Luviu sheepfolds and Monte Calva from the Illarata pass

de fr

In Alta Rocca, in the Ospédale forest, a beautiful hike leads first along a shaded path to the Luviu sheepfolds in a beautiful clearing. From Monte Calva, after a short climb, there is a magnificent view of both sides of the island, to the south and the bay of Porto-Vecchio. At the Col d'Illarata (start and finish), to the west, the beautiful summit of the Pointe du Diamant (1,227 m) is clearly visible.

Details

n°538719
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 10.70 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 35 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 534 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 529 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,378 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 990 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ District: Zonza (20124|20144)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 41.705304° / E 9.211272°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 4254ET
  • Hour-by-hour weather
    Discover Visorando Premium
Downloads
Open in the mobile app
Download GPX GPX
Download PDF PDF

Photos

On the climb to Monté Calva
Bergeries de Luviu
Monte Calva

Description of the walk

Park at the Illarata pass (Bocca on the map).

(S/E) The hike starts on the east side of the RD368 (on the right coming from Porto-Vecchio and on the left coming from Zonza). Take the forest track opposite and you will soon reach a crossroads where a discreet trail branches off to the left.

(1) Stay on the main track, ignoring the small paths that join it, and continue climbing on this wide trail. You will reach a crossroads with a trail in a hairpin bend.

(2) Keep right on the main track to reach a crossroads below the Calva pass.

(3) Continue right to reach the Luviu sheepfolds via the track.

(4) At the sheepfolds, a beautiful clearing in the middle of the pine trees is a great place to take a break. Light refreshments (u spuntinu) are available on site from the shepherd (main chalet). The return journey from the sheepfolds to Monte Calva follows the same path as on the way up.

(3) At the end of a large bend to the left (Col de Calva), take a discreet track marked by a cairn and begin the climb, which rises rapidly in short switchbacks towards Monte Calva. Follow the GPS track carefully, as the cairns are irregular and the path is sometimes damaged by wild boars. At the summit of Monte Calva (1381m), there is a 360° panoramic view of both sides of the island and the southern part.

(5) Continue down the gentle south-facing slope. You will reach a granite platform (antennae) offering magnificent views of the Porto-Vecchio region and its bays.

(6) Begin the descent on the western side of the rocky outcrop (cairns). Follow the GPS track carefully during the descent as the cairns are sometimes far apart or difficult to see in the scrub. You will come out at the Y-junction with the main track you took on the way up.

(2) Turn right and follow the wide path down to the car park at Col de IIlarata (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 990 m - Col ou Bocca d'Illarata (990m)
  2. 1 : km 0.59 - alt. 1,036 m - Stay on the main track for the entire ascent.
  3. 2 : km 2.67 - alt. 1,230 m - Y-junction
  4. 3 : km 3.72 - alt. 1,209 m - Crossroads below the Col de Calva
  5. 4 : km 5.04 - alt. 1,182 m - Luviu sheepfolds
  6. 5 : km 7.14 - alt. 1,378 m - Beautiful panoramic view - Monte Calva (1381m)
  7. 6 : km 7.42 - alt. 1,377 m - Platform at 1377 metres: beautiful panoramic view
  8. S/E : km 10.7 - alt. 990 m - Arrival at the Col d'Illarata car park

Notes

To reach the Col de l'Illarata, take the RD368 from Porto-Vecchio or Zonza. The pass is signposted. Parking is available at the pass.

Bring plenty of water.

Walking sticks are recommended.

GPS recommended for Monte Calva and the descent back to the main trail (irregular cairns).

(4) Light refreshments are available on site and cheese and charcuterie are sold at the Luviu sheepfolds.

Worth a visit

(4) Luviu sheepfolds: beautiful clearing in the pine forest.
(5) Monte Calva: beautiful panoramic view of both sides of the island and towards the south.
(6) Beautiful view of Porto-Vecchio and the south-eastern bays (Pinarello, Santa Giulia, etc.).

Reviews and comments

4.4 / 5
Based on 41 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.4 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.2 / 5
Route interest
4.6 / 5
JP44
JP44

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 18, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike that gradually climbs up to the Luviu sheepfolds where, to our surprise, we found a picnic area with a refreshment bar and snacks in the middle of nowhere, run by a charming lady who loves to talk about the area

Machine-translated

Charleti
Charleti

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 16, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We followed the route clockwise. We would prefer to descend directly from the sheepfold.

