Monte Albanu – Tour des Cinque Frati

A unique hike in the Niolu region, featuring a little-known summit offering a sublime view of the Paglia Orba.
Afterwards, you’ll have just one desire: to climb to the summit of this Corsican gem.

Details

n°2181705

Creation:
13 Jun 2019

Last update:
12 Jul 2019

Last review:
22 Sep 2025

Activity: Walking
Distance: 8.41 mi
Average duration: 6h 30
Difficulty: Difficult
Back to start: Yes
Ascent: + 3,031 ft
Descent: - 3,110 ft
Highest point: 6,601 ft
Lowest point: 3,458 ft

Country: France
City: Albertacce (20224)
Start/End: N 42.334645° / E 8.950273°
IGN map(s): Ref. 4250OT, 4250OTR
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Description of the walk

Park on arrival in Calasima, just before the bridge at the entrance to the village.

(S/E) The path starts on the right (north-east) and climbs quite steeply.

(1) Turn left and continue climbing towards the Costa Arsa sheepfolds, heading first north then north-west. The climb is less steep but the path can sometimes become hard to follow if you’re not careful. Follow the cairns closely.

(2) After the sheepfolds, continue climbing, still following the cairns. The climb becomes steeper as you approach the pass.

(3) At the pass, turn left, following the cairns which lead you to the summit. Take care, as some sections require you to use your hands to climb. At the summit of Monte Albanu, admire the view over Paglia Orba and the famous Cinque Frati.

(4) Head back down to the pass via the same route.

(3) Head down to the left towards the Tilarba sheepfolds.

(5) Continue descending due west, following the cairns at all times.

(6) At a ruined shelter, turn left. Descend via a series of hairpin bends. Further on, join a track.

(7) Follow the track to the left and take a hairpin bend to the right.

(8) At a hairpin bend to the left, stay on the track and ignore the offshoots. Take two more hairpin bends along the track, which then turns eastwards. Join the tarmac road and follow the small road to the entrance to Calasima.

(9) Ride through the village and return to the starting point after the bridge (S/E).

Waypoints

S/E : mi 0 - alt. 3,661 ft - Bridge at the entrance to the village
1 : mi 0.32 - alt. 4,134 ft - Crossroads
2 : mi 1.95 - alt. 5,305 ft - Costa Arsa sheepfolds
3 : mi 2.52 - alt. 6,273 ft - Col
4 : mi 2.73 - alt. 6,601 ft - Monte Albanu
5 : mi 3.4 - alt. 5,440 ft - Tilarba sheepfolds
6 : mi 4.07 - alt. 4,774 ft - Ruined shelter
7 : mi 4.44 - alt. 4,239 ft - Track
8 : mi 4.79 - alt. 4,160 ft - Hairpin bend
9 : mi 8.15 - alt. 3,566 ft - Southern entrance to Calasima
S/E : mi 8.41 - alt. 3,602 ft - Bridge at the entrance to the village

Notes

Make sure you take enough water as there are no water sources along the route.

The path becomes a little unclear on the climb, so be careful to stay on course.

Finally, watch out for scratches from the low-growing broom.

Reviews and comments

4.3 / 5

Based on 4 reviews

Reliability of the description
4.3 / 5

Ease of following the route
4 / 5

Route interest
4.5 / 5

Tibo38

22 Sep 2025 at 10:32 7200

Overall rating : 4.3 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 22, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A very wild hike, I really liked the "off-trail" aspect, even though there is a trail... But it's not easy to stay on it.
The small summit is very pleasant to climb and the view is fantastic!
And yes, it makes you want to climb the Paglia!

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François ALFONSI

03 Mar 2025 at 11:06 3600

Overall rating : 3.3 / 5

Date of your route : Mar 03, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★☆☆ Average
Route interest : ★★★☆☆ Average
Very busy route : No

A lovely walk with beautiful mountain scenery, but the route is less appealing than other walks in the same area.

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jean.lamy

22 Jul 2019 at 17:33 7200

It’s a good idea to leave the car a bit further away. It’s true that this stretch of road isn’t very interesting.

Trousers might actually come in handy, as the broom bushes do tickle your calves quite a bit.
It’s a path that really ought to be maintained.

Thank you for your comment!

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V4_pat

22 Jul 2019 at 14:17 7200

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 20, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

Hello,
Thank you for this lovely walk! I left my car on the D318 by the little bridge (on the 1074 side), which allowed me to warm up over a couple of kilometres and cut the less interesting return section (track and road) in half. I can confirm that you really do need to keep your wits about you to avoid playing hide-and-seek with the cairns; what’s more, the low but dense vegetation hides the path and its pitfalls. Trousers are a must – the scratches from the vegetation quickly become very unpleasant. There are a few streams and springs along the route and, of course, a dip in the very inviting pools is a must.

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jean.lamy

19 Jul 2019 at 19:43 7200

Hello,

Thank you for your comment! As for the shortcuts on the trail, I didn’t dare include them because I found them rather tricky to spot, even though I did take them myself.

I think it’s the perfect hike before tackling the Paglia Orba!

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lgigi

19 Jul 2019 at 19:21 7200

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Jul 19, 2019
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★★ Very good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good

You do indeed need to be very careful on the climb after point 1, as the path disappears quickly. Don’t get too close to the stream on the left. The Costa Arsa sheepfolds are well hidden amongst the vegetation and you only spot them at the last moment. Here too, you may need to make your way through the scrub for a short while if you’ve lost the path.
Below the Tilarba sheepfolds (at point 6), instead of heading down to the left, you can also go to the right to reach the Ballone sheepfolds in 20 minutes (a lovely spot for a swim, a drink and some delicious cheese).
The return journey is then via the track leading to the sheepfolds, a track where you can cut across the hairpin bends twice.
Just as the path is almost alongside the Viru (marker for the airmen), a quick dip in the pools and at the waterfall will be wonderfully refreshing.
A magnificent walk where you’ll hardly come across anyone.

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