There are many mini walks in the magnificent CALANCHES DE PIANA, this one is relatively accessible and takes just a short time to complete.
The calanches at your feet, what more could you ask for !
To start the walk, park your car at the Stade de Piana, on the right heading North on the D81, on the road out of PIANA, just before the road narrows into the CALANCHES DE PIANA.
3.25km / 1h15 / +/-125m .
Food supplies: PIANA / PORTO Please Note: Take plenty of water with you.
- Stade de Piana (to Ste Marie Oratoire ) 0h45 / 1.75km
From the parking area, walk towards the small football pitch. Cross the football pitch (stade) diagonally and cross the small wooden bridge. Turn left along the YELLOW waymarked path signposted LES ROCHES BLEUES, ROCHER DU LION, RUINES DE DISPENSA, ANCIEN CHEMIN de PIANA à OTA.
After about 15 minutes, you reach a large cairn. Continue straight across, ignoring the path uphill to your right. You are walking towards the sea in a ans in a couple of minutes you are on an age old cobbled balcony path supported by stone walling. The view opens out at the top, follow the path as it winds its way through the rocks, with the odd splash of yellow waymarks.
You will have a view down on the area known as LES CALANQUE an incredible site of granite needles, tortured shapes and rock sculpted formations. The drops gently initially and is relatively easy to follow, after a tree, the path rises, then zig zags steeply downhill to the road. There is a small statue of the virgin nestling in the road side, the STE MARIA ORATOIRE.
- Ste Marie Oratoire (to Stade de Piana) 0h30 / 1.25km
From the Oratoire, turn left, heading back towards PIANA, care needs to be taken especially in the busy summer season on the road. After 25minutes you leave the CALANCHE and turn left onto the track at the Stade de Piana.
Please note, if you are staying in PIANA. You can walk to the STADE DE PIANA off road. Make your way to the heart of PIANA village on the D81, opposite the church square, there is a bar/ restaurant (on the mountain side of the main road). A small lane leads alongside the restaurant and behind the village building Trésor Public. You bear around to the left, the lane will become a path and you will shortly pass beside a gite d’étape called Giargalo. Follow the trail to the Reservoir (Rvoir).
Turn left, follow the track for a couple of hundred metres, at the intersection turn right. You arrive at a parking / picnic area.
Walks in Corsica 