The Cavu pools and the Sainte-Lucie stream

Walk and swim in the beautiful pools of Cavu.

Details

n°4375623
Creation:
Last update:
Last review:
  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 5.58 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 3h 20 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate

  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 843 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 837 ft

  • ▲
    Highest point: 1,132 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 594 ft
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ City: Zonza (20124|20144)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 41.732053° / E 9.291874°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 4253ET, 4253ETR, 4254ET
  • Hour-by-hour weather

Photos

Description of the walk

Park in the Trois Piscines car park. To get there, head to Sainte-Lucie de Porto Vecchio towards Bastia: turn left at the only set of traffic lights. Carry on straight ahead and pass through Taglia Rossu. Continue along the road until you reach the treetop adventure park. From there, there are car parks (in case of strong winds); otherwise, continue along the track for about 2.5 km, skirting the Cavu pools, until you reach the upper car park at the Trois Piscines bar. It is now forbidden to park between the two car parks.

(S/E) The walking route starts on the track on the left, the one that climbs above the Bar des Trois Piscines (the track on the right, which is flat, leads to the Pont Marion). Initially heading north, the track curves to the left, towards the west. Pass a square granite reservoir on the left. Cross a stream at a hairpin bend to the right.

(1) Shortly afterwards, at a widening of the track (elevation 345), leave the track and take a path on the right (broken gate). After a gentle descent, the gradient increases. About a hundred metres past a right-hand bend, look out for a 4x4 car park on the left marked by a small oak tree.

(2) Continue straight ahead (north-east). The bushes thin out and, after a right-hand bend, the path widens. Continue until you reach some young conifers on the left near the stream.

(3) Here, you’ll find a path branching off to the left and descending steeply for 10 metres: this leads to a lovely pool (altitude approx. 247 m), about fifty metres from the confluence of the Mela and Sainte-Lucie streams.

(4) Retrace your steps back to the 4x4 car park.

(2) Take a path on the right (north-west) and descend to a double pool (altitude approx. 260 m) and a waterfall.

(5) Retrace your steps back to the 4x4 car park.

(2) Turn left and head back up the track in the opposite direction to the way out.

(1) Follow the track to the left back to the starting point (S/E).

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 594 ft - Les 3 Piscines car park
  2. 1 : mi 1.48 - alt. 1,132 ft - The path starts on the right
  3. 2 : mi 2.42 - alt. 850 ft - Car park for 4x4s
  4. 3 : mi 2.63 - alt. 797 ft - The path starts on the left
  5. 4 : mi 2.65 - alt. 774 ft - A pool downstream of the confluence of the Mela and Sainte-Lucie rivers - Cavo (fleuve)
  6. 5 : mi 3.01 - alt. 833 ft - Double pool, 260 m, with a waterfall.
  7. S/E : mi 5.58 - alt. 594 ft - The 3 Piscines car park.

Notes

In strong winds, the track is closed at the treetop adventure park, adding a further 2.5 km along a dusty track.
Warning: do not venture into the stream bed during a storm.
On the OSM base map, the stream is marked as ‘Cavo’, whilst on IGN maps it is known as the ‘Ruisseau de Sainte-Lucie’.
After point (1), a standard car cannot get through.

Even between (S/E) and (1), the track is in such poor condition that it is difficult for a standard car.
And there is a gate secured with a padlock, the location of which is known only to local residents with 4x4s.
Remember to take water with you.
I recommend you check out the excellent Corse Sauvage website and its article on the forgotten paths of the Cavu.

Avoid days when it’s very windy: due to the risk of fire or in case the mountain range is closed to the public.

Reviews and comments

4.5 / 5
Based on 13 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.6 / 5
Ease of following the route
4.7 / 5
Route interest
4.2 / 5
ROUX Bruno
ROUX Bruno

Good evening, thank you for your comment, but it wasn’t raining, because in Solenzara 200 mm of rain fell in two or three hours, and that’s not far away, is it?

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User 6444971

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Oct 14, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

The route wasn’t very busy as it was out of season.
We didn’t go to the pools recommended in the guide as we’re 73 years old and felt that the access was too dangerous for people of our age. It was difficult for us to hop from one rock to another like goats… Looking at the map on the Visorando app, we discovered a little path that gently wound its way down to the river in barely 300 metres. And we were able to have a swim away from the other tourists. Water temperature: 18 degrees.
A lovely walk in stunning surroundings, even if the path isn’t particularly picturesque.

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Philippe G
Philippe G

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 29, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

This walk follows a well-maintained forest track, as it forms part of the fire prevention network. Most of the route is shaded by pine trees and cork oaks. It is an easy walk, suitable for children aged 6 and over. Do bring a picnic to enjoy by the pools …

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Eriquet
Eriquet

Overall rating : 5 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 07, 2026
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : Yes

Lovely, perfect description

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ROUX Bruno
ROUX Bruno

Hello Philippe, thank you for clarifying that.

