Hiking to San Bertuli Chapel

Departure from Monacia d'Orezza

The hike begins at the village of Monacia d'Orezza in the mid-mountains, where you will have no trouble finding a spot on the large church square with its detached bell tower. After parking your car, retrace your steps to the fountain where there is a wooden sign indicating San Bartulu. Climb the hill to the top and then turn right to the stairs leading to a gate (remember to close it).

Note that another hiking route exists from the village of Parata located after Monacia d'Orezza. They are roughly equivalent in terms of time and difficulty. The one from Parata is more shaded and has more forest than the one from Monacia.

Mountains of Castagniccia

Apart from a beginning of the hike under the oaks and a few chestnut trees towards the end of the route, the rest of the itinerary is perfectly clear, with rocky and hard passages for the joints. The trail is very exposed to both sun and rain, so it is necessary to check the weather forecast beforehand and avoid setting out in stormy weather. Regardless of the season and especially in summer, plan to bring hats or caps, and water for everyone.

The hike crosses this mountain of Castagniccia until it reaches this mountain ridge between the pointe de Stolo to the south and the pointe Castello Mozzo to the north, which peak at about 1132 meters above sea level and are spaced about 2km apart. The ridge line serves as a natural border between the municipality of Monacia d'Orezza and that of Velone d'Orneto. Facing it, one can see the San Petrone.

Difficulty of the Hike

The main difficulty of the hike is its continuous ascent with a slope of about 18% over approximately 1h15. As seen on the elevation map, the ascent is uninterrupted up to the summit (about 540 meters of elevation over approximately 3 km) without any flat or downhill sections until reaching the San Bertuli Chapel. On the return journey, even though the effort is less, the descent also tests the joints already fatigued from the outward journey, and the bodies, which is why it may not be advisable for children under 6 years old.

Procession of Saint Bartholomew on August 24th

Every year on August 24th, a procession ascends to the San Bertuli chapel, which dates back to the 17th century.

Carte IGN et dénivelé - San Bertuli