The Pozzi are water-soaked grassy depressions at 1,800 m altitude, forming an atypical alpine plateau in Corsica. The sight is striking: a granite cirque framing a green meadow scattered with small translucent lakes, at the foot of Monte Renoso. It is one of the most photogenic hikes in southern Corsica, and one of the most technically accessible.
Key facts
| Criterion | Detail |
|---|---|
| Start | Val d'Ese car park (45 min by car from Le Relais U Machjonu) |
| Distance | 8 km round trip |
| Elevation | +500 m |
| Duration | 4h round trip |
| Level | Moderate |
| Best season | May to October (June-July for peak greenery) |
| Water on the route | Springs on the plateau (must be filtered) |
The route step by step
From the Val d'Ese car park (access from Bastelica via the forest road), the trail starts in the laricio pine forest. Allow 30 minutes of steady climb through the pines, then an opening onto the high-altitude pastures. The slope eases and the granite cirque appears in the distance. The trail then crosses damp meadows — this is where you reach the first Pozzi (the "wells" in Corsican).
Once on the plateau, take the time to walk past several Pozzi. The water is translucent and the flowers spectacular in June (wild orchids, asphodels, mountain anemones). Picnic by the water, then return on the same trail. Allow 4 hours round trip with a comfortable lunch break.
Specific gear
- Hiking shoes with ankle support (the trail is rocky in places).
- At least 1.5 L of water (springs are present but must absolutely be filtered).
- A fleece or windbreaker (wind is frequent at 1,800 m).
- Factor 50 sunscreen (radiation at 1,800 m is intense).
- A generous picnic and snacks (allow 5-6 hours on site).
Why sleep at Le Relais U Machjonu before this hike?
To save 30-45 minutes of driving in the morning and set off rested. Le Relais U Machjonu, our small inn facing the lake of Tolla, is 45 minutes from the car park, against 1h15 from Ajaccio. You dine on the terrace, you go to bed early, you leave at dawn. On the way back, nothing beats a swim in the lake of Tolla to ease your legs after 4 hours of walking.
