Invitation au Voyage

Overview

Geographical classification: Corsica - Corse > Bavella Massif > Teghie Lisce > Invitation au Voyage

Invitation au Voyage

Driving on the road D268 from Solenzara in the direction of Col de Bavella, the eye is attracted by a charming dome, in shape of smooth compact slabs. It's the Teghie Lisce. Teghie Lisce beautiful South Face - a jewel inside the outline of climbing in Bavella - appears as a true little granite ocean and reminds its huge Yosemite “cousins”, drawning irresistibly the attention of the climber.

On this dome several routes had been realized, all adventurous and requiring a hard and engaged climb, except for the route "Invitation au Voyage", the most accessible one of this cliff, which is a combination of different routes. The rock is extraordinarily solid and offers different climbing ways, from the slabs in sheer adherence to the off-width. Notwithstanding the first pitches running inside a vegetated gully, the trip is exciting...just an unbelievable trip!!!

Getting There

Access to the island

The magnificent island of Corsica, l'Ile de Beauté (the Island of Beauty) belonging to France but much closer to Italy, can be easily approached by plane (airports both in Bastia on the Eastern coast and Ajaccio on the Western coast)and by ferry-boat from Livorno and Savona italian ports. The most convenient destination in Corsica to visit the Bavella area, one of the wildest region of the island, is the airport of Bastia if you’re getting there by plane; the same Bastia port if you’re getting there by ferry-boat.

Road approach to Col de Bavella

- From BASTIA (Corsica Eastern coast) follow the road RN 198 towards Solenzara; a few kilometers before getting there, turn to right following D268 to Col de Bavella (km. 130 from Bastia).

- From AIACCIO (Corsica Western coast) follow the road RN 196 to Petreto, then N852 to Aullene, Quenza and Zonza (km. 90 from Aiaccio). From Zonza follow the road D268 to Col de Bavella.

Road access to Teghie Lisce

From Col de Bavella - Follow the road D268 down along NE side (direction Solenzara), reaching the Polischellu Bridge. Parking.

From Solenzara - Follow the road D268 direction Col de Bavella and park the car at Polischellu Bridge, between Bocca di Larone (Larone Pass) and Col de Bavella.

Walking approach to Teghie Lisce

From Polischellu Bridge follow Polischellu stream along its orographical left bank as far as the third waterfall (15 minutes from the bridge). Leave the stream following on your right-hand side a little trail inside the thick vegetation, rising towards a small rocky gully – little cairn – leading to the base of the cliff (45 minutes from Polischellu Bridge).

Route Description

"Invitation au Voyage" report (French Scale)

Summit altitude: 1025 m
Difficulty: D+, 6a, 5c obbl.
Length: 280 m.
Exposure: SE
Approach starting: Road D268 Polischellu Bridge
Huts: Gite d’Etape “du Col de Bavella”, Gite d’Etape “Les Aiguilles de Bavella”

L1-L2-L3-L4  The first four pitches are the less interesting and run on a ledge rising slanting to the left from the right extremity of the wall. 4b, 3c, 5c, 4a

L5 – The rising ledge ends at a belay with a characteristic big pine below a magnificent "Ocean of slabs", 3b
L6 - Turn to right and start to climb the smooth magnificent slab. 6a
L7 - Always a slabby climb and a little overhang. 5c

 L8 – Now the slabs become steeper. Climb it with superb climb getting to the wonderful summit. 6a.

Descent: abseiling along “Storia d’Acqua i di Luna”. From the top traverse towards right – facing in – skirting a big with some trees (a small lake after rainfall) looking for “Storia d’Acqua i di Luna” last equipped belay. Abseils are truly a wonderful trip along an incredible mineral ocean!!!!

Essential Gear

rope 2 x 60, 10 express, ribbons, some friends

Nature and climate

Nature is wild and peculiar; in Corsica we can find more than 5% of authoctonous kinds of flower and plants, in addition to authoctonous fauna. On the contrary, several kinds of animal current inside Mediterranean countries are away from Corsica, like squirrels and vipers.

Climate is the typical one of the mediterranean middle-mountain areas situated at these latitudes: often very hot in summer and with cold and snowy winters; early and middle Spring and early Fall are the better seasons to climb. Due to Bavella closeness to the sea, winds are often stronger how much they are at the same height in the Alps. Rainfall sometimes are important and dangerous when joined with strong winds. On the contrary, sometimes we can find some long periods of drought.

Red Tape

Bavella is really a fantastic world, a preserved milieu situated inside the Parc Naturel Régional de Corse - Parcu di Corsica. Free camping and bivouac are not allowed. Fires are strictly forbidden. Maximum care is required to keep for the future this extraordinary environment.

When to climb

Abseils along "Storia di Acqua i di Luna"

Teghie Lisce South Face is sometimes very hot. The best season to climb are Spring and Fall.

Where to stay

COL DE BAVELLA

Auberge du Col de Bavella - Hotel and Gite d’Etape

Les Aiguilles de Bavella – Gite d’Etape

ZONZA

– Hotels in Zonza (Hotel L’Aiglon, Hotel de la Terrasse)

- Campsites: Municipal Camping of Zonza, Camping La Riviere

Meteo

METEO CORSE

Guidebooks and maps

- Guidebooks

“Bavedda – Aiguilles entre ciel et torrents: Escalade, Rando, Canyon” by Jean Louis Fenouil and Jean Paul Quilici - FFME

"Guide d’escalade en Corse” Vol. I Massif de Bavella by Jean Paul Quilici – Bernard Vaucher

“Rocca è Sole” Massif de Bavedda by Jean Paul Quilici – Francis Thibaudeau

- Maps

IGN 4253 ET “Aiguilles de Bavella – Solenzara”