Red granite pinnacles above the Gulf of Porto, which you can see by car from the D81, on foot or from the sea.
The calanche of Piana (singular calanca), known in French as the Calanques de Piana, tower over the Gulf of Porto on the west coast, halfway between Ajaccio and Calvi. Erosion has carved the red granite into hollows (the taffoni), arches and pinnacles, and from the road you can pick out all sorts of shapes. Maupassant described them as ‘up to three hundred metres high’ above the sea. The site is part of the property inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1983.
Photo : Tina P. / Pexels
Coming from Porto, the Tête de Chien (Dog’s Head) appears on a hairpin bend about 7 km from the town and marks the entrance to the site. As you follow the D81, look out for:
The rocks change with the time of day: late afternoon, when the sun sinks over the gulf, gives the granite its reddest colour.
It is one of the most spectacular roads in Corsica, and you can drive it in an hour. Seeing them from the car is not enough, though: you cannot stop wherever you like, and the bends leave little time to look. Park and walk for an hour along the mule track: you will see the rocks up close, in peace, away from the traffic. From the sea the view is completely different, with the cliffs dropping straight into the water.
Updated 30 October 2026
The D81 runs through the calanche between Porto and Piana. The Tête de Chien, at the entrance to the site, is about 15 minutes from Porto, and Piana is about 1 hr 30 min from Ajaccio, outside summer and without stops (OSRM calculation). See visit Porto.
Do not stop on the road. Park at the car park by the Piana municipal sports ground, at the Tête de Chien viewpoint or at the entrance to the calanche. The road is narrow, and a traffic management system restricts long vehicles (coaches, motorhomes, lorries).
A scheduled coach service links Ajaccio with Porto and Ota all year round, via Piana. See getting around Corsica.
Boat trips from Porto, Cargèse, Sagone and Tiuccia sail along the foot of the cliffs, often combined with Scandola.
The best way to see the rocks is to leave the road. Times and grades are from the *Ouest Corsica* tourist office.
The old path between Piana and Ota, paved in places, winds among the rocks above the road. It starts at the municipal sports ground, 2 km from Piana towards Porto.
Source: Ouest Corsica tourist office, 2023 walking leaflet
A path with no shade up to the Turghju tower, on top of a headland that drops sheer into the sea. It starts 7 km from Piana on the road to Arone. Go early in the morning or outside summer.
Source: Ouest Corsica tourist office, 2023 walking leaflet
The path starts at the Tête de Chien and leads to a rocky spur shaped like a fortress, with a view over the Gulf of Porto. The tourist office does not give a walking time.
Source: Ouest Corsica tourist office, ‘Les Calanche’ leaflet 2023
The calanche are part of the UNESCO World Heritage property ‘Gulf of Porto: Calanche of Piana, Gulf of Girolata, Scandola Reserve’ (1983) and of the Natura 2000 site ‘Porto, Scandola, Revellata, Calvi, Calanche de Piana’.
Wild camping is forbidden. The use of fire is regulated by the Corse-du-Sud prefecture and banned during periods of fire risk.
The D81 is managed by the Collectivité de Corse. After a boulder of more than 100 tonnes fell onto it on 25 November 2021, the slope was cleared of loose rock and the road reopened; restrictions may apply to heavy vehicles.
The road is very winding and busy in summer. Pedestrians walk on the carriageway: leave the car in a car park and explore on foot.
The paths are exposed to the sun. Take water and a hat, and set off early for Capu Rossu.
The granite crumbles and there are many sheer drops. Do not climb down towards the cliffs away from the waymarked paths.
Rated boat trips along the calanche of Piana.
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