It happens in Corsica...
Hi everyone,
In the articles below you will find information on climbing in Corsica (of course), but also films, books, interviews… in short, the thousand things that demonstrate the liveliness of climbing in Corsica yesterday and today.
If you have any suggestions for subjects, contact us here.
Happy reading or watching and happy climbing
The new crags in Corsica (25/05/24).
In recent months, several new cliffs have been equipped on the island. Except for Vitriconu near Aiacciu and Altipiani (central sector) in the Restonica valley, they are mainly intended for climbers at grade 5a-6b:
Malaspina (Tramuta sector) in the Solenzara valley
Funtana Vignente in the Scala di Santa Regina
Petraghju near Peri (Aiacciu region)
Bavella: increasingly complicated (07/05/24).
Since summer 2022, parking in the Bavella massif is being reorganised.
Due to seasonal issues (two months of over-crowding), the authorities have issued a permanent ban on parking along the roadside of a large portion of the road that crosses the massif.
This year, the restrictions are even tighter: access paths to the Pulischellu, Vacca, and Purcaraccia canyons are prohibited to anyone not accompanied by a professional or member of a sports federation.
For more information, click here.
Boudering in Corsica (01/01/24).
Julien Torre is a tireless bouldering explorer. Currently very active on the banks of the Vecchio river, he has promised us a complete guide of the site. In the meantime, he offers on his Youtube channel Pyrenean Troubadours over 170 problems classified by difficulty (click on playlist).
You will also find videos from corsican sites: Saint Antoine, Restonica, Capineru…
and elsewhere: Plan de l’Aiguille, La Jonquera…
Delicatessen: First corsican free ascent (18/12/23).
Timo Leonetti have treated himself with a nice Christmas present: the free ascent of Delicatessen, Arnaud Petit’s iconic route at Punta di u Corbu (Bavella). This marks the achievement of a project started in February 2022 and appears to be the first free ascent by a corsican climber. To support and belay him: Mamãe-Alex Leonetti, the Jumar pro.
For more information, photos, and some videos, check out Timo’s Facebook page.
The routes of Gianni Ghiglione and Massimo Buttazzi in Corsica – The Guidebook
Between 2003 and 2021, Gianni Ghiglione and Massimo Bottazzi* opened 12 routes on the cliffs of Corsica. Each of these adventures is a quest, a mystical odyssey that Gianni has meticulously documented in his diary.
Seriously ill for a few years, Gianni climbs less, but the passion is still there, a passion he wants to share in his book Corsica. This book, around a hundred pages, is a well-illustrated collection of his routes, presenting the precise topo of each of them, but also their history and the emotions and inner evolutions they provoked in him.
*With the exception of the first two routes, Massimo Bottazzi was present in all the first ascents.
The book is entirely bilingual Italian-French. You can order a free copy (excluding shipping costs) at the following address: rudimentale@tiscali.it
The Restonica road is closed for a long time (05/10/23).
During the storm Ciaran (03/10/23), many Corsican rivers flooded, including the Restonica which swept away the Tragone bridge and many portions of the road upstream. Given the extent of the damage, access by car to the upper part of the valley is compromised for a long time.
The film captured from the Dragon 2B helicopter of the Civil Security reveals the extent of the damage.
Spectacular Climbing Photo Contest
In June 2022, Xavier Fauvergue won the Spectacular Climbing Photo Contest organized by Glénats editions.
Xavier and his son Nathan are longtime regulars of the Bavella massif where the photo was taken.
Do you recognize the place?
The answer can be found on the Editions Glénat website or by clicking on the photo opposite.
Beyond the Rock – Climbing in Corsica (24/02/23)
During spring 2022, the GRIVEL team came to Corsica for a short climbing trip. Wandering from crag to crag, these strong climbers talk about climbing, gestures, friendship, success, failure and creativity. Grivel’s films give us many interesting points of view and beautiful images.
The crags visited: San Tonio in Aiacciu, Mescaline, Baraka and A Cupulata as well as short visit to the Teghje Lisce in Bavella.
Episode 2, Episode 3, Episode 4, Episode 5 (Italian with subtitles)
Corsican crags in videos by Make it easy (11/02/23)
Here is a small series of videos, each presenting a different crag. On granite, limestone or shale, it’s a pleasant way to get a good idea of the rock and the style of climbing before you go there to wear out your fingers.
Seven crags are available: Bastia: Les Antennes – A Serra. Corti: Candide et Martin – Francardu. Bavella and its surroundings: A Tana – L’Oriu – Murzella
Climbing at Teghie Lisce in the Bavella massif
« Of the rock I asked for the moon » tells the story of the ascent of the high difficulty route Octogénèse by Stéphanie Bodet. Long before this achievement, the poetry was taking form. A gesture, a hold, is food for thought and wonder: “Slab climbing is a form of meditation in motion, a yoga of the rock. This bare face, on which tiny features forbid me to pull too hard, teaches me detachment within action…”