The Piscia di Gallu waterfall

de fr

In French, cascade du pin, this is one of the seven wonders of the Alta Rocca. It's a truly beautiful 70-metre waterfall.

Details

n°27467
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 2.88 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 1h 35 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 338 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 331 ft
  • ▲
    Highest point: 3,031 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 2,769 ft
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Photos

Pierre
The ford
At the foot of the waterfall
The Piscia di Ghjaddu waterfall

Description of the walk

Take the road from Porto-Vecchio to Zonza.
Park in the car park (fee required) around 800 metres north of the Ospédale dam.
Note: Half the walk is under Laricio pines and then on white rocks that burn in summer.

(S/E) A few wooden huts mark the starting point for the waterfall.
Walk along the right bank of the Petra Piana stream. Reach the crossroads of a track.

(1) Continue straight ahead on the track, reaching another path junction.

(2) Leave the track and turn left onto the path, skirting the gorge to the left and descending to the right through the scrubland.
The path then descends a slope between unstable stones and tree roots that provide a good place to hold on.
Reach the waterfall.

(3) Take the opposite route back to the car park (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 3,022 ft - Car park to the north of the Ospedale dam - Follow the - Oso ou Osu (fleuve)
  2. 1 : mi 0.58 - alt. 2,861 ft - Carrefour piste
  3. 2 : mi 0.97 - alt. 2,828 ft - Crossroads
  4. 3 : mi 1.4 - alt. 2,772 ft - Waterfall
  5. S/E : mi 2.88 - alt. 3,022 ft - Car park north of the Ospedale dam

Notes

Do the walk in the morning, in the afternoon, the sun is on the other side!

Worth a visit

(3) Swimming recommended.

Reviews and comments

4.6 / 5
Based on 103 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.5 / 5
sylviane henner
sylviane henner

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 10, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A lovely hike, partly in the shade, with a magnificent waterfall at the end. It is possible to climb down to the base of the waterfall (the path is off-limits but can be used at your own risk), provided you are wearing suitable footwear (hiking boots), have sure-footedness and are not afraid of getting your hands dirty. Do not attempt this after rain as it will be very slippery and dangerous. Exercise caution and do not overestimate your abilities.

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Hélène33
Hélène33

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 15, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

It’s still a lovely walk. But be careful – you can no longer go down to the waterfall.

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Papierre77
Papierre77

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 15, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

An easy, partly shaded walk, best done early in the day.
It’s a shame that from the viewing point, you can only see the top of the waterfall.
We passed lots of people on the way back.

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tarco
tarco

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

A very busy route during the peak summer season.

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petitboutdevie
petitboutdevie

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 11, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Very pleasant, but the last few metres are not accessible to everyone to see the waterfall up close.

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User 27328814

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 18, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

Very beautiful and varied scenery throughout the route. Fairly easy and accessible except for the last descent to the waterfall, which is a little more technical.

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FMO94
FMO94

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

very pleasant route, partly shaded.
as indicated, you cannot go down to the foot of the waterfall. You can get close to it via the secure path, but after that, it is at your own risk.

however, you can find a spot to take a dip along the way.
we arrived early and it was quiet, but on the way back around 11 a.m., we came across more people, including a busload of tourists.

Nearby, you should also stop at the lake before the Ospedale dam for the view and to see the cows.

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User 23655225

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 16, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Heatwave and sunshine make conditions more difficult

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User 25775039
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jun 14, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

A pleasant hike for a stroll, but the arrival at the waterfall is disappointing because the trail stops halfway up the waterfall. If you want to go all the way down, it's at your own risk.

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User 25337147

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 24, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Very nice walk. The €5 parking charge was fair. Much more difficult route than described in the last 200 metres before arriving at the waterfall (very steep and even very difficult for the average person). But it was worth it.

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Siphnos92
Siphnos92
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

More of a stroll than a real hike, this route is very beautiful and varies between woodland, river and panoramic views. It is not particularly difficult and leads to a magnificent waterfall, the highlight of the walk. There are no navigation issues as the path is clearly marked from the car park (which is about 3 kilometres north of the Ospedale dam, not 800 metres as indicated on this website) to the waterfall. There are no refreshments available at the car park (which is free out of season). Please note that access to the waterfall is temporarily closed (until 24 April 2025 in any case) as it is not secure. However, it can still be seen from a distance.

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laurent14
laurent14

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 28, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A very nice out-and-back hike. The waterfall is very beautiful but you have to earn it because the final descent is very, very tough. There's even a section where you have to walk on pebbles to avoid putting your feet in the water, but that depends on whether it's raining or not.

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Wapiti29
Wapiti29

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 22, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Nice out-and-back hike. The waterfall is very beautiful but has to be earned at the end as the final descent is very rough. You need to be well shod to do it.

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Sandysan
Sandysan

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 22, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

A fairly easy walk as it is well signposted. The difficulty lies in accessing the waterfall, because the end of the walk is on large rocks and downhill (then back up of course). Avoid if you have knee problems, for example.
The waterfall is truly beautiful and majestic.

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Evelyne MARTEAU
Evelyne MARTEAU

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 14, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

The route is already very well signposted by the authorities.
Beautiful scenery and a waterfall that's waiting to be discovered.

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