Gorges de la Restonica — Haute Vallée and Bergerie de Grotelle Viewpoint

The Restonica Valley punches west out of Corte into the Corsican high country, following a narrow paved road that dead-ends at the Bergerie de Grotelle around 1375m. From there the trail pushes up to Lac de Melo and Lac de Capitello — two of the island’s most striking glacial cirque lakes. The gorge itself is a tight slot of polished granite, ice-cold stream pools, and vertical walls that make it feel more like the Pyrenees than the Mediterranean. It’s a genuine waypoint for anyone running the island’s spine: fuel is back in Corte, the road narrows fast, and summer crowds are brutal.

The valley road is paved but single-track in sections with passing places — fine for a standard overland rig but not the place to tow a trailer. A toll/parking fee applies at the bergerie in peak season. Snow closes the upper road roughly November through April. Cell signal drops to nothing above the gorge entrance. Come early morning or after 5pm to avoid the day-tripper crunch.

Granite gorge rising to Corsica's alpine lakes.