Cuscionu Plateau - Violu di i pastori "The Shepherds' Path"

Since 2022, new routes have been established. Their aim is to divert footpaths crossing the pozzines as much as possible. The Violu di i Pastori hike goes around Castellu d'Ornucciu via the sheepfolds of Chiralbella. You can see numerous pozzines (peat bogs), including Pian d'Ornucciu. Depending on the season, you may encounter horses, cows, pigs and flocks of sheep.

Details

n°24561705

Creation:
29 Jul 2022

Last update:
19 Sep 2022

Last review:
18 Aug 2025

Activity: Walking
Distance: 8.01 km
Average duration: 2h 45
Difficulty: Easy
Back to start: Yes
Ascent: + 160 m
Descent: - 150 m
Highest point: 1,608 m
Lowest point: 1,518 m

Country: France
District: Serra-di-Scopamène (20127)
Start/End: N 41.823723° / E 9.14211°
IGN map(s): Ref. 4253OT
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Description of the walk

Park in the Refuge de Bucchinera car park, see the note in Practical Information

(S/E) Continue along the track on foot and go through the barrier to reach the "Départ sentier" sign.

(1) Leave the track here and take the path on the left. Follow the Codi stream.

(2) Turn right at the intersection of the shepherds' path and the stone path (new route).

(3) Return to the track and turn left. Stay on the track (new route).

(4) Turn 90° to the right to reach the Bergeries de Chiralbella. (new route)

(5) At the Bergeries de Chiralbella, turn right and cross the stream.

(6) Turn right at the large oval rock. Follow the new signage to avoid trampling the pozzine. (new route)

(7) Return to the old route.

(8) Intersection: turn right. You will reach a small pass before descending to the car park at the Bucchinera Refuge.

(S/E) Arrive at the car park.

Waypoints

S/E : km 0 - alt. 1,532 m - Bucchinera Refuge car park
1 : km 0.12 - alt. 1,533 m - Left: trailhead
2 : km 0.54 - alt. 1,527 m - Right: Shepherds' and Stone Trail
3 : km 1.2 - alt. 1,549 m - Return to the trail: turn left
4 : km 3.28 - alt. 1,600 m - Leave the track and take the footbridge on the right
5 : km 4.21 - alt. 1,601 m - Chiralbella sheepfolds turn right
6 : km 5.04 - alt. 1,563 m - Large rock: turn right
7 : km 5.42 - alt. 1,560 m - Return to the old route
8 : km 6.95 - alt. 1,562 m - Intersection: turn right
S/E : km 8 - alt. 1,534 m - Bucchinera Refuge car park

Notes

Note on accessing the car park: to reach the Bucchinera Refuge, which is the starting point for the hike, you will need to take a 12 km track from the village of Quenza. As the track is in very poor condition, with numerous potholes and ruts, it will take between 45 minutes and an hour by car to reach the car park. The building is currently not in use. There are no toilets, water points or catering facilities. You are not permitted to drive through the barrier and continue along the track. There are no painted markings. You will need to follow the signs and cairns (piles of stones). Please do not overload the cairns by adding stones. This trail is not open to mountain bikes. Mountain bikes must remain on the main track.
Always check the current and forecast weather conditions so that you can pack your rucksack accordingly. The weather can deteriorate rapidly on the Cuscionu plateau (storms, rain, hail, strong winds and fog), which can lead to a drop in temperature and make progress more difficult. Stay alert. It can get very hot. There are no water sources along the hike. Remember to bring enough water for everyone.
Wear clothing suitable for mountain hiking (walking or trail shoes).
Be respectful of the mountain environment: be discreet (no drones), keep the area clean (take your rubbish with you), keep your dog on a lead, do not plant parasols on the pozzines, do not use walking sticks on the pozzines, be discreet. This is not a picnic area but a protected natural space where wild camping is prohibited (including in the car park).

Worth a visit

It is possible to extend the hike by combining this route with other itineraries (stone, water, etc.)

More information about the pozzines: https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pozzine

Reviews and comments

4.9 / 5

Based on 11 reviews

Reliability of the description
5 / 5

Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5

Route interest
5 / 5

User 9333784

18 Aug 2025 at 15:03 7200

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

An easy hike offering unspoilt nature and the chance to encounter wildlife. The second part is less pleasant as the scrub is prickly and scratches your legs!
Please note that this hike is more enjoyable in cloudy weather as there is no shade on the plateau!