Machine-translated

Alex2a30
Alex2a30

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 16, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very fine route, with a breathtaking view from the summit.
The fork leading to the second part (downhill to the sheepfold) is marked by small pebbles piled up by cutting the path through the branches.
I recommend this walk

Machine-translated

Fraver
Fraver
• Edited:

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 14, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A magnificent walk with no difficulties! A real pleasure for the eyes.
Do it again!

Machine-translated

Scot69
Scot69

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 14, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk with beautiful scenery.
No particular difficulty... but you have to like stones: the route is covered in them, so watch out for weak ankles!
But the highlight of the walk was the welcome we received at the sheepfold from the now 2 residents: the daughter and her 88-year-old mother.
A great moment of humanity by the fireside, where we were given a place to talk about values such as respect and education. These 2 very nice ladies were overflowing with kindness.
The climb is worth it just for them!

Machine-translated

yvan01
yvan01

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 15, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Very nice walk

Machine-translated

Missyaja
Missyaja

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 24, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Lovely walk in a variety of scenery with magnificent views of the sea. Very warm welcome at the sheepfold.

Machine-translated

Mantachr
Mantachr

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 16, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Parish specific to Brittany, it was a beautiful walk at the end of April with very few people. When we arrived at the sheepfolds, it was just the 2 of us, my wife and I. What a delight! What happiness! Great moment of zenitude. To get to the top of the monte calva you have to follow the cairns as the GPS track is not always reliable. The summit was unfortunately in the clouds and a little rain, but we were able to see a superb panorama between the clouds.

Machine-translated

vauthier
vauthier

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 23, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

This is a very pleasant and easy route for experienced walkers, and in good weather you should be able to see the sea on both the east and west sides. Personally, we only saw the west side (the bay of Propriano).

Machine-translated

hestrike
hestrike

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 04, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A very nice walk, but a few comments.
The route is not really a loop, only a small part of it is a loop, the rest is an out-and-back (see map).
The sheepfold no longer sells cheese, the lady is still there but the place has been transformed into a snack bar with the possibility of buying sandwiches .....
Finally, without a GPS it's very difficult to find your way back to points 5 and 6. A few Cairns give you an idea, but it's relatively imprecise.

Machine-translated

Sof du 31
Sof du 31
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 20, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful, accessible and relatively easy hike
The ascent of Monte Calva is essential if you are to enjoy an extraordinary panoramic view of the entire golf course, the hinterland and the Aiguilles de Bavella, especially in fine weather!
Be sure to follow the cairns, which are not always visible, but it's best to use your GPS.
On the other hand, the terrain throughout the hike is very stony and full of tree roots, so it's best to be very well shod and always watch your step!
Not recommended for people with joint problems!

Machine-translated

Frank G
Frank G

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 24, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

It's an easy walk, with a fairly small difference in altitude except for Monte Calva, and the path is wide. On the ascent to Monte Calva, we didn't find the entrance to the path marked "discrete trace indicated by a cairn". Instead, we climbed via the exit of the same path, which is well signposted. The scenery is quite pretty, with a fine view over the bay of Porto Vecchio.
On the other hand, the big drawback of this hike is the very stony path. You really have to be careful where you step => you don't get to admire the landscape as much.

Machine-translated

Gérard PERRET
Gérard PERRET

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 15, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

It's a very stony route, but the GPX route is precise and invaluable, especially on the Mont Calva loop, where the cairns are sometimes hard to spot.
The Luvio plateau is well worth the diversions, with magnificent views from the two summits.

Machine-translated

Titou27
Titou27

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 22, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★☆☆☆ Disappointing
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A fine walk, but the Monte Calva loop is quite difficult to follow: there are no markers and you have to look out for cairns to find the start from the main trail. There are some tricky sections with lots of unstable rocks and unwelcoming bushes. The return journey is worse because the cairns are even less visible from above. The panorama is worth a look, but it has to be earned. Without walking sticks or high boots, I strongly advise against the climb to monte calva. The track towards the sheepfolds offers a beautiful hike with an almost permanent view over the whole of southern Corsica: saint cyprien, porto vecchio, santa giulia and, when visibility is good, the lavezzi islands and sardinia.
Granny is still there at the bergeries, as welcoming as ever. It's a shame to have allowed 4x4 access via the track, as it spoils the authentic feel of the place.
Bivouacs are possible on site, provided you can stand the nightly barking of the herd dogs - there are at least 15 of them!
To sum up, apart from the route to the sheepfolds, I strongly advise against this hike for beginners or hikers with little equipment.
PS: be careful, it's in the mountains, it's easily 14°C in the middle of an August afternoon at the top, so bring a jumper.

