Bavella Needles

The Aiguilles de Bavella are a line of granite spires rising above the Col de Bavella at one thousand two hundred and eighteen metres, coloured red and orange in low sun against Laricio pine forest. The GR20, which runs the length of Corsica and is often described as the hardest waymarked trail in Europe, passes through here, and the alpine variant over the needles is the most exposed part of it, with chains fixed in the rock. Less demanding marked walks reach the Trou de la Bombe, a hole weathered clean through a rock wall. The Purcaraccia canyon below is a well-known and repeatedly fatal canyoning site.

What you actually see

• The spires - a line of red granite towers above the pass.
• The GR20 variant - a chained, exposed alpine route over the needles.
• The Trou de la Bombe - a natural hole weathered through a rock wall.
• The Laricio pines - tall Corsican pines below the towers.

When to go

June to September; the pass road can close in winter snow. Summer storms build fast in the afternoon, which is when canyoning accidents have happened. Start early.

Honest expectations

Canyoning in Purcaraccia has killed people caught by flash floods, and forecasts must be respected. The alpine variant needs a head for heights and equipment. There is no water on the routes.

Nearby

Zonza lies west; the east coast is down the Solenzara road.