Evisa to Col de Vergio

This is a good section of the Mare a Mare Nord (MMN), which we feel deserves its own page. It climbs through fine and very varied forest from pleasant Evisa, the "pearl of the mountains", to the Col de Vergio on the high watershed ridge some 600m higher. 

Evisa is perched above the deep Tavulella river valley, which itself debouchs through a tremendous gorge back into the Spelunca Gorge, the lower version of the Aitone valley we will be walking in today.

The route begins by climbing gently on an atmospheric, winding, walled track through interesting old farmland, much of it old chestnut groves now sadly afflicted with beetles and canker which also serves as grazing.

It joins a track high above the deep and dramatic gorge of the d'Aitone river towards a famous river bathing pool, then crosses the river on a little suspension bridge to start a rough and steep climb to a ridgetop with good views up the valley. It then drops towards the river and parallels it delightfully for a few 100m, then turns uphill for another shortish but tough climb. It then winds through attractive forest before making another climb to the disappointing Pont de Casterica (no Genoese bridge here), although it has very pretty pools below it.

From here it is a pleasing half hour up a track, then a steady climb up a very pretty forest path, which doubles as shallow stream bed for quite a bit of the way, until you emerge quite suddenly above the tree line. Thence in 10 minutes to the col, and thrilling views a road to the new and beautiful wide Niolu valley to the west. 

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 This route can of course be walked the other way, which Walkopedia did (see our account), as part of our cross-Corsica walk.

From the high Col de Vergio, you traverse briefly on a beautiful meadow, then drop below the tree line into the magnificent Aitone forest, for a long and at times rough descent to a track which traverses you for a pleasing half hour to the Pont de Casterica.

(Walkopedia then made a side walk, which we highly recommend: we took the track due west, which climbs steadily across a steep hillside, with tremendous views, to the Bocca a u Saltu pass, out on harsh granite highlands sprinkled with hard-struggling pines, a rather remarkable area.  See more info at William Mackesy’s account. 1.5hr upward.)

Back to the MMN, you drop quite steeply, then wind through attractive forest before making another shortish but steep descent to the river, then turns uphill for another climb to a ridgetop with good views up the valley. A rough and steep descent gets to a little suspension bridge across the river, from which you climb (passing the trail down to the famous bathing pool) to join a track high above the now deep and dramatic gorge of the d'Aitone river.

You soon drop onto an atmospheric, winding, walled track which descends through overrun groves to a stream, then wind through interesting old farmland, much of it old chestnut groves now sadly afflicted with beetles and canker which also serves as grazing, to the edge of Evisa.

See more info at William Mackesy’s account

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

Given that this route is on the MMN, there are taxi services available if you want to get back to your start.

SEE OUR CORSICA PAGE FOR DETAILED GENERAL AND PRACTICAL INFORMATION.