Gorges de la Restonica

The Restonica valley cuts into the granite mountains above Corte in Haute-Corse, climbing roughly fifteen kilometres from the town toward the glacial lakes of the central Corsican highlands. The Restonica river tumbles through a series of pools, chutes and smooth rock ledges beneath forests of Corsican pine and beech, and the gorge sides rise steeply on both flanks. A single-lane road follows the river upward, with passing places, to the Grotelle bridge area where the car park is the starting point for the main walks. From there, a path climbs to Lac de Melo, a comfortable walk of around one hour, and on to Lac de Capitello, which sits higher in a rockier basin and takes about another hour. These lakes are among the best-known high-mountain sights on the island and are reached through terrain similar to that of the GR20. Lower down, flat granite slabs beside the river let visitors sit or paddle in the current without committing to the lake hikes. The natural pools along the road are popular for swimming in summer, although the water is cold even in August. A visit ranges from two hours for a roadside stop to six hours for the lake circuit. Traffic is the main problem: in July and August the road is congested, parking at the upper car park fills early, and access can be vehicle-controlled, with a toll of about €4.50 per car on the upper section. Starting before 09:00 or after 17:00 avoids the worst of it, and late June and September combine open trails with smaller crowds. Corte, with its train station and citadel, makes a convenient base for the valley.