Cima di Sant Angelo from Pigna

A lovely little walk along the trails of Balagne with beautiful views. Between Pigna and San Antoninu.
Pleasant in early autumn. No particular difficulty except for the slightly steep climb between the convent and Mont Sant Angelo.

Details

1537433
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 6.67 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 05 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 419 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 408 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 553 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 210 m

Photos

Description of the walk

The trail is mostly marked in yellow and blue.
Park before entering the village of Pigna or in the pay car park in the village.

(S/E) Head towards the centre of the village, then turn right onto a wide dirt track. Pass a small chapel on the left and continue straight ahead.

(1) Cross the D151 at the Church of Notre-Dame de Latio and take the path that continues slightly to the left opposite.

(2) At the Saint-Dominique convent, turn right and then a little further on, turn left. The slope becomes steeper.

(3) When you reach the track, take it on the left (do not take the path back on the left). This short stretch of track offers a beautiful view of Santa Reparata and Île Rousse.

(4) Look out for the small path that branches off to the left, requiring you to climb over two large rocks to get over the fence. From there, the path is no longer marked. Follow the cairns. The map or app is a great help.

(5) At the fork, turn right and continue to Cima di Sant Angelo.

(6) At the summit, take the time to admire the 360° view of the surrounding villages, mountains and sea. Magnificent! Turn back.

(5) There is no need to return to the track, but turn right to cut across the fields via a clearly visible path!

(3) Follow the trail on the right and continue straight ahead to the village of San Antoninu.

(7) In the village, go down the road on the right for about a hundred metres, then take the path that branches off to the right. At the house, follow the yellow and blue markings on the left, which will take you back down to the starting point (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 224 m - Pigna car park
  2. 1 : km 0.9 - alt. 264 m - Crossing the D151
  3. 2 : km 1.1 - alt. 300 m - Saint Dominic's Convent
  4. 3 : km 1.66 - alt. 420 m - Junction with the track
  5. 4 : km 2.11 - alt. 396 m - Path on the left
  6. 5 : km 2.26 - alt. 414 m - Junction
  7. 6 : km 2.72 - alt. 553 m - Cima di Sant Angelo
  8. 7 : km 5.42 - alt. 450 m - Village of San Antoninu
  9. S/E : km 6.67 - alt. 228 m - Pigna car park

Notes

You can eat or have a drink in the village of San Antoninu.

Worth a visit

The village of Pigna, the convent of Corbara, the village of San Antoninu.

And the whole of Balagne!!!

Reviews and comments

4.6 / 5
Based on 23 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.4 / 5
Route interest
4.7 / 5
dlc13
dlc13

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 03, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike, both for the richness of the views and for the villages you pass through (Pigna and Sant'Antonino).

It should be noted, however, that the climb from Pigna to the Mont Sant'Anghulu plateau, via the Corbara convent, is quite demanding, even if it is relatively short in the end.

Furthermore, as several people have already mentioned, the descent from Sant'Antonino to Pigna requires great caution. Done in November, in the late afternoon, it proved to be technical and slippery, with the humidity further accentuating the difficulty.

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Frederico
Frederico

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 29, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A beautiful, varied hike. Follow the yellow and blue markings at the start. At point 4, the path on the left leads to an old sheepfold. The climb to the summit (points 5 to 6) is marked with small green arrows. There is a superb view at the summit. Take care on the descent. A visit to Sant'Antonino is a must

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acgmkg
acgmkg

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 : Yes

A fairly easy hike with a slightly more challenging climb to the summit. The app helps you find your way to the top. The return to Pigna is quite steep in places but does not present any particular difficulty.

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Moune57
Moune57

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 25, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike with magnificent views from the summit. The village of San Antonino is a must-see. With good footwear and caution on the descent, I encountered no difficulties. We did this hike last June, setting off early in the morning.

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Dom Peaceoui
Dom Peaceoui

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 01, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

(5): The narrow path leading to Cima del Sant Angelo (6) is quite difficult and slippery, so we decided to turn back for safety reasons.
The descent (7) back from the village of Sant'Antonino to Pigna is also quite slippery, so be careful not to slip
Stop at the biscuit shop "Au petit biscuit" for a drink. The welcome is very friendly, and the shaded terrace offers a magnificent view!

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RV33
RV33

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 02, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The view from the summit is indeed very beautiful and easily accessible. A visit to Sant'Antonino reveals pretty flower-filled streets with a viewing point at the top of the village.

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Géraldinefd
Géraldinefd

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 31, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike with an extraordinary view from the summit. This beautiful viewpoint is well worth the effort, as the last 400 metres are quite challenging. Otherwise, the entire trail is well marked and the walk is pleasant. Plan to leave early in the summer as it gets hot quickly.
Thank you for sharing this magnificent route.

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ppdd
ppdd

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 27, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A pleasant short hike with a slight incline, undertaken in ideal grey weather on 23 June
The only downside was the descent back to the starting point, which was very rough.
I would have preferred to do the circuit in the opposite direction

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mario robert
mario robert

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 25, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike, culminating in the 360-degree view from the summit. 👌👍👏

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danielaime06
danielaime06

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

By setting off early in the morning to avoid the heat, we were able to enjoy a beautiful 360° view from the summit! You can see the whole of Balagne between the sea and the mountains perfectly. But you have to work for it, as the last 400 metres are quite challenging (depending on your climbing ability, of course).
Like others, I note that the descent between Sant'Antonino and Pigna is not the most pleasant for your ankles, but it's not dangerous...
Thank you for sharing this route!

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Mamilalo
Mamilalo

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Nov 14, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hike with beautiful views. It was very windy, so I stopped 30 metres before the summit. But otherwise, everything was well signposted, and I enjoyed the hike.

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le
le

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

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

two comments: there is some confusion from the outset, as it says "head towards the centre of the village", but this only applies if you park before entering the village, because if you choose the pay car park, the dirt track is just before the car park entrance.
furthermore, the difficulty level given (medium) does not really reflect reality. I would say "difficult" is more appropriate, as there are many long, arduous sections, culminating in the ascent and descent of Cima di Sant Angelo.
But it's definitely worth the effort. A hike not to be missed

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AlfW
AlfW

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 03, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We really wanted to take the time to enjoy the villages of Balagne and their views on foot, and this hike seemed like the best way to do that while visiting the region for the rest of the day.
The trail itself was not too busy in early May, but that only applies to the trails between the villages, of course. In Pigna and Sant'Antonino itself, it was already crowded – I suppose these tourist hotspots are always busy from the beginning of spring.

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Fredcorse
Fredcorse

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jan 16, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

very attractive hike. A few steps at the end where you need to use your hands, but the view is worth it. The return from San Antonino to Pigna is steep and fast with lots of loose gravel. Be careful! Very beautiful hike with views of the sea, the Santa Reparata valley and Lake Codole. Superb

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cazzola
cazzola

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 26, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A beautiful hike lasting over two hours, with the promise of exceptional views of Ile Rousse, Algajola, Calvi, and all the surrounding villages. The hike is not very difficult and can be enjoyed by everyone. Bring at least 1.5 litres of water per person if you decide to set off in 33°C heat, as we did. As indicated in the description, everything is well marked until the foot of the climb, after which you have to find your own way using the cairns scattered throughout the scrubland, all the way to the summit.
Follow the signs on the way back and do not go "off-piste" to reach the beautiful village of San Antonino, where a lemon juice break is a must.

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