Waterfalls, lakes and forests: an excursion to Restonica gorges

Imagine an about 15 kilometers long valley, carved by the slow flow of a river: pine forests that reach the river bed, deep valleys, mountains, waterfalls, small villages just waiting to be explored. These are the gorges of Restonica, in Corsica.

The gorges are recommended for…

You have just read the description of the place. And the image above is worth a thousand words. The gorges of Restonica are recommended for hikers. It is a trail in the nature through the bed of the river, lush forests, sudden and spectacular waterfalls, natural pools carved into the granite where you can swim.

And then, there are the two most beautiful places of Restonica gorges:

• Melo Lake, located about ten kilometers from the village of Corte
• Capitello Lake, also located about ten kilometers from the village of Corte: it’s the deepest lake in Corsica

Hot to visit Restonica gorges

To visit the gorges of Restonica, there are several ways:

• There is an about 14 kilometers long road along the whole river. The road is very narrow and quite winding: it is not recommended by car but cyclists and bikers will surely love it.
• Several excursions, especially during summer, start from the town of Corte.
• You may also decide to discover the Restonica river on your own but, in this case, you have to be an experienced hikers (and you must always be prudent)

How to get there

As already said, gorges of Restonica are reachable from the village of Corte, in the central part of Corsica. The main road that arrives there is the N193, which connects Ajaccio to Bastia:

• From Ajaccio, it takes about an hour and a half by car
• From Bastia, it takes about an hour and twenty by car

Image source: Flickr.com/photos/hilberer