Attention, the excursion as described here is certainly splendid, but is not easier; it is in extreme cases between excursion and alpinism. It is necessary to count at least 10 hours of functioning outward journey return, and some passages are a little delicate (the use of the hands is sometimes necessary) or a little vertiginous, but fortunately never both at the same time: a fine shape and a certain experiment of the mountain are thus necessary. And especially, to go up at the top, the collar of the Moors, one needs an impeccable weather for the 3 or 4 hours which follow… That would quickly become a galère in a thick layer of clouds (one would extremely be likely to lose oneself), under the rain (that must slip well), do not even speak about storms (the lightning undoubtedly attends).
A passion for the Corsican mountain
For six consecutive years, we have spent our holidays to Corsica, country adapted well to a little sporting holidays, combining strolls in mountain or river, board with veil, etc, but as rest, bathe at sea or in river, places incomparably less attended as on the continent. This type of holidays is also appropriate for our three children (between 12 and 17 years in 2003), who always seem still to appreciate a few a little sporting days, directed towards the discovery and the adventure. Our speciality for the excursions: to try to go from there return to the day to discover the nodes or the most moved back places of the island. Among the nodes climbed under these conditions: Monte Cinto, Assembles Rotondo, Monte Incudine, Monte Renoso, Migliarello, Maniccia, Punta Dell Oriente, the Lake Bracca, Monte of Oro, Monte Grosso… and without any doubt most beautiful among all our stroll: Paglia Orba.
The departure
It is on August 27 of the year 2003 which we reached, as of the first attempt (what was not always the case…), the node Paglia Orba, famous among all the nodes for its extraordinary beauty. One gave me two versions for the significance in Corsica of “Paglia Orba”: , It I like well “Digital Purple” and “inclined Plan”, it is less poetic. Why then have waited six years before going there? Quite simply because with the reading of the various guides, one is in extreme cases between excursion and alpinism on the one hand, and that it is necessary to count at least 10 hours outward journey return on the other hand: much patience, therefore, to convince Sophie, my wife who this news small adventure was quite as accessible in family as other great excursions from the day as we had carried out. The reading on Internet of several accounts around the corresponding stage of the GR20 consolidated us well in this opinion. This strolls proved easier than envisaged besides, easier than Rotondo for example.
It is true that we had put all the chances on our side: we selected the best possible day according to the forecasts weather and carried out a preliminary recognition of the first
part of strolls: this one was necessary because we envisaged to leave before the paddle: it is preferable to be at an already high altitude before estival strong heats, and to reach the node before the appearance of a too strong frequent cloud cover as of the end of morning. The temperature appeared ideal besides during all the rise: 15° at the beginning, and apparently very few variations until the arrival at the top; as for the clouds, they were quite present as of midday, without however hanging the summits.
To raise to… 3 hours for nearly two hours of road, and an arrival at 5 o'clock in the morning to the carpark of the horseshoe (on D84 approximately 2 km in the east of the collar of Verghio), around 1300 meters of altitude. It still makes black night, no light at the horizon, of stars and a Milky Way cutting out the black masses of the neighbouring nodes: a vault of heaven, as we had not seen any for 5 years (it was then right in the middle of the desert of Agriates, in Corsica of course). Hold, another car on the carpark, registered in Corsica… Perhaps the car of the shepherds living Radule? It does not matter… preparation and pretence of breakfast during small fifteen minutes, and departure with 5:15, it always makes black night. For our two small flashlights, it is necessary to find the best solution so that each one of us five sees there sufficiently to find its marks on the path which does not pose besides any problem, and which joined the GR20 very quickly. The paddle starts to point towards 6:00 when we pass in front of the sheep-fold of Radule, and we can extinguish our flashlights after having crossed Golo on an arranged link.
The path is then put finally to go up while skirting the small ravine of Golo, and towards 6:30, we emerge in a small valley much broader in the plan of the cross, close to a superb natural swimming pool of which we will be able to benefit the return. The light will make it possible soon to take the first photographs, and we start to see Paglia Orba on the right valley, and on the left Tafonatu.
