Photo : Myrabella / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Calanche de Piana
The calanche of Piana form a massif of red granite on the west coast of Corsica, between Ajaccio and Calvi, in the communes of Piana and Ota. They are part of crystalline Corsica, and their red walls reach about 400 metres in height. The Dardo torrent carved them, and once turned a mill.
Erosion has sculpted silhouettes there that the inhabitants have named: the Lovers, the Bishop, the Fortress, and others. As early as the nineteenth century, travellers described them as one of the wonders of Corsica. The D81 road crosses them on a clifftop route, but there is no direct footpath to a beach from the road. Several hiking trails cross them, including the old mule track between Piana and Ota.
The calanche have been UNESCO World Heritage since March 1983, with the Gulf of Porto, the Gulf of Girolata and the Scandola reserve. They have also been listed as a ZNIEFF since 1985 over 731 hectares. The evening light accentuates the red of the rocks, which makes it a favourite moment for a visit.
