Chestnut grove path to the Aïtone waterfalls
A shaded path through the chestnut grove, signs about the vegetation and free-roaming pigs, down to the Aïtone pools.
Advice from the Vaïta team
Genuinely lovely — and genuinely far
Let us be direct: the Radule waterfalls are honestly very lovely, and genuinely far away. Allow 50 minutes' drive from the hotel to climb up to the Col de Vergio. That is why we only recommend them on one condition: that you are heading on towards Corte afterwards. It then makes a very fine break halfway, and the detour earns its place.
The walk itself is nothing to worry about: 1 hr 40 there and back for 4 km and 200 m of cumulative ascent. You cross a footbridge and walk for a while over long slabs of rock, but there is nothing dangerous and nothing especially long. Just before you reach the waterfall, you pass a sheepfold.
Two things you would not expect: there are donkeys along the way, and above all it is noticeably cooler than in Porto. At 1,300–1,400 m, that is a real relief on a heatwave day.
Mind your satnav — the classic trap
Do not type “Radule waterfalls” or “Radule hike” into your satnav: the route it offers starts the walk in the wrong place. Aim for the Fer à Cheval car park, and nothing else. That is where the path described here begins.
There and back, not the loop
A loop exists for the return, and you may see it on some maps. We advise against it: it is not clean, and poorly maintained. Come back the same way you came — it is safer and more pleasant.
From our GPS track
The route on the map
The track below is our own GPS record, in the direction Fer à Cheval car park → Radule waterfalls. The marker shows the start. You return the same way.
Before you go
Practical information
Distance
2 km one way, so 4 km there and back.
Ascent
+200 m cumulative over the round trip.
Altitude
From 1,243 to 1,403 m. Cooler than Porto.
Duration
1 hr 40 there and back, taking your time on site.
Difficulty
Moderate — a footbridge and slabs of rock, nothing dangerous.
Finish
The Radule waterfalls, on the Golo, above the Col de Vergio.
What to bring
Water, a picnic, and decent shoes for the rock slabs.
About this page: distance, ascent and altitude are measured from our GPS track. The photographs were taken on site.
Your base for exploring the Gulf of Porto
Hôtel Le Vaïta welcomes you in Porto-Ota, at the start of the gulf's hikes. 26 air-conditioned rooms, best rate guaranteed when you book direct. Ask us at reception: we will tell you whether the detour is worth it given your plans.