Monte Cervellu

Read the video on the Monte Cervellu to Rosazia hike | Corse VTC

Discover the Monte Cervellu (Mount Cervello). Hiking in Corsica from the village of Rosazia. The Monte Cervellu (Punta di u Ciarbellu) culminates at 1624 M of altitude! A very uneven route, but incredible landscapes and grandiose panoramas!

MONTE CERVELLU - MONT CERVELLO

Discover the Monte Cervellu hike in Southern Corsica. Also known as the Punta à u Ciarbellu, it is one of the peaks of the Cruzzinu. Starting from the pretty and picturesque village of Rosazia, you will discover a mountain footpath, in the heart of a forest of Laricci pines and chestnut trees. A path that leads to the heights of the village and the Cruzzini valley along an ancestral frontier, a dry stone wall that stretches for more than 1,000 metres along the ridges. Exceptional views of the Dui Sevi region, the devilish peak of Monte Tre Torre and the snowy chain of Monte d'Oro.

Monte Cervellu in Rosazia, Corsica

Starting point of the hike: exit of the village of Rosazia coming from Salice

To get there, head towards the village of Vero in the Upper Gravona. Take the D4 to reach the long and winding road of the Tartavello pass. This road leads to the villages of Azzana, Salice and Rosazia. Go past the village of Azzana to reach Rosazia with its chestnut trees and pigsties along the road. On leaving the village (coming from Salice), just after a hairpin bend, look out for a sign indicating a hiking trail (Libbiu state forest / I Bagni di Guagnu). Stop near the sign and follow the concrete road for a few metres. The entrance to the path is visible at the iron gate with the inscription "LIBBIU", just after the bridge. Libbiu is the name of the sheepfolds located on the plateau.

The Monte Cervellu hiking trail

It is a path with an almost constant gradient through a forest of chestnut and arbutus trees. Follow the yellow markings. A very rocky path that looks like an old mule track. The sound of goat bells wandering in the valley, the water of the Cruzzini trickling and birds whistling in the cool of the undergrowth. Beautiful views of the village below.

After about 45 minutes, towards the heights, pass between two low walls and turn right to join a long stone wall.

The immense wall of the Cervellu & the Bocca di u Capizzolo

Continue to follow the yellow markings that follow the long wall on the ridge. The vestiges of the past, a border of more than 1000 M long which separates the mountain. This is the Bocca di u Capizzolu, an exceptional panorama over the valley with a beautiful pine forest and a scrubland of juniper and thorny shrubs.

A long climb following the cairns. A clearly visible path leads to the grassy plateau of the Libbiu sheepfolds with a large white cross overlooking the valley.

The two variants for accessing Monte Cervellu

From the highest sheepfold, there are two possibilities:

On the left of the sheepfold, along the fence, follow an almost invisible path through the ferns to reach the large scree facing you. Then continue with the cairns to reach the summit.
On the right of the sheepfold, at the end of the fence, a well visible cairned passage, crosses the ferns and the big trees, passing on the right of the scree to the summit. After a good thirty minutes of ascent, the summit of Monte Cervellu (Punta di u Ciarbellu), culminating at 1624 M, is revealed. The view is magnificent and on a clear day you can see Monte Tretorre (in Corsica: Three Towers) with its three huge boulders and the relief of Monte d'Oro.

The way back and the advice!

The return is by the same path as the first. It is also possible to take a cairn-marked alternative route down to the sheepfolds, to make a loop (difficult to find).