The Punta di a Vacca Morta loop

de fr

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.

Details

n°1609497
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 5.68 km
  • ◔
    Average duration: 2h 30 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 298 m
  • ↘
    Descent: - 293 m
  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,310 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 1,023 m
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ District: Porto-Vecchio (20137|20144)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 41.645534° / E 9.17575°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 4254ET
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Photos

Near the summit
Return to the path through the woods.
View of the mountains
Ospédale water reservoir

Description of the walk

Park in the car park near the "Le Refuge" lodge in Cartalavonu.

(S/E) Head west on the path (signposted Vacca Morta).
This path climbs gradually to a crossroads with several directions.

(1) Turn left towards Foce Alta. After a short distance, an orange-marked rock on the left indicates the direction to follow.
When you reach the pass, turn right onto the path, dotted with numerous cairns, which climbs steeply to Punta di Vacca Morta.

(2) Descend by the same path to the crossroads you passed earlier.

(1) Take the Mare Mare Sud trail on the left towards Carbini until you reach a new, well-marked crossroads at a spring.

(3) Go down to the right, cross a first and then a second path, follow it to the right before leaving it on the left to reach a car park along the road.

(4) Take this road on the right until you reach the stopover lodge (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : km 0 - alt. 1,023 m - Stopover lodge car park
  2. 1 : km 1.14 - alt. 1,168 m - Vacca Morta / Carbini crossroads
  3. 2 : km 1.81 - alt. 1,309 m - Punta di a Vacca Morta
  4. 3 : km 3.25 - alt. 1,134 m - Leave Mare Mare Sud and turn right
  5. 4 : km 4.74 - alt. 1,057 m - Parking on the Cartalavonu road
  6. S/E : km 5.68 - alt. 1,023 m - Stopover lodge car park

Notes

From Foce Alta, several drovers' roads lead to the summit. Numerous cairns.
Between (3) and (4) There is no water source before the valley.

Worth a visit

(S/E) Large car park and restaurants.
Coming from Porto-Vecchio, stop at the exit of the village of Ospédale to admire the view of Porto-Vecchio Bay.
At the summit of Punta di a Vacca Morta, enjoy a 360° panorama.

Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 45 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.6 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.2 / 5
Route interest
4.8 / 5
Prisca77
Prisca77

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 15, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

We really enjoyed the hike, even though the weather wasn't ideal and we couldn't enjoy the views.

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User 23416080

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 07, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Luckily we had this app because the local signage is very poor or even non-existent in some places...
Otherwise, the walk is well worth it

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Françoise Afflatet
Françoise Afflatet

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 28, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful walk, the view from the highest point is really worth it, but you have to earn it 🤗: there are a few sections with scree and rocks, which aren't particularly difficult, but it's best to wear closed shoes with good grip.
Be sure to check regularly that you are still on the trail indicated by Visorando, otherwise you may end up taking a few detours, as it is easy to get lost in some places!
Enjoy your walk! 😊

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Feufeu
Feufeu

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 08, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful mountain hike with an exceptional 360° view from the summit!
A bit steep at the start and the last part of the climb is quite tough, but the view is definitely worth it.
Bring hiking boots (lots of stones) and walking sticks for those with weak knees (especially on the descent).
the second part of the hike is through a beautiful, shaded forest.

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User 20221581

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 27, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hello,
We did this hike in June. There weren't many people on the trail and the weather was fantastic! It was 36°C in Porto Vecchio and 26°C at the summit of Punta di a Vacca Morta. We had an unforgettable picnic at the top. The 360° view is magnificent!!! The path is very pleasant and beautiful. It's quite steep in places, but it's great fun. The GPS directions are very accurate. The cairns also help you along the way.
Thank you for this hike.

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bmenard
bmenard

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 06, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

It's hard to find the path that climbs steeply to Punta Di Vacca Morta. Easier to follow on the way back. Very pleasant in the forest. Lovely views. Good footwear is essential as there are rocks. Poles are useful for the descent from the Punta.

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Siphnos92
Siphnos92

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 28, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike that is a bit challenging on the climb up Vacca Morta, which is quite steep! There is no view once you reach the top, as clouds obscured the summit, but the descent through the forest is really very pleasant. The trail ends on the road back to the car park. I imagine that in good weather, the view must be sublime, so it's definitely worth doing again

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LesDeuxLoulous
LesDeuxLoulous

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

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

Perhaps because there was a lot of fog, it was like yogurt, no view 😑 nevertheless, a few salamanders along the way. The last kilometre is on asphalt. Perhaps find another route that continues on the forest path to rejoin the first part?
I did this hike with my two dogs, weighing 10 and 20 kg, and didn't encounter any major difficulties

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florent.leopoldes
florent.leopoldes

Overall rating : 5 / 5

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

The section leading to the summit of Vacca Morta is quite busy, but as soon as you reach the rest of the trail, there are very few people. The forest is magnificent; I really enjoyed it.

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VHB
VHB

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 07, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A beautiful walk, but not without difficulty from the start due to the lack of a clearly marked path. The climb to the summit in the middle of the forest cannot be done without following the trail. There are no signs and no real path. The ground can be very slippery after rain.
The return trip is easy.
The view is worth the effort

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Chris Alsace
Chris Alsace

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

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

A very beautiful hike with a superb 360-degree view at the end. Towards the end, it was a little difficult to find the right path, but you have to keep climbing in any case.

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leodechevannes
leodechevannes

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 30, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Thank you, Visiorando!
A must-have!

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Scot69
Scot69

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 13, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A pleasant, easy hike with no particular difficulties.
Remember to bring protection against the wind. Even in good weather, the temperature can be surprisingly low at the top.

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Nathalie M7.
Nathalie M7.

Overall rating : 3.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 06, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★☆☆ Average
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very beautiful hike with magnificent views, and being in such a beautiful forest is a real pleasure.
However, it is not easy to find your way around in some places as there are no longer any tracks or signs.

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tjarlaud
tjarlaud

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

A lovely hike with no technical difficulties or navigation issues. A classic in Alta Rocca

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