic rocks; L ’ sense of smell S ’ enivre of exhalations of the myrtles, cane-apple bushes, mastic trees, cistuses and genévriers of his maquis; the taste is filled by savours of specialities such as lonzo (net of pig), brucciu (cheese of ewe) or sweet chestnut liquor; L ’ hearing is charmed by the song of the cicadas, L ’ local accent and sonorities of the Corsican language, spoken still much. All these things, and well D ’ others still, take part of L ’ identity of L ’ island and the Corsican people, and leave of this voyage an unforgettable memory.

Large a thank you with Cyril for its participation.

I invite you to come to discover the continuation of my adventure on Maremonti
Contact: Cyril Reynaud

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