Bavella - Velaco - Promontoire - Bavella loop

This loop allows you to visit the various remarkable points of the southern Bavella massif (Velacu massif), including Punta Velacu, the Promontory, the Campanile de Sainte-Lucie, the tafonu di u Cumpuleddu (incorrectly called "trou de la bombe" or "bomb hole"), the belvedere and the chapel, through the forest and rocky peaks. Magnificent views of the ravines of Punta Velacu and Calanca Murata, all with less than 500 m of elevation gain.

Details

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 7.81 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 40 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 497 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 502 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,481 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,210 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ District: Quenza (20122)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 41.795671° / E 9.224389°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 4253ET, 4253ETR
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

Cars can be left at the paid car park at the Col de Bavella: £2.50 per hour. It's expensive, but it helps to maintain the site. Please note that this car park fills up quickly and parking on the road is prohibited. There are only a few spaces around the inns, but they are difficult to find. So remember to arrive early (during the season)!

(S/E) The route starts by taking the red trail that climbs straight south until you reach a plateau. Pass an antenna.

(1) Continue straight ahead, keeping south, and do the same at the next intersection. Follow the path that slopes to the left and leads to the main track leading to the tafonu di u Cumpuleddu.

(2) Turn right, then turn right again about 50 metres further on. The path climbs, unmarked and marked with cairns. Follow the trail carefully (keep to the right) to avoid taking the next valley.

(3) Leave the route you will take on the descent on your left and continue to cross a majestic passage under the rock to reach the Bocca di Velacu, which is poorly marked on maps.

(4) Continue for a few dozen metres, then take a steep path on the right that allows you to climb a large rock: you will need to use your hands, but it is not dangerous. Continue to follow the small path along vertiginous but safe walls until you reach the summit of Punta Velacu.

(5) Enjoy the 360° panorama over the far south, all the way to Sardinia. Return by the same route.

(3) Pass to the right through a gap with a tree at its base and descend on the other side. Climb up to the left on a rock and pass a small pine tree, taking care to follow the trail, which is difficult to find. Descend and reach the pass where several paths start.

(6) Go straight ahead and climb the small rocky ridge as far as you can see. On the other side, you will reach a plateau that plunges northwards towards the ravines. Continue straight ahead, heading east, to reach the edge of the plateau, from where you can admire the south face of the Campanile di Santa Lucia. Be careful of the vertiginous precipice and don't hesitate to lie down. Head north again, then climb up to the right to admire the Campanile in all its splendour.

(7) Just ahead, rocks block your progress. On the other side, there are plunging views of the Compuleddu ravines and, just to the left, a window in the rock offers spectacular views of the Aiguilles de Bavella. Turn around and follow the path, which offers superb views of the Tafonu di u Cumpuleddu and its access path with the two rocky bars to cross, as well as the path to the finish, which you will reach at the pass you crossed earlier.

(6) Turn right and descend straight ahead: there are no markings and the path is poorly defined. Then turn left and take a short climb.

(8) Go right to cross the gap and arrive at the foot of the passage to the Tafonu.

(9) Take the opportunity to go to the Trou, with extreme caution, and return. Then return to the classic track and rejoin the fork taken on the way up.

(2) Turn right to go back up the track heading north. Further on, don't forget to head right to go to the Dame Jeanne viewpoint (signpost). Climb up to admire the view over the entire southern chain of the Velacu massif.

(10) Return to the path and continue to the right, always straight ahead. Then make a short detour to the right to go to the chapel.

(11) Retrace your steps, turn right towards the Col de Bavella. Turn left before reaching the road and return to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 1,219 m - Car park at the Bavella Pass
  2. 1 : km 1.03 - alt. 1,282 m - Fork in the path, go straight ahead.
  3. 2 : km 2.65 - alt. 1,263 m - Pass
  4. 3 : km 3.04 - alt. 1,373 m - Start of the return route
  5. 4 : km 3.16 - alt. 1,439 m - Bocca di Velacu
  6. 5 : km 3.34 - alt. 1,481 m - Punta Velacu
  7. 6 : km 3.76 - alt. 1,367 m - Pass
  8. 7 : km 4.07 - alt. 1,398 m - Campanile facing west
  9. 8 : km 4.68 - alt. 1,295 m - Fork
  10. 9 : km 4.76 - alt. 1,302 m - Tafonu di u cumpuleddu
  11. 10 : km 6.28 - alt. 1,303 m - Dame Jeanne
  12. 11 : km 7.36 - alt. 1,215 m - Chapel
  13. S/E : km 7.81 - alt. 1,218 m - Car park at the Bavella Pass

Notes

There is no water source in the car park.

The path is easy and not very tiring, but there are some sections where you need to use your hands and others that run along precipices, making this hike strongly discouraged for children and people who are unsteady on their feet or prone to vertigo. This explains the difficult classification.

