Monte Cinto

Read the video on Monte Cintu to Lozzi hike | Corse VTC

Discover the summit of Monte Cinto. Hiking in Haute Corse from the village of Lozzi (by the South face). The Monte Cinto culminates at 2706 M of altitude! An extremely difficult and demanding route through scree and rock!

MONTE CINTO - MONTE CINTU

Discover Monte Cinto in Haute Corse! The highest summit of the island and the hike by the South side and the village of Lozzi. A demanding and challenging route, with no shady areas to avoid the scorching heat of the heights in summer. The Monte Cinto or Cintu, which culminates at 2706 M of altitude, will put your physical and mental capacities to the test! At least four hours of tumultuous and delicate ascent, with a good part facing the mountain and its endless scree. A mineral universe as far as the eye can see throughout the ascent. A very specific rock with its fluorescent green colouring. A path to discover the endemic fauna and flora.

The Monte Cinto at Lozzi in Haute Corse

Starting point of the hike: Lozzi, camping Monte Cinto

To get there, head towards Corte, then turn off onto the Castirla road towards the Scala di Santa Regina gorge as far as the Calacuccia dam. Welcome to the Niolu valley, land of the shepherds! Follow the road to the village of Lozzi, follow the signs to Monte Cintu and the Arimone campsite and park on the plateau, a few metres from the entrance to a forest track.

The Monte Cinto hiking trail

This is the start of the trail, the path cuts through the meadows frequented by many wandering cows. Follow the cairns and the orange markers from the "Erco refuge" sign. A gradual ascent, a route in full sun, without the slightest shadow. On the way, you will discover the remains of the Romanesque chapel "Sa Lisei", as well as explanatory panels about the surrounding fauna and flora.

The Erco refuge by the south side of the Cinto

After about 1.5 hours, the refuge is reached after crossing the river. From there, the rest of the route becomes relatively hard, the meadows and junipers give way to a pitiless mineral universe. The climb becomes slippery and technical, facing the mountain. Endless scree almost to the top. Follow the cairns and the red markings towards the ridges. Only blackbirds and other endemic birds make their presence felt in this stony and ghostly place. In places the rock glows fluorescent green with the sun's reflection and the climb is borderline rock climbing. Use your hands well and be careful both on the way up and on the way down. About 400 metres before reaching the summit, the red markings become more present.

The summit of Monte Cinto, the lookout point of Corsica

The arrival is imminent, a feeling of success, of joy, mixed with tiredness and muscular pain, takes hold of you. A beautiful wooden cross surrounded by various colourful bracelets adorns the summit of Monte Cintu. A steel box containing paper and pen is fixed to the rock and allows anyone to leave a message, a mark of their passage on the highest summit in Corsica. At this altitude, the view of the island's mountainous terrain is unrestricted. One never tires of the landscape.

Our tips for the Monte Cinto!

A GPS plotter or a topographic map is strongly recommended to avoid quickly finding yourself in difficulty in this austere environment worthy of a lunar landscape. Allow at least 3 hours 45 minutes to reach Monte Cinto. This is a long hike, a day trip of about 18 kms (without passing by the lake). Very strongly advised against bad weather or fog. Do not overestimate the summit and its 1751 meters of positive difference in altitude.

An XXL loop route, a long variant!

For the most courageous, an alternative route allows you to reach the Cintu lake, before going back down to the Erco refuge and the valley. A sublimely blue glacial lake, in the heart of the mountain, accessible by the long version of the Cintu loop. Don't hesitate to use your hands on the descent, or even to slide on your buttocks. This is a hike that must be earned and is not recommended for people not used to difficult mountain trails.