Lac de Pozzolo

Lac de Pozzolo is a small mountain lake in the commune of Corte, in Haute-Corse, sitting at roughly 2,348 metres above sea level. It rests in a glacial cirque at the foot of Monte Rotondo (2,622 m), Corsica's second-highest peak. Unlike the busier lakes closer to town, Pozzolo sits in a quieter corner of the Rotondo massif, reached only after a long, committing climb.

Where exactly is the lake?

Pozzolo lies within the Rotondo massif, the mountain range rising above Corte, Corsica's historic mountain capital. The area is dotted with glacial lakes, so it's easy to confuse Pozzolo with better-known neighbours such as Melo, Capitello, or Bellebone. What sets Pozzolo apart is its more remote setting and lighter foot traffic — the approach follows a different valley from the well-trodden route to Melo and Capitello.

What does the surrounding landscape look like?

The lake occupies the floor of a rocky glacial cirque, ringed by the bare ridgelines of the Rotondo massif. Around the water itself, the scenery is stark high-mountain terrain: granite, scree, and sparse alpine vegetation. Lower down, the approach valley tells a different story, running through forests of Corsican pine (pino laricio) and beech, past waterfalls and the stone ruins of old shepherds' huts known as bergeries.

How do you get to Lac de Pozzolo?

The usual starting point sits in the Restonica valley, a few hundred metres downstream from where the Rivisecco stream meets the Restonica river. From there, the path crosses the Restonica on a footbridge and climbs toward the bergeries de Rivisecco, a cluster of shepherds' huts set in a shaded, pine-covered stretch of the valley. Beyond the huts, the trail steepens and turns rockier, eventually breaking above the treeline before reaching the cirque where the lake sits.

Who is this hike suited for?

This is a long, demanding mountain approach, best suited to hikers in good physical condition with some experience on rough alpine terrain. The elevation gain, combined with the steep, rocky final stretch, rules it out as a casual outing. In return, walkers reach a secluded glacial lake and a view of the Rotondo massif that most visitors — who stop at the lower lakes in the valley — never see.

Frequently asked questions

How high up is Lac de Pozzolo? The lake sits at roughly 2,348 metres above sea level, within the Monte Rotondo massif.

Is it in the same area as Lac de Melo and Lac de Capitello? All of them lie within the commune of Corte and the wider Restonica/Rotondo area, but Pozzolo is reached via a different, quieter route than the popular trail to Melo and Capitello.

Where does the trail to the lake start? The trailhead is in the Restonica valley, near where the Rivisecco stream joins the Restonica river. From there, the route crosses a footbridge and passes the bergeries de Rivisecco before climbing toward the higher ground of the massif.

Is the hike suitable for beginners? No — it demands good physical fitness and some mountain hiking experience, due to the length of the climb and the steep, rocky final approach near the lake.

What can you see along the way? The trail passes through Corsican pine and beech forest, waterfalls, and abandoned shepherds' huts before climbing above the treeline into the rocky cirque that holds the lake.