The hike takes 4-5 hours, so if you set off between 8am and 9am, you can eat at one of the two inns at the pass on your return, meaning you can set off with a lighter bag.

Don't miss the path to Bocca Velacu: it is not marked, except for a few cairns, and is easy to lose. Don't hesitate to climb as you go, heading south towards the summit, crossing and recrossing the path. Keep to the right: if you go straight ahead, you will reach the other valley that leads to the pass at point (6) and you will then have to go back through the breach and return by the same route.

None of these rocky passages are marked, so follow the trail carefully.

Worth a visit

Throughout the route, there are magnificent views of the Aiguilles de Bavella and, as you climb, of the Incudine mountain range.

In the rocky areas, there are beautiful views down into the ravines and, on the southern side of the massif, the Bocca Fumicosa and Punta Samulaghja.
Outside the summer season, you may encounter mouflons or deer.

There is an extraordinary view of the Tafonu and its access path, and of the Campanile, which few people know about. As a result, this part (unlike the family hike to the Tafonu) is very quiet, especially if you do this loop via the little-known breach.

Don't hesitate to climb up to the Tafonu: be careful, a woman leaned too far and fell into the ravine in April 2024.

Enjoy these wild, desert-like rocky areas and the forest.

Reviews and comments

4.2 / 5
Based on 7 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.1 / 5
Ease of following the route
3.6 / 5
Route interest
5 / 5
acgmkg
acgmkg
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 21, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A beautiful hike in a stunning setting. The route is fairly easy to follow, even though there are lots of tracks due to the popularity of the area. The only slight hiccup on our part was starting too low after point 3, having missed the exit on the left. Thankfully, the app helped us locate ourselves and correct this mistake.
However, you do need to get your hands dirty between points 4 and 5 and also between points 3 and 6 (especially if you go too low!).
Otherwise, the landscapes are magnificent, with breathtaking views such as at point 7. I marked this as a very busy route because I found that we encountered quite a few people... perhaps I'm just used to the wilder parts of Savoie where I live!

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bonachera jean francois
bonachera jean francois

thank you... glad that suits you

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Dox
Dox

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

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

A very beautiful hike completed in September 2025. We really enjoyed the route, the views are magnificent, exceptional!
I recommend arriving early in the morning as there is parking available 400 metres before the pay car park, but there are few spaces.
There weren't too many walkers on the difficult kilometres, but there were many more on the return trail.
The hike is very pleasant, a little physically demanding at times but reasonable, and it is sometimes necessary to use your hands for support.
Thanks again for the route.
Long live Visorando!

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User 27015779

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 01, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

great hike!

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Michel20
Michel20

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Dec 09, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Thanks to the GPS track, especially when leaving the "main" trail before tackling the final climb (there are a few cairns, but you have to see them...).

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Scot69
Scot69
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 07, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

One of the most beautiful hikes we have done in southern Corsica. The difficult level is well deserved and, at 55 years old, we had to use our hands several times... we no longer jump like goats

The use of a GPS is highly recommended as it is easy to lose your way in several places... in fact, as we weren't constantly staring at our phones, we strayed a few times and had to use them to find our way back.

Being prone to vertigo, the most difficult part for me was the passage between points 3 and 6, especially the sloping slab... too close to the precipice for my liking ...a good opportunity to work on controlling your emotions...

But these few tricky sections are more than compensated for by the breathtaking views.
What's more, even though the area around Bavella is quite busy, this route in particular isn't very popular, so you don't come across many people.

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Loulou33
Loulou33

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 30, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Superb hike with beautiful views... access to the cross at point 5 is dangerous.
It took us 3½ hours, stopping to eat at point 4.
You need to follow the GPS tracks using the app, as the path is not always well marked, especially after point 3.

Hike to be done in good weather.

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cococrampe
cococrampe
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 30, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

The route passes through some very busy areas, but mostly stays off the beaten track. There are some magnificent views, often difficult to access. This is a challenging hike that requires good physical condition and, above all, a head for heights. Personally, as I am prone to vertigo, I missed two viewpoints that I didn't feel able to reach. The sections marked "safe" are not safe, as one false step could result in a fatal fall. It is up to each individual to assess the situation based on their own feelings and abilities. However, only access to certain viewpoints is dangerous. Vertigo is not an obstacle to completing the entire loop, which is therefore feasible for everyone.
Even though the description is accurate, I got lost several times because some of the paths are difficult to see. Fortunately, my smartphone got me back on track. For those who do not have GPS, the description should be more detailed, paying particular attention to junctions and places where the trail is not visible.
My conclusion: a very beautiful hike that is well worth the effort. Avoid in rainy weather due to the risk of slipping.

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