Machine-translated

BIBIjuju
BIBIjuju

Overall rating : 3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 15, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Not a very interesting walk, except for meeting Rose (86 years old) who welcomed us to the sheepfold and explained their daily routine.
We were able to have a cold drink.

The signposting at points 4.5.6 is poor.

Machine-translated

Other walks in the area

Walking The Piscia di Gallu waterfall

Visorando member
La cascade de Piscia di Gallu
↔4.64 km ↗+103 m ↘-101 m ◔1h 35 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from San-Gavino-di-Carbini (Corse-du-Sud)
In French, cascade du pin, this is one of the seven wonders of the Alta Rocca. It's a truly beautiful 70-metre waterfall.

Walking In Alta Rocca, around Zonza and Quenza

Visorando member
Dans l'Alta Rocca, autour de Zonza et de Quenza
↔14.71 km ↗+535 m ↘-540 m ◔5h 45 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Zonza (Corse-du-Sud)
A beautiful walk in the Alta Rocca, following shaded paths cooled by the proximity of numerous streams. You also pass through the village of Quenza, where you can stop for a bite to eat. Best done in mid-season or even in summer when it is very hot. I have been informed (September 2024) that the walk now starts from the restaurant La Ferme A Stadda, just below Zonza, 200 metres below point no. 1.

Walking Fumicosa Pass or Bocca di Fumicosa

Visorando member
Col de Fumicosa ou Bocca di Fumicosa
↔6.92 km ↗+365 m ↘-364 m ◔3h 00 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Zonza (Corse-du-Sud)
This is a hike off the beaten track where you are unlikely to meet many other walkers. The name Fumicosa in the Corsican language evokes a smoky place, a metaphor here for a place where fog is quite common.

Walking The Punta di a Vacca Morta loop

Visorando member
La boucle de la Punta di a Vacca Morta
↔5.68 km ↗+298 m ↘-293 m ◔2h 30 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Porto-Vecchio (Corse-du-Sud)
The 360° views from the summit over the bay of Porto-Vecchio, the Ospedale dam and the Alta Rocca are well worth the final climb, which is short but quite tough. The loop starts near the Cartalavonu lodge, Le Refuge.

Walking The Cavu pools and the Sainte-Lucie stream

Visorando member
Les vasques du Cavu et le ruisseau de Sainte-Lucie
↔8.98 km ↗+257 m ↘-255 m ◔3h 20 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Zonza (Corse-du-Sud)
Walk and swim in the beautiful pools of Cavu.

Walking Sainte-Lucie River and Cavu pools

Visorando member
Rivière de Sainte-Lucie et bassins du Cavu
↔11.48 km ↗+293 m ↘-287 m ◔4h 05 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Zonza (Corse-du-Sud)
This hike starts in the same way as the one described under no. 4375623, from which I have taken the opening paragraphs, but returns via a different route, including a section of water hiking, and ends at the three pools, which avoids the need to go back and forth as on the original route we had chosen.

Walking Cavu Valley - Mandria - Oriu Carbunari

Visorando member
Vallée de Cavu - Mandria - Oriu Carbunari
↔7.11 km ↗+526 m ↘-519 m ◔3h 30 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Zonza (Corse-du-Sud)
A hike through scrubland and undergrowth on a properly marked trail, steep in places. Same starting point as the "La Vallée du Cavu" hike suggested on Visorando, but avoids the entire second part on the track.

Walking The Cavu Valley

Visorando member
La vallée du Cavu
↔10.45 km ↗+436 m ↘-436 m ◔4h 15 ▲Moderate
⚑Departure from Zonza (Corse-du-Sud)
The Cavu Valley is characterised by natural pools and large slabs of bleached granite with rounded shapes along its course. The hike follows the river before climbing through the scrubland along a discreet path leading to a first viewpoint (401m) and then a second (509m), offering panoramic views over the Cavu and the mountainous cirque at the bottom of the valley dominated by Punta de Quercitello (1461m). To the east, Pinarello Bay beckons.

For more walks, use our search engine .

The GPS track and description are the property of this route's author. Please do not copy them without permission.