The Zalana-Matra Trail

Following this Zalana-Matra trail, you will cross a chestnut grove, then take a steep, sloping path that winds through thick scrubland and overlooks impressive precipices in places. Along the way, you will admire a very old mill, then cross an authentic Genoese bridge over the Bravone, the Alisu bridge. Then climb back up through a chestnut forest and finish your walk at the Matra cross (the return point of the hike).

Details

n°1176970

Creation:
25 May 2018

Last update:
22 May 2022

Last review:
16 Jun 2025

Activity: Walking
Distance: 5.89 km
Average duration: 3h 00
Difficulty: Moderate
Back to start: Yes
Ascent: + 474 m
Descent: - 473 m
Highest point: 679 m
Lowest point: 411 m

Country: France
City: Zalana (20272)
Start/End: N 42.262529° / E 9.373074°
IGN map(s): Ref. 4351OT
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Description of the walk

At the end of the village of Zalana, park near the sign indicating the start of the route.

(S/E) Continue for about 10 metres until you reach the electricity pole with the sign for the Génois bridge.
Take the path on the right that descends towards the Roticelle stream. Yellow markings

(1) At the crossroads, continue along the path on the right.

(2) Cross the Roticelle stream and follow it along the left bank.

(3) Ignore the path on the right, which is the return route, and continue straight ahead to the Génois d'Alisu bridge.

(4) Cross the bridge and continue along the path towards the Cicinelli cross (Matra cross), passing through a chestnut grove.

(5) Cicinelli Cross, also known as Matra Cross, is the turning point for the hike. Turn back, cross the Alisu bridge (4) and return to the previous junction.

(3) Turn left towards the small "pagliaghju" (small dry stone house).

(6) Turn right and continue along the path to return to the starting point (S/E).

Waypoints

S/E : km 0 - alt. 667 m - Sign indicating the start
1 : km 0.13 - alt. 663 m - Path on the right
2 : km 0.33 - alt. 617 m - Roticelle stream
3 : km 1 - alt. 549 m - Crossroads of the circular loop
4 : km 1.69 - alt. 411 m - Alisu Genoese Bridge on the - Bravona (fleuve)
5 : km 2.64 - alt. 623 m - Croix de Cicenelli, the return point of the hike.
6 : km 4.74 - alt. 561 m - Pagliaghju, on the right
S/E : km 5.89 - alt. 667 m - Sign indicating the start

Notes

Caution! The latest floods of the Bravone in December 2016 have severely weakened the bridge and damaged the parapets. I do not know if the bridge is still passable at this time. At worst, you will have to ford the river. Please be careful.

There is no water on the route.

Route mapped using a Twonav Sportiva 2 GPS. Caution! To avoid getting lost, it is advisable to take an IGN map with you: 4351 OT

Worth a visit

Genoese bridge "d'Alisu", Bravone river and gorges, paved paths.

(5) At the top of the road, you can see a cross by the side of the path, commemorating the place where the infamous bandit Castelli murdered a policeman at a spot known as La Croix.

Next to the bridge, towards Matra, you can see the ruins of an old mill.

On the other side of the river (towards Zalana) is another mill, this one more imposing.

On either side of the ridge, discover the mountain with the village of Pianellu and the sea, with a view of the villages of Tox and Tallone.

Reviews and comments

4.6 / 5

Based on 7 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.7 / 5

Ease of following the route
4.9 / 5

Route interest
4.3 / 5

Chis Coach

16 Jun 2025 at 13:16 7200 • Edited: 16 Jun 2025 at 13:29 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

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

A refreshing stroll in Bravone ⚠️ The return to point 6 is very exposed on the ridge. Bring water for the return trip as it's uphill in direct sunlight ☀️.
Swimming is a must under the Genoese bridge 😉👌. My SUUNTO watch showed 7 km.
Well done to everyone who marked and cleaned the route. 👍

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ID81360

20 Sep 2023 at 21:25 7200

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

A very beautiful hike. Rich flora and fauna, magnificent landscapes. The Genoese bridge is still passable. You can swim in the Bravone, accompanied by brown trout. For botany enthusiasts, even in September, there are still some very beautiful plants to observe; not everything is burnt out. The magnificent chestnut trees, several hundred years old, are impressively large. We had a little trouble finding the starting point, but the Corsicans are very welcoming and kindly gave us directions. A big thank you to the trail markers and all those who maintain the hiking trails: it was perfect!

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mathea

19 Apr 2021 at 14:04 7200

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 25, 2021
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

This route is not very busy at this time of year. There are beautiful views at the cross and along the entire trail. If you want to shorten the walk, stop at the Genoese bridge and enjoy a swim.

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Nalah

12 Sep 2020 at 21:22 7200

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 11, 2020
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : Yes

Be careful on the way back. Zalana is a marked trail, yes... but we found ourselves face to face with a beautiful bull, drooling with joy...😤😤😤
The biggest scare of our lives.
Also be prepared for... small animals on the route when you're led between two cattle fences!!!!!!!😱😱😱

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ericdaniel

13 Aug 2019 at 19:30 7200

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 13, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Very pretty views of the Castagniccia region.
While swimming at the Génois bridge may be a goal of the hike, the Matra cross with its viewpoint offers a magnificent panorama of the Bravone valley, the plain and the ridges.

Translation of the inscription on the base of the cross:
'In memory of my father, mother and uncle, this land covered with wheat, witness to so much toil (sweat).'

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Jojosp

20 May 2019 at 20:24 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 29, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Superb hike with beautiful views.
The gravel was beautiful that day, with water so clear that you could see the trout at the bottom of the pools, 3 or 4 metres deep, from the Genoa bridge.
Be sure to wear sturdy shoes as the terrain is very uneven and rocky.
Note the magnificent chestnut trees, over a hundred years old, which four people cannot encircle.

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Bernardini

30 Jul 2018 at 09:00 7200

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 30, 2018
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good

Beautiful hike, stopping at the bridge was enough; the second part was of no interest to us.

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