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philevr
philevr
• Edited:

Update information for the 2026 summer season:
This year, the barrier at the end of the municipal car park (pay-and-display) will be closed from 1 June to 30 September!
A (free) shuttle bus runs back and forth along the track between the car park and Ranuchjaghja (Les Trois Piscines) approximately every 20 minutes.
The ‘hike’ described on this page MUST now avoid the track and use the Sapara Vardata path (PR9) from Ranuchjaghja.
This path avoids the tracks, merely crossing the track on the right bank of the Cavu, and descends directly to cross the Sapara Vardata stream and run alongside the cave in question until it rejoins the end of the side track leading down to the car park by the waterfall basin.
A direct route, entirely in the shade!!

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User 16537359

Not done

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Prisca77
Prisca77

Overall rating : 5 / 5

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

A very beautiful hike. We swam in the pool with the waterfall. It was just incredible.
The photos speak for themselves!

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LMDB
LMDB

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : May 19, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

Hike taken in May 2025.
Much of the hike takes place on a forest path that is not particularly interesting, except for a few views of the surrounding mountains. The main attraction is the pools. Be very careful between points 3 and 4, as the descent is very steep and can be dangerous in wet weather. Don't hesitate to climb the surrounding rocks in dry weather around point 5 to get a view of the pools. Don't forget to visit the pools not far from the 3 Piscines car park.

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Bambou86
Bambou86

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Aug 15, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

Easy route, not very exciting, mainly on a track that is only used by authorised vehicles (so rarely used) - Walk done in overcast weather, but probably not much shade when the sun is shining. Several paths lead to the river in the last few metres, of varying difficulty (it seems to me that the trail indicates a fairly steep path, whereas an easier access is just before) - Very nice reward at the end, with splendid pools that definitely make you forget the somewhat tedious path, even if the environment is very pretty.

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ROUX Bruno
ROUX Bruno

GOOD EVENING, thank you, enjoy Corsica, best regards, Bruno

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TLO06
TLO06

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 15, 2024
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk with a reward at the end: a dip in a natural pool in a remarkable setting.

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ROUX Bruno
ROUX Bruno

Hello Philippe, thank you for these clarifications. Enjoy your walks.

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philevr
philevr
• Edited:

Some information updated in December 2023:
- The access track, signposted for walkers, leading to Sainte-Lucie and its pools is now closed to vehicles from 15 June to 31 October by the municipality of Zonza/Sainte-Lucie. Only authorised users (hunters, local residents, the association, etc.) may use the track => less traffic in summer and, above all, visitors on foot
- The “A Punta Bunifazinca” association has restored a new footpath (currently numbered PR9) between Ranuchjaghja (Trois-Piscines, with its snack bar) and the path leading down to Sainte-Lucie at a left-hand bend (at the end of a section of the Sapara Vardata footpath). This path is obviously the one to follow rather than the track from Ranuchjaghja: easy, shaded as it runs through woodland for almost its entire length, marked and signposted (provided the signs haven’t been destroyed by local vandals), ... It starts at Ranuchjaghja, just like the Ranedda circular route (PR6), which it leaves 200 metres further on to continue directly 50 to 100 metres higher in altitude than the track. This path crosses the track 1,600 metres further on and continues downwards, crossing the Sapara Vardata stream before running alongside the rocky outcrops where the cave is situated. It is a restored section of the historic ‘Chemin de la Montagne aux Plages’ (Path from the Mountain to the Beaches), which ran from Pinareddu to Bocca di Castedducciu; this can be reached (a 3–4-hour walk) by continuing along the Sapara Vardata path (PR9) to its end (the RD de la Sainte-Lucie track), then the Finicione RD (HR12)!!
- From the end of this path, you can either continue straight on along the track to finish as indicated on the map described on this page, or take the track on the right and descend via a steep, well-cleared path to take a shortcut back to the lower branch of the track running alongside the Sainte-Lucie
- Return via the same route or by crossing the Sainte-Lucie at the end of the lower section of the track, ascending a side track on the left bank (cairns), then taking the Lora–San Martinu path (PR8) which leads back to the Funtanedda bridge, then the Marion bridge.

Please note: these routes require a basic sense of direction, the ability to read a map and an understanding of the terrain. There have been countless instances in the Cavu Valley of hikers getting lost whilst searching for the ‘natural pools’ or trying to follow a Visorando guide without a map and without knowing how to use a GPS...

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ROUX Bruno
ROUX Bruno

Hello
Thank you for your review. With the current temperatures and sunshine in Corsica, it must have been lovely.
Enjoy your hikes in Corsica.
Bruno

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