The Needles of Bavella: "I Forchi di Bavedda
The Aiguilles de Bavella dominate the pass of the same name at an altitude of 1,218m, linking the Alta Rocca to the east coast of Corsica. The massif is lower, yet much more popular than the Aiguilles de Popolasca. The site is characterised by jagged peaks, great rock walls and wind-twisted pine trees.
At the heart of the Bavella massif are the "seven towers of Asinau":
- Punta di l'Acellu, 1,588 m
- Punta di l'Ariettu, 1,591 m
- Punta di a Vacca, 1,611 m, the only one accessible to hikers
- Punta di u Pargulu, 1 785 m
- Punta Longa, 1,836 m
- Punta Alta, 1,855 m
- Punta Iolla, 1,848 m
The Bavella massif as a whole culminates a little further north at Punta di u Furnellu and Punta Muvrareccia, both at 1,899m. It is dominated by the region's highest peak, Monte Incudine (2,134 m).
From Incudine to the Col de Bavella, there is the GR 20 hiking trail. After reaching the Asinau refuge (1,536 m), it passes at the foot of the Aiguilles de Bavella, in the Rizzanese valley. There is an alpine variant that crosses the Aiguilles de Bavella, then descends to Conca, via the Foce Finosa (1,206 m) and the Paliri refuge (1,055 m), at the foot of the Punta Tafunata di i Paliri (1,312 m).
At the pass, just a few metres from the road, the statue of Notre-Dame-Des-Neiges stands atop a mass of stone on a vast median strip.
There is also the start of the path to the Trou de la Bombe or Tafonu di Cumpuleddu.
The towns of Quenza, Zonza and Conca lie in an arc to the south-west of the Col de Bavella.
It should be noted that the Calanca Murata cliffs (in the commune of Conca) are regulated by a biotope protection zone, in order to guarantee the biological balance of the environment and ensure the conservation of the living space for the populations of chiropterans that live there.