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manonlouis

25 Jul 2025 at 10:05 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 25, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

The first half is superb for the views and all the animals encountered along the way. The second half is average, with tall, sharp grass. Nevertheless, I recommend this hike, which presents no difficulty.

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manonlouis

25 Jul 2025 at 10:05 7200 • Edited: 25 Jul 2025 at 15:16 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

The first half was superb for the views and all the animals we encountered along the way. The second half was average, with tall, sharp grass. However, I would still recommend the hike, which is not difficult.

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Arnaudb59

14 Oct 2024 at 13:05 7200

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

Superb
The scenery is magnificent, with a few animals roaming free (horses, pigs). Not particularly difficult, except for the last 2 km where you have to scramble over rocks.
There isn't much mobile phone coverage in the area, but the GPS tracker worked from start to finish.
Bring warm clothes as you'll be at altitude.
However, the road to get there is in terrible condition, so a 4x4 is ideal if you want to be sure you don't damage your car...

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PG6769

03 Jun 2024 at 18:36 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : May 29, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A magnificent hike, especially in the second half, among the rocks, far from everything.
the road is passable until the last kilometre, after which you need a 4x4.

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solletrando

02 Oct 2023 at 12:48 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 02, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A beautiful hike away from the crowds, with spectacular scenery and friendly encounters: horses, cows, sheep, pigs and, best of all, a mouflon sheep perched on a rock.
The access route from Quenza is a little complicated and it takes a good 45 minutes to cover the 12 km, but it's well worth the effort.

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md.lefevre@orange.fr

26 Sep 2023 at 16:25 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 26, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

We regularly explore this plateau and our preference is for this shepherds' path because of the variety of landscapes it crosses. Landscapes that are unlike any others
However, we prefer to do this circular in reverse to enjoy the view of the Bavella peaks in the rising sun (= get up early) and descend the rocky chaos rather than climb it.
It should be noted that following the trail on the app is really necessary because in some places the markers and markings have been destroyed or altered and it is quite easy to lose your way.
Getting to the car park by car can be a bit stressful, but the Coscione is worth the effort.
In short, the road may seem a little difficult, but if you're careful, you'll get through without any problems. The most dangerous are the intellectuals who think they're in the Paris-Dakar rally and park anywhere, blocking the passage (especially at the sheepfold 1.2 km from the car park).

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Philippe Schwab

05 Sep 2023 at 15:10 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 05, 2023
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

In our opinion, it's easy to do on foot... The scenery is absolutely breathtaking!
As for getting there by car, it's true that it's quite stressful... We stopped 1.1 km from the start and parked the car, but afterwards we realised that we could have gone all the way, even though the potholes are quite impressive in places 😅

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JJD

10 Oct 2022 at 14:32 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 10, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Nothing to report

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annette.beaulieu

05 Oct 2022 at 05:34 7200

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 08, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Many of the new routes avoid passing through the pozines, but the walk remains very pleasant.

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ecogardesnatura2000altarocca

04 Sep 2022 at 19:49 7200

Hello,

Good point, point number 1 was indeed not placed in the right location.
This was either an error on my part or a modification by the moderators...who, after reviewing my comments, modified some of them so that they would correspond with the IGN map (which does not exist on the ground).
And as a reminder, it is normal that this does not correspond to your walk in August 2021 because since this year there have been some changes to the trail routes with the aim of preserving the pozzines.

Kind regards

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lazzerini

04 Sep 2022 at 19:25 7200

Hello ecogardesnatura2000altarocca,

your (1) is not in the right place according to your description in this proposal.
Or you need to change the beginning of the description with the (S/E) of your water trail

because we left the trail a long time ago...
According to my observations in August 2021

This is a friendly observation
that I hope you will not find too flippant or uninteresting

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ecogardesnatura2000altarocca

02 Sep 2022 at 10:19 7200 • Edited: 04 Sep 2022 at 19:52 7200

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ecogardesnatura2000altarocca

02 Sep 2022 at 10:17 7200 • Edited: 04 Sep 2022 at 19:52 7200

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IsaYa

02 Sep 2022 at 08:14 7200

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 02, 2022
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

Hello,
Magnificent scenery as far as the eye can see with a few encounters: pigs, a small wild boar among the pigs, cows, etc.
This hike is worth doing even with the bumpy road. Just drive slowly when the road is rough. In any case, you shouldn't drive fast because a pig could appear on the road at any moment or be waiting around a bend

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ecogardesnatura2000altarocca
12 Walks

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