Always on the GR20, (what simplifies much the excursion, because rare are the other routes marked out well in Corsica), a little before the sheep-fold of Tula, we leave the valley of Golo, by climbing its western side. We cross a first couple of hikers left the refuge of Ciottullu Di I Moro, refuge which we distinctly see with far. Around 1900 meters we reach, a little before the collar of Ghiargiole, the peak which opens a splendid sight to us on the Western coast of Corsica, more particularly the gulf of Oporto, the creeks of Piana, and at the bottom Capo Rosso. Then we go along the peak which goes up gently towards the refuge magnificiently located at the immediate foot of Tafonatu and Paglia Orba. It is a little more than 8 hours of the morning, we are now with the refuge, in form, with a moral good, but a certain apprehension for the continuation. We benefit from the stop to fill our gourds, but we are surprised to see only 3 or 4 people, whereas we thought of finding many people… Are they all already at the top of Paglia Orba or are still lying? Nobody either on the many km of visible paths starting from the refuge… It is true that the end of the holidays is close, but all the same… the refuges of the GR20 are in general crammed… In any case it is from here that one can reach in two hours approximately Paglia Orba, and besides also in an hour with the hole of Tafonatu. And to say that many followers of the GR20 are satisfied to spend the night to the refuge… What a damage!
Paglia Orba, the node
On the basis of the refuge, we leave the GR20, to approach the collar of the Moors. The path is very still well marked. They are the colors of the stones, the rocks, the walls, often informed by a still low sun on the horizon which impress us more: the qualifiers red-dark, crimson are undoubtedly appropriate best, with infinite variations of hues. Expatriation is total.
It is necessary less than 30 minutes to reach this coll According to the topo-guides, the route of Paglia Orba starts a little front, but there seem to be several possible traces, which to choose? For better “dominating” the situation, David and me let us climb the collar, the others preferring to wait. It was a bad idea… once with the collar, with a few tens of meters on the other pouring, here are 3 moufflons (the mother and two small) hardly savage: they look at us a few moments, then end up fleeing. Obviously, the camera had remained low… It will be necessary to now undertake the rise of the pillar leading to the Western node. The departure is not obvious: there are cairns a little everywhere, which is not to displease to the children: useless to say that we will have evil to keep them with range of sight, because for them
that becomes a play of track. In fact, it is them which make all grubbing, and after good fifteen minutes we find ourselves all in front of the first not very obvious option, with two traces which seem to diverge definitively. We choose the cairns of left rather (on a small projection of two meters easy to climb followed by a “tunnel” of ten meters length) than the cairns of right-hand side which are likely to carry out towards another route which, would require equipment to him according to the topo-guides. It is at this time that we see two people, Magalie and Emile, right amount towards us (by another route…) : one will wait a few moments, they must know them… Magalie remains with us while Emile explores a little the other route… while returning it confirms that it is to better engage on the left. The situation makes it possible to make knowledge and we will remain in fact together until the return to the refuge. It is inhabitants about Bastia, and it was their car, which we had seen on the carpark this morning… They spent the night to the refuge… Emile has great experience of the Corsican mountain, but it was never assembled in Paglia Orba. We here thus seven for the conquest of the node and all presents ourselves for best. The children are not impressed for as much, and they is always them, much faster which continue to open the way to us. We find them at the top of the passage which will technically prove to be most difficult: a vertical wall of 3 meters having good supports, driving in a quite sloping furrow of a score of meters reaching itself a small platform with a new wall a little less higher.
This passage is however dangerous (no fall higher than 3 meters is not possible), but a cord can be reassuring. It will be learned thereafter that a permanent cord would have been withdrawn there some time ago (to dissuade the tourists?) The Emile time and me let us fear to have left the normal way, but it was not the case. It is now that we have the most spectacular sight on Tafonatu, and its famous hole of about thirty meters broad.
After the photo meeting, we cross a group of a dozen charmed people all, accompanied by a guide, which go down again of the node. By asking whether there are not other difficulties, one answers us “not, not really”, with a small smile narquois… In fact, a few minutes later, little before the Western node, an impressive passage awaits us: it is necessary to climb a small wall to borrow one transfers of less than one meter broad which begins on the north-western wall of Paglia Orba… Vertical face of some 500 meters in height… Really no technical difficulty or risks (the mountaineers knowing this passage well will laugh by reading these lines)… but even without being prone to the giddiness, one feels better with four legs… and it is even more impressive when one looks at this transfers of his starting point, because it is not seen how to escape from it… besides for once, it is Emile, and not the children who opens the way fortunately… that Emile and Magalie are there, because if not it would have taken an unquestionable time to convince Sophie to let the children engage on transfers… With the return, we crossed ici-même a group of hikers giving up… They can thank Emile who convinced them to reach this impressive stage.
We arrive at the Western node at 2420 meters, and the continuation is now very easy: besides the children obtain the authorization more to await us. It is however necessary to start by going down again in small a combe, the combe of the goats, on a not very pleasant ground (small blocks of rocks to be circumvented or climb), then after this combe, finally a true path on a plate of a hundred meters broad going up gently towards the principal node which culminates with 2525 meters. The relative softness of this plate strongly contrasts with the quasi vertical walls which defend the access of them.
The children reach the node towards 10:45, us others ten minutes later. Some tiny cumuli start to be formed around 3000 meters (glide them will include/understand the digression…). We will remain one early hour there certainly to satisfy us, but before very benefitting from the exceptional panorama: the horizon is masked only towards the North-East by very close Monte Cinto, higher of 180 meters; towards north, circus of loneliness, famous passage of the GR20 surrounded by Peak Cubic von and Punta Minuta (you will find these places on this diagram appearing in another chapter); towards the south, on the watershed Capu di Guagnerola, Punta has Cricce then a little towards the Capu line has Cuccula; much further in this direction, we recognize other nodes: Assemble Rotondo, Monte of Oro and even Monte Incudine… And which view from above on almost all the west coast, splendid… very close, the Creeks of Piana prolonged by Capo Rosso, and holds it of Scandola… With our feet, chasms of several hundred meters in all the directions, except for that by which we arrived; it is here that are born the three superb valleys from Golo, Viro and Laoscella. It is perhaps the ideal moment to quote this extract of Corsica guide the “, 261 routes of excursions” of M.Fabrikant and F. Denarié with the editions Didier Richard, which enabled us to prepare almost all our stroll.
Paglia Orba is incontestably the most beautiful mountain of the island. All the mountaineers are of agreement on this point. Van Cube calls it the queen of the Corsican mountains.
The path of the return
About midday, the cumuli start to occupy most of the sky, and the hour of the return sounded for us; even if we were alone at the top during all our halt, on the path of the return between the node and the refuge, we crossed several people (without forgetting the group wedged before transfers). We find ourselves soon vis-a-vis Tafonatu with new lightings. The small apprehension for désescalader a little delicate passages appears exaggerated, even if it is necessary to count several minutes to cross them all the seven, by crossing those which go up (those which do a little mountain know well that one always crosses people where one has evil to cross…) By places, the advance during the descent is not obvious, and we lose even a few minutes to find an obligatory point of passage: this one proves to be the key point of the small labyrinth which constitutes this part of strolls, there even where we had met Emile and Magalie. Of return towards the collar of the Moors, Emile and Magalie suggest us making a turn with the hole of Tafonatu; They were assembled there the day before while arriving at the refuge, and explain us that since one is there, one would be wrong to deprive… it of it is not very long (a good hour return ticket). We decide however, taking into account the length of the path return, to remain reasonable and to reserve this small rise for a future occasion. David is sulky a little, but so much worse. With the refuge, after having filled our gourds, we leave Emile and Magalie by cordially thanking them for their assistance, then we take again the GR20. It is completely possible to go down in bottom from valley as of the refuge, but we prefer to remain on the peaks to be able to still admire the west coast, the creeks of Piana, Capo Rosso,…
It well will be necessary to be solved to go down again in bottom of valley, more especially as other rejoicings await us there: we had already located several basins if we would return at one hour reasonable, which is the case.
We thus installed here for a small pause bathe, always very pleasant after a good effort, the temperature of water is fresh, but reasonable, and we are not the only ones to benefit from it the more so as the basins are accessible in less than two hours of functioning starting from the carpark of the horseshoe. It is an good idea of strolls easy (beaconing GR20), it is however necessary to think of advancing a little in the higher valley of Golo, in order to be able to benefit from the sight on Paglia Orba and Tafonatu, and to find not a basin “occupied”. For the last stage, we will again have right to the charm of the thorn-bushes then leafy trees, an environment in strong contrast with the mineral landscape which we could admire during all this day. We arrive at the horseshoe, it is 17 hours, two hours of road still await us. The images of our more beautiful excursion in Corsica follow one another in our spirits while ravel in front of our eyes of other landscapes which do not hold even any more our attention, whereas we would have found them sublimes in other moments.
Before this August 27, 2003, the topic “Which was our the more beautiful strolls? ” made object of debates, quite pleasant moreover; but to tell the truth, we had never been able to put agreement to us all the five. For this day there, Paglia Orba has achieved total unanimity…
Large a thank you with Georges for his participation.
I invite you to discover many other adventures on Paglia orba.
Greeting 
Hirings Corsican
For six consecutive years, we have spent our holidays to Corsica, country adapted well to a little sporting holidays, combining strolls in mountain or river, board with veil, etc, but as rest, bathe at sea or in river, places incomparably less attended as on the continent.
It is on August 27 of the year 2003 which we reached, as of the first attempt (what was not always the case…), the node Paglia Orba, famous among all the nodes for its extraordinary beauty. One gave me two versions for the significance in Corsica of “Paglia Orba”: , It I like well “Digital Purple” and “inclined Plan”, it is less poetic.
part of strolls: this one was necessary because we envisaged to leave before the paddle: it is preferable to be at an already high altitude before estival strong heats, and to reach the node before the appearance of a too strong frequent cloud cover as of the end of morning. The temperature appeared ideal besides during all the rise: 15° at the beginning, and apparently very few variations until the arrival at the top; as for the clouds, they were quite present as of midday, without however hanging the summits.
The path is then put finally to go up while skirting the small ravine of Golo, and towards 6:30, we emerge in a small valley much broader in the plan of the cross, close to a superb natural swimming pool of which we will be able to benefit the return. The light will make it possible soon to take the first photographs, and we start to see Paglia Orba on the right valley, and on the left Tafonatu.
On the basis of the refuge, we leave the GR20, to approach the collar of the Moors. The path is very still well marked. They are the colors of the stones, the rocks, the walls, often informed by a still low sun on the horizon which impress us more: the qualifiers red-dark, crimson are undoubtedly appropriate best, with infinite variations of hues. Expatriation is total. 
that becomes a play of track. In fact, it is them which make all grubbing, and after good fifteen minutes we find ourselves all in front of the first not very obvious option, with two traces which seem to diverge definitively.
This passage is however dangerous (no fall higher than 3 meters is not possible), but a cord can be reassuring. It will be learned thereafter that a permanent cord would have been withdrawn there some time ago (to dissuade the tourists?) The Emile time and me let us fear to have left the normal way, but it was not the case. It is now that we have the most spectacular sight on Tafonatu, and its famous hole of about thirty meters broad.
We arrive at the Western node at 2420 meters, and the continuation is now very easy: besides the children obtain the authorization more to await us. It is however necessary to start by going down again in small a combe, the combe of the goats, on a not very pleasant ground (small blocks of rocks to be circumvented or climb), then after this combe, finally a true path on a plate of a hundred meters broad going up gently towards the principal node which culminates with 2525 meters. The relative softness of this plate strongly contrasts with the quasi vertical walls which defend the access of them.
About midday, the cumuli start to occupy most of the sky, and the hour of the return sounded for us; even if we were alone at the top during all our halt, on the path of the return between the node and the refuge, we crossed several people (without forgetting the group wedged before transfers). We find ourselves soon vis-a-vis Tafonatu with new lightings. The small apprehension for désescalader a little delicate passages appears exaggerated, even if it is necessary to count several minutes to cross them all the seven, by crossing those which go up (those which do a little mountain know well that one always crosses people where one has evil to cross…)
We thus installed here for a small pause bathe, always very pleasant after a good effort, the temperature of water is fresh, but reasonable, and we are not the only ones to benefit from it the more so as the basins are accessible in less than two hours of functioning starting from the carpark of the horseshoe. It is an good idea of strolls easy (beaconing GR20), it is however necessary to think of advancing a little in the higher valley of Golo, in order to be able to benefit from the sight on Paglia Orba and Tafonatu, and to find not a basin “occupied”.
