Punta d'Urghjavari from Quasquara

de fr

A round-trip hike starting from the small village of Quasquara, leading to the Punta d’Urghjavari (1,345 m), partly following a section ofthe GR® Mare à Mare Centre trail. The ascent passes through a forest of centuries-old chestnut trees up to the Col de Foce. The view then opens up to reveal the Taravo valley and its villages. The final, sometimes steep, ascent to the peak follows a narrow, well-marked path with a few rocky sections. At the summit, a 360° panoramic view stretches over the Taravo valley to the south and the Ajaccio region to the north-west.

Details

n°30796511
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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 4.89 mi
  • ◔
    Average duration: 4h 00 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Moderate
  • ⚐
    Back to start: Yes
  • ↗
    Ascent: + 1,998 ft
  • ↘
    Descent: - 1,978 ft
  • ▲
    Highest point: 4,393 ft
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 2,605 ft
  • ⚐ Country: France
  • ⚐ City: Quasquara (20142)
  • ⚑
    Start/End: N 41.899559° / E 9.005628°
  • ❏
    IGN map(s): Ref. 4253OT
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Photos

Summit of the Urgjavari
Summit of Urghjavari

Description of the walk

To reach the starting point, take the D183 and drive straight through the village along the main road until you reach the helipad at the cemetery at the very top of Quasquara. Please take care not to park within the designated helicopter landing area (for emergency services) but on the outskirts.

(S/E) Take the small tarmac road to the right of the cemetery. Continue up the slope alongside the cemetery, pass the village’s water intake, then carry on along the dirt track until you reach a crossroads.

(1) Leave the track and turn 90° left onto the path leading uphill, bordered by a stone wall. The route here follows theGR® Mare à Mare Centre and is clearly marked in orange, which normally prevents any mistakes. Begin the climb towards the chestnut wood, which starts with a gentle slope. Reach a small stream.

(2) Cross it; the gradient steepens (30%) until you emerge from the wood of centuries-old chestnut trees just before the Col de Foce. Follow the orange markings carefully. The climb ends at the Col de Foce with a small plateau (there is an information board).

(3) The view opens up from there. Turn left and follow a path that descends slightly. It winds through low scrubland, following the orange markings ofthe GR® Mare à Mare Centre, until you reach a spot marked by a double cairn on the right ofthe GR®, which signals the access to Punta d’Urghjavari.

(4) Please note: from here, regular cairns clearly mark the path, which is narrow and runs through low scrub. Despite the frequent cairns, it is strongly recommended that you use a hiking app to stay on the trail and avoid straying off course, which could lead to getting lost.
Leave theGR® and head right. During the ascent, there are a few easy rocky sections, particularly as you reach the summit.

(5) At the summit, a cross marks the highest point of Punta d’Urghjavari (1,345 m). Hikers are treated to a beautiful 360° panoramic view towards the Taravo and over Ajaccio.
After a break, the descent back to the car park follows the same route as the ascent. See Practical Information.
After completing the entire descent in the opposite direction, return to the original junction.

(1) Turn sharply right (without continuing down towards the village), onto the wide track leading to the car park and the heliport at the top of Quasquara (S/E)

Waypoints

  1. S/E : mi 0 - alt. 2,608 ft - Heliport – Quasquara Cemetery
  2. 1 : mi 0.17 - alt. 2,697 ft - Crossroads
  3. 2 : mi 0.65 - alt. 3,136 ft - Stream - Steep gradient
  4. 3 : mi 1.18 - alt. 3,802 ft - Col de Foce
  5. 4 : mi 1.92 - alt. 3,730 ft - Junction - Double cairn
  6. 5 : mi 2.46 - alt. 4,393 ft - Punta d'Urghjavari
  7. S/E : mi 4.89 - alt. 2,605 ft - Heliport – Quasquara Cemetery

Notes

(5) From the summit, another direct descent route to the Col de Foce is possible (scattered cairns from the summit), but this should only be attempted by experienced hikers due to tricky and potentially dangerous sections in the rocks. It is therefore advisable to return via the same route as the ascent.

Walking poles are recommended. Water sources are marked on the map but it is not possible to replenish supplies there.

Worth a visit

(3) From the Col de Foce, there is a beautiful view to the south over the Taravo Valley and the Coscione Plateau, and to the north over part of the Prunelli Valley.

(5) At the summit of Punta d'Urghjavari, there is a stunning 360° panoramic view of the Taravo Valley and the Coscione Plateau to the south, and to the north, of Ajaccio and the Monte Renoso and Monte D'oro massifs.

Always be cautious and plan ahead when you're outdoors. Visorando and the author of this route cannot be held responsible for any accidents occurring on this route.

The GR® and PR® markings are the intellectual property of the Fédération Française de Randonnée Pédestre.

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Reviews and comments

4.3 / 5
Based on 4 reviews
Reliability of the description
4.5 / 5
Ease of following the route
4 / 5
Route interest
4.5 / 5
User 9717769

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Sep 01, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : Yes

A beautiful hike with a 360-degree view at the end.
Bring water and sturdy shoes for the last part, which has quite a few rocky sections.
Please note that the trail starts to the right of the cemetery. Park to the right of the cemetery in a herringbone pattern and away from the helipad area so as not to cause any obstruction.

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User 20082480

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

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

shaved

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Renegellez
Renegellez

Overall rating : 4 / 5

Date of your route : Apr 29, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★☆ Good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★☆ Good
Very busy route : No

A lovely but challenging hike, especially when you leave the Mare à Mare trail to head for the summit; but once you arrive, there’s a magnificent 360-degree view. You can park at the start of the trail next to the cemetery.

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TC2A
TC2A
• Edited:

Overall rating : 4.7 / 5

Date of your route : Feb 16, 2025
Reliability of the description : ★★★★★ Very good
Ease of following the route : ★★★★☆ Good
Route interest : ★★★★★ Very good
Very busy route : No

A stunning 360° view, with a beautiful cross and a statue of the Virgin Mary welcoming you at 1,350 metres.
For this hike, you’ll need sturdy shoes and plenty of motivation for the start, which begins with a continuous climb lasting an hour.
It is essential to follow the signposts and the route on the app, especially at the start before the chestnut grove.
As you pass through the chestnut grove, many trees have fallen and the orange markings are on the back of the trees as you climb. In short: thank you, Visiorando, for the route on the app!
When you reach the Col, you’ll already be treated to a stunning view! From there, you have another 1½ hours of walking.
Taking the path on the left, you’ll head back onto flat ground, then you’ll come to a cairn-marked fork on the right. The final 30-minute climb is through low scrub, so bring some leggings (if you’re wearing shorts) – it’ll be more comfortable as the path is very narrow. The cairns are visible if you look carefully into the distance.
When I reached the summit, I was lucky enough to see a herd of goats (they’re harmless, but do remember to keep your dogs on a lead if there are others around so as not to frighten them). Mine is small (5kg) and was able to squeeze under the scrub, but for a dog weighing over 10kg it’s less accessible. There are no water sources along the route, and the walk is mostly in the shade at the start but becomes sunny from the pass onwards.
I came down via the second path suggested by the app; there’s no GPS track for it. It’s a bit more technical as you need to be comfortable on rocky terrain. If you often hike on hilly terrain, it’s manageable.
A lovely hike to discover!

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