Terrenzana: a walk in Corsica’s unspoilt countryside

by Guillaume Bereni · Published 22 January 2025 · Updated 22 January 2025

The pond of Terrenzana, located north of Aleria just a few hundred meters away from the Diana Pond, is one of Corsica’s lesser-known natural treasures. It should be mentioned that for a long time, this natural area was difficult to access, with minimal or no development, and thus was mainly known by the local population.

Since 1980, the pond has been owned by the Conservatoire du Littoral. The stretch of wild nature that separates it from the Diana pond was only developed in 2017, at the initiative of the municipality of Tallone. Now, it is possible to walk and admire the surrounding nature in an environment perfectly designed to meet multiple needs simultaneously: making the natural heritage accessible to everyone, in any season, and rejuvenating the area by incorporating it into a sustainable development and tourism strategy. It may sound a bit grandiose, but it is certainly the multiplication of such initiatives that Corsica needs to become a sustainable destination. A territory where respect for nature is a natural part of the visitor’s experience, thanks to the development of an offer designed for that purpose.

The starting point of the walk can be reached by leaving the T10 road halfway between the Sbiri and Arena rivers (see Google Maps), and following a small road that soon turns into a track for a few minutes. The development by the municipality of Tallone has created three small car parks, more or less close to the coast, but it is at the first one we stop to fully enjoy the entire walking route. The place is called “Pompugliani,” and from here an information panel tells us it will take approximately 1.5 hours of walking to reach its coastal end. As always with information panels, this is just a guide, and the duration of the walk depends essentially on two things: your age and physical condition, and naturally, the time you spend observing the area. As for us, we would say you should allow between two and two and a half hours for a pleasant walk.

The path winds through a dry and partially shaded environment (a little less than half of the route) and is very clean. Both in terms of how it has been cleared and by the visitors who came before us. During our walk, there was virtually no sign of uncivil behaviour, something we hope will encourage future visitors to keep the site in the same state. From Pompugliani, after a few meters, the view opens up to the south (Diana Pond and Genovese tower) and to the west, toward the mountains. At this time of year, some peaks were still covered in snow, creating a striking contrast. In this open area, there are also three illustrated tables where you can get more information about the places you can see and the local flora and fauna.

With practically no elevation change (68 meters recorded), the Terrenzana trail is an excellent way to immerse oneself in nature for as many people as possible. It is perfectly suitable for children, as long as care is taken during periods of intense heat and sufficient water supplies are carried since there are no refreshment points (this also applies to adults, of course). About halfway through the walk, the trail splits, and you can choose to head north to see the Terrenzana Pond first or south to admire the Diana Pond. On the Diana side, you soon reach an open area where a fisherman’s hut from years past has been recreated. It is a quiet and pleasant place to take a break.

Whichever path you choose, there are three ways to reach the beach that separates the two ponds. During our walk, we chose to walk along the beach from the southern access to the northern access. It is a great way to make the most of the area, although in some places you have to walk over rocky formations, which can be challenging for older people.

Once the loop is completed, to reach Pompugliani, you need to retrace the first half of the path in the opposite direction. However, if you’re short on time or energy, there is always the possibility of following the road to return more quickly to the starting point. It is not necessarily very interesting or pleasant, but it is much shorter.

We leave you with some photos of our walk in Terrenzana. The weather was not perfect that day, but we hope it inspires you to try this walk if you are ever in the area.