Seven miles from Piedicroce and 2 from the Col is Ortia, 2638 ft., pop. 400, hidden among chestnut trees; [Felce], 2570 ft., 8¾ m., pop. 400; Pied Alesani 11 m.; Querceto, 2041 ft., and Castagneto or Alesani, 1938 ft., 12 m. from Piedicroce and 14 from Prunete Railway Station, the principal village in this valley.
A little below Castagneto, at the commencement of this chestnut wooded valley is [Ortale], 1489 ft., pop. 280. The coach then having passed [Cotone] 1008 ft., 19¼ m., pop. 800, and having crossed the little bridge over the stream Chebbia arrives at [Cervione], Inn, France: 1073 ft., 21¾ m. from Piedicroce, and 4¼ from Prunete. From Cervione another coach descends to Prunete Railway Station by [Muchieto] 820 ft. Prunete consists of a few houses near the beach, resorted to by bathers in summer, situated on the highway between Bastia and Bonifacio. See also [p. 33].
[Solenzara to Sartène,]
46 m. S.W. This forest road, No. 4, ascends the valley of the Solenzara, crosses the great S.E. range at the [Col de Bavella], descends into the valley of the Rizzanese, passes through the villages of Zonza, San Gavino, Levie, and Ste. Lucie, and joins the highroad between Ajaccio and Bonifacio at the miles tone 76·690 (47¾ m.) from Ajaccio, 3¾ m. from Sartène, and 42 m. from Solenzara.
The road, after passing up by the S. side of the river through olive groves and “maquis,” arrives at the Col and [Maison de Cantonniers de Castelluccio], 210 ft., 4 m. from Solenzara. Two m. farther by the Pont de Ghiadole, the road crosses the Solenzara by the Calzatojo bridge, 6 m. from [Solenzara], 340 ft., winds upward by the deep gully of the Fiumicello, which having crossed by the bridge 7¼ m. from Solenzara, ascends a steep winding road bordered with great trees to the [Maison de Cantonniers de Rocchio-Pinzuto], 8¾ m., 1060 ft., at the foot of the great cliff of that name.
The road still winding upwards passes the immense wall of reddish cliffs called the Rochers de Bavella before arriving at the [Col de Larone]10¾ m., 2056 ft. The road, still winding, ascends a huge promontory between the torrents Fiumicello and S. Pietro, separating into two distinct parts the forest of Bavella, and crosses the Pont de Bocintoro, 1510 ft., 12 m. A little farther, in a wild yet beautiful situation, is the [Maison de Cantonniers d’Arghiavara]. From the Pont 1½ m. is the better house, la [maison forestière de l’Alza], commanding superb views, situated among great trees and nursery gardens.
The ascent from this is by a steep road, almost impracticable for vehicles, through a forest of the stateliest and oldest pines in Corsica.
18 m. from Solenzara and 28 from Sartène is the [Maison de Cantonniers de Bavella], 3885 ft., near the summit of the Col Bavella, 4068 ft. In this house of refuge there is generally comfortable accommodation and a supply of provisions. The surrounding huts are occupied in July and August by people from the plains about Solenzara, who come here to escape the fever-producing malaria. The house commands, even from the windows, grand views.
On the other side of the Col, 550 ft. below it and 2¼ m. from it, is the [Maison de Cantonniers de Ballatojo], from which the road descends amidst great pines mixed with a few oaks and ilexes, in view of the Asinao forest and of the lofty granite pinnacled precipices, 10 m. long, between Mt. Colva, 4520 ft., and the Point Tintinaja, 6658